At this moment you are seeing the French Alps at Christmas, a fairytale, white and magical week in a motorhome

French Alps at Christmas, a fairy tale week, white and magical in a motorhome

Next, we tell you about our trip to the French Alps by campervan over Christmas. A Christmas that became magical, between French Christmas markets and the snow of the Alps.

 

ABSTRACT OF THE TRIP: FRENCH ALPS BY MOTORHOME

 

  • Days

    • 7 days during Christmas
  • Populations visited

    • Annecy / Chamonix / Le Tour / Les Houches
  • Overnight places

  • Total spends of the trip for 2 adults + 2 children

    • 756 Euros calculated round trip
    •  300 € of diesel approximately (includes our heating that is diesel)
    • € 150 in tolls (estimate since we do not pay any section for the yellow vests)
    • 95 euros in overnight stays in campin
    • € 11 museum tickets € 11, ski resorts € 0, catering and other purchases approximately € 200
  • Summary of the route, visits and activities carried out

    • Day 1: Sant Pere de Vilamajor- Lespignan, overnight on the route of the trip
    • Day 2: Lespignan- Annecy
      • - Walk around the lake
      • - Annecy Christmas Fair, mulled wine and chocolate crepes
      • - Christmas light and music show at Annecy Town Hall
    • Day 3: Annecy
      • - Tourist Office
      • - Walk along the lake and canals: bridge of lovers, island of swans, fields of mars ...
      • - Walk through the old part of the city
      • - Visit to the Castle
    • Day 4: Annecy- Chamonix 
      • - Visit Chamonix center
      • - Visit a small Christmas fair
      • - Christmas show 
    • Day 5: Le Tour
      • - Skiing on the free beginners slope with ski lift at La Vormaine station.
    • Day 6: Les Houches
      • - Sledding and snow games: igloo
    • Day 7: Chamonix- return trip 
  • Best of this getaway 

    • Annecy, its lakeside walks and its canals in the middle of its old city
    • Annecy's Christmas Market with its hot wines and chocolate pancakes that made for a wonderful afternoon cold evening.
    • Chamonix, a city of skiers, busy and full of Christmas spirit with an impressive picture behind as are the Alps.
    • Le Tour as a ski resort, and the Vormaine specifically for beginners, as there are 3 of us.
  • Worst of this getaway 

    • There was no water anywhere to fill the motorhome (the taps closed due to freezing), which made us go to a campsite. And the problem of gray water freezing, but it is not serious if you empty it as you generate it or without filling the entire tank, then you defrost it while traveling during the trip to warmer places.
  • Related post links

    1. To the snow in a motorhome. What you should never do!
    2. A sled + a harness + a super papa or mama = a snowshoe route with little ones
    3. ▷ Definitive Guide 【2020】 - Traveling in a new or second-hand motorhome
    4. Disneyland in motorhome. A magical New Year's Eve and Christmas

 

TIPS FOR A TRIP TO THE FRENCH ALPS IN WINTER

General

  • To go to France, you must have the valid DNIs or passports of adults and also children as identification documentation.

  • You must also bring your Covid vaccination certificate or QR code or a PCR or negative antigen test for those over 12 years of age. They can not only ask you for this at the border, but they can ask you for it in many restaurants, museums and other places of interest.

  • On the other hand for medical issues you must take the European sanitary card in force, although you should know that in France there is a medical copayment for foreigners in most things. For this reason, and due to various experiences of colleagues, we decided to always carry a medical travel insurance that for the cost that it has we go safe and calm. We always take out Iati getaway insurance, which is designed to travel as a family in a motorhome or camper, which apart from medical insurance includes even accident insurance for the pets with which you travel or even a small insurance for theft of the interior of the motorhome. For the price it is really worth it and more with the Covid still around here. Without commitment we leave you here a discount of 5% of the insurance What do we tell you in case you want to ask for a budget at a better price.

