Holidays in France, Savoie region:
Albertville area and the Parc des Bauges:
In the heart of the Savoie region of France, Albertville is at the gateway to many famous French ski areas including the Three Valleys and the Haute Tarentaise. This was the centre for the 1992 Winter Olympics and the town has long been associated with skiing and mountain activities.
The modern town of Albertville is overlooked by the medieval settlement of Conflans, set on a nearby rocky outcrop. Its ramparts and gateways protected magnificent dwellings built on the proceeds of trade between the Rhône and northern Italy. The Grand-Place, with its picturesque oval fountain and flowers, and the arcaded Maison Rouge, actually look more Italian than Savoyard. This brick mansion holds the Musée d’Art et d’Histoire with rooms dedicated to the town's military past – this was the original home of the elite mountaineering corps known as the Chasseurs Alpins.
Albertville is also one of the towns that skirts the national park of the Massif des Bauges. This is an area of stunning natural beauty, with mountain vistas, lakes, vineyards and charming traditional villages still producing their local cheeses.
With Albertville as a base the visitor has the opportunity to discover a superb area of France - with a variety of ski areas within easy reach in the winter, and for summer holidays a massive range of activities and place to explore.
Ski areas within a 30 minute drive include the Espace Diamant - with regular local buses into this area which includes Les Saisies and Crest Voland. Megeve and Praz sur Arly are a few more minutes away through the Gorges d'Arly. The Haute Tarentaise resorts of Tignes and Val d'Isere can be reached in a little over an hour, and the Three Valleys resorts of Meribel, La Tania around 30-45 minutes.
For summer expeditions why not visit Lake Annecy or the Lac du Bourget, or head into the Massif de Bauges itself for myriad walking and hiking possibilities. Discover the Beaufortain and see the famous cheese of the region being produced.