  • If skiing is not your thing, there are many options to do in the Chamonix area, from snowshoes, paragliding, igloo workshops, sledding, seeing a glacier from the inside, even simply going up in the cable car to contemplate the wonderful views of the place to Montblanc and go down. The cable cars and chair lifts without a pass themselves go up and down are expensive from € 30 generally upwards (example € 63 one-way up to l'Aiguille du Midi 3842m with views of Montblanc where there is a refuge and exhibition), so look at yourself if A Montblanc unlimited card (€ 63 per day) or Chamonix compensates you more, in case you can do more than one excursion on the same day or there are cards of these of more than one day. You can buy them online with a discount if it is in advance: https://www.chamonix.com/forfaits-de-esqui,25,es.html
  • If you stay at any establishment in the area, including campsites, they give you a card to get around for free by train and bus, it is the best option to get around in the snow.
  • Drinking mulled wine (which looks like a hot sangria) is the most typical of Christmas and winter, do not miss it, it warms the body and soul! hehehehe
  • In Chamonix, if you like to see museums there is a card for all museums for a good price that will pay off, you can buy it at the tourist office (it was about € 15)
  •  Chamonix has a skating rink and a super cool indoor pool in the sports area, as well as a cross-country ski pass (which is next to a station) you get one of two things for free. In Les Hauches next to the Le Tourchet station there is also an outdoor skating rink (€ 3 entry 4 skate rental)

Specific if you are going to ski

  • Plan in advance what you are going to ski to take a 2 or 3 day ski pass that is more expensive than buying it daily, if that is the case. Or take a Montblanc or Chamonix card that covers different ski resorts with the same ski pass and you can take many different cable cars. The bad thing is that the stations are not connected by the tracks, you will have to go by bus from one to another.
  • If you are a complete novice in skiing in general, start with cross-country skiing, it is simpler, safer and with children it is calmer and less bulky even at the equipment level, in addition to costing almost half. There are many ski resorts.
  • If you are starting skiing or your children are into it, go to La Tour at the Vormaine station where there is the only trail for beginners with free drag.
  • Les Houches on Thursdays, on days when there is no school, in the evenings at night, from 20 to 22 pm, skiing is free and they also give chocolate, mulled wine and there is a party.

Specific if you travel with children

  • The best ski areas with children that start are the Vormaine (the only one with a free trail for beginners) and with 2 green and one blue (18 the individual ski pass or 55 the family one) between a forest and in Chamonix are the Planards resorts and Savoy. Later in Les Hauches Le Tourchet is also good for initiation. They are tracks of about € 18-20 the ski pass and € 50- 55 the family fourfait (2 adults plus 2 or more, the children in the family).
  • To go sledding, either side is good, everything is full of snow there 🙂 but at the foot of the slopes in the Vormaine, people go for free and it is very good, or in Les Houches there are areas just like in Planards and Savoy de Chamonix. These sledging areas also have a sled roller coaster that for a price of about 7-9 euros you can jump and have fun with the little ones.
  • At Annecy Castle, only those over 12 years old pay admission.
  • If you like to ski, you will know that the equipment for the little ones is expensive, we apart from buying the clothes in the lidl when the ski goes out which is great, we buy second hand skis and boots in Puigcerdà, in all the sports stores Ski equipment sell second-hand equipment for children and adults. It is a very good option, since every year you take the old equipment and only for € 30, which would already cost you the set-up, they change you to a new equipment of their size and with the set-up done. A great option. But Wallapop is another good option.

Specific if you travel with dogs

  • On the snowshoe tracks you can go with a dog on a leash.
  • The only winter campsite open in the Chamonix area, Les Deux Glaciers, allows dogs, and one is free.
  • Chamonix Valley buses are dog friendly.

Specific if you travel with a motorhome

  • You should know that between November 1 to March 31 in 48 departments of France, including those bordering Spain, it is mandatory to carry chains (at least for the two driving wheels) or winter tires. that chains and / or winter tires are better for motorhomes, here We leave you an article that we talk about from our experience in our motorhome.

  • Read the following post well: To the snow in a motorhome. What you should never do!

  • Climb the mountain roads at the time of car up and down the descents, do not complicate yourself, the roads are narrow.
  • The only campsite open in the Chamonix valley in winter is Les Deux Glaciers, it's very busy, if you can book or call ahead. It has all the services for winter, they even have a drying area for skis and clothes. They also have a bakery service, reserving it the day before. For 4 people and with electricity, it is about € 30 a night.
  • The motorhome area of ​​Annecy is only 10 places (of which 5 at least were people living permanently from what we saw), a miracle to find a place. It is a good area 15 minutes from the center on foot, for a great walk around the lake and in front of a beach of the same for summer. There are parkings on the same road closer to the center that you can stay overnight, the only thing is that they are paid. However, there is a free car park in the upper part of the city and it is not far from the center. In parking4night you have them all detailed.

                               

  THE JOURNAL OF THE TRIP TO THE FRENCH ALPS

Day 1: Ida, Figueres -Lespignan, overnight on route

After an excellent Christmas meal at my sister's house in Figueres and a great wedding announcement in the family, which we could not be happier about, at 17:XNUMX we decided to take advantage of the afternoon to make a part of the journey to Annecy .

Our first idea was to go to the AC area of ​​Le Bacares, where they recreate a whole Christmas city and take the opportunity to see it, but it is only 6 in the afternoon and we think what if we make a little more that the children are not tired and tomorrow instead of 6 hours it will only be 4? Total that for our little ones of 3 and 6 years, everything that is more than 3 hours is an ordeal, so we decided to shorten the trip as much as possible the next day and throw miles. These are hours that we earn in less crying and fighting, and I assure you that this is priceless! Hehehe

We look at parking4night we calculate to arrive around 20pm for dinner and we see a small town near the motorway exit called Lespignan, which has an overnight area next to an old mill.

At the exit of the highway are our friends wearing yellow vests with bonfires and celebrating the Christmas claiming that in Spain perhaps we would also need. They've overridden the machines and opened barriers, so we've saved a good toll spike thanks to them.

We arrived on schedule, although in order not to go through the town where the GPS sent us through some considerable narrow streets, we went around a little more but without problem and we arrived at the mill area… and ta chan! An area with very good opinions but ... That day some young people had decided to set up their romantic night or partying there, we do not know well ... That and that there was no van or AC anymore makes us turn around, like going up the mill parking lot We have seen some ACs parked, we parked on the same street as them next door. Of course after a while we realize we are next to a cemetery ... what a quieter night lol there neither romances nor revelry lol

Cenita and to sleep that we have more kilometers tomorrow until Annecy.


Day 2: Lesignan- Annecy, Christmas story night

With the calm and in tune of the holidays we wake up and have breakfast, after 11 am we start again.

At 13:XNUMX we stop to eat in a service area. We park in a large place like none, but you can not even imagine, and what happens?

Well, it is so wide that it is, my husband wants to lean and lean the tail of the AC behind and behind, there is a mountain of land I see it, I warn you, he throws, throws and ohhh we have been hooked with the marachoques in the mountain !!

Surprise! Pull ahead and crack !! Bumper to the ground! Hehehe good to all this for those who do not know we took MC Guiver in the AC, my same husband, and he takes out his tornavis his screws from I don't know where, he rolls up his sleeves and says nothing happens here.

Plis plas and in what it takes to make the food, he fixes the bumper, there is no machismo at all at home I assure you… .but I would not have fixed this as he assured you jeehej that if I had fixed it for sure. I'm going to see him when he's fixing it, I look up, look in front and voila! A planchisteria just ahead! There they would have solved something for me hehehehe

Everything is in an anecdote and so we continue the trip, with a change of driver and even Annecy at last!

It's about 16 and more filly we can't have, I already played something good hehehe

We go to the service area of ​​Annecy that only has 10 places and everyone complains that there is never a place (it is true because there are quite a few who literally live there), and for us there is a place waiting for us! Brilliant! Wonderful place in front of the lake, near the center and with services for the AC, although the water as in almost all of France due to frost is closed.

After settling in, we are so excited to see Annecy that we literally jump out of the car and drive downtown by the beautiful lake.

There is a Christmas market, there can be no better welcome than diving into that flea market eating crepes, churros filled with chocolate and drinking mulled wine. In the town hall there is a beautiful light and music show, we stop to see it. 

It is very cold so after visiting the flea market and buying some postcards to practice Arnau's writing, we have frozen hands and feet. Everything is well equipped for the cold, we have to go jogging to the motorhome to get warm.

Maybe we were only minus 2 degrees but the thermal sensation I assure you was much more. Nor in the high Alps, then, did our hands remain stiff. Thank goodness of the mulled wine ejjejej. That by the way, more than wine is a sweet sangria that warms your body and soul.

Already in the car we recover heat for the body. Good thing the heating is a glory in these dishes. We dine and have evening gatherings between new board games. The games that Santa Claus has brought us. Some of them are Abalon, Ottelo and Virus. All excellent to play adults and children of 6 years, Anna at the moment participates with a daddy.

 

Day 3: Annecy, a fairytale town at the foot of the Alps

Walk around the lake to the Tourist Office in front of the Champs de Mars passing the bridge of lovers.

We stopped by the tourist office to give us all the information for Chamonix and skiing in the area. And from there, we do a morning strolling through the old city, its canals and lake, stopping to eat at a restaurant after asking many questions and being all full.

In the afternoon we visit the castle with exhibitions on Annecy and its lake, for 11 euros the 4. 5,10 € adults and children under 12 free.

Finally we return to the charming Christmas market and say goodbye to Annecy to go to the car for dinner and play board games that Santa Claus brought us.

 

Day 4: Annecy- Chamonix

After a few hours of walking, we arrived at the Deux Glaciers campsite at the foot of the Bussons Glacier, a spectacular place, although very very cold. In 4 days we will not see or rise the sun hehehe

They reluctantly accept us, they tell us to book, they are very full.

We need to fill water and we ask how to do it. They tell us to do it from the bathrooms.

To park on the plot for the first time we have to brand new chains. We have 4 easy grips from Michellin, they are really super easy to put on, nothing to do with the iron ones we had so far. Of course, we discovered in his instructions that they are not useful for Germany ...

We put the two front chains and no problem great.

At the campsite they give us a card for each guest that will allow us to take any bus or train from the Chamonix valley for free.

We eat and after that we get ready for adventure again.

We take bus 2 towards Chamonix center and the first thing we do is a visit to the tourist office where they have extensive information in Spanish about the area.

We visit the city, full of life and Christmas atmosphere. Its Christmas market surprises us badly, super small and little set in a single square.

Every day there are Christmas shows and activities and we see one at 17pm, a dance and light show through the streets.

The town is spectacular for its surrounding landscapes, great spectacular white mountains. Actually, it is a white and magical Christmas that we are experiencing.

We make the rigorous pancake and mulled wine before retiring for the car.

Already in the camping table games and night walk with Max around the camping in the Bossons area.

 

Day 5: Le Tour, Vormaine station, free ski for beginners

Today we wake up looking forward to snow and skiing.

We take the bus 2 from the stop next to the campsite towards Le Tour, the last stop on this line. 

When we arrive we see the parking lot to the fullest, with some motorhome circling for not finding a place, thank goodness we have decided not to make trips with the car. It is high season and it shows, there are many people on the bus and on the slopes. Next to the bus stop we have the domaine ticket offices, as the ski areas with their own pass are called here, what we call a ski resort, the so-called Domeine de Balme. We will go to the one that is just hooked to the right a domain for super cool beginners who call it Vormaine. For the more expert Balme is a good red and blue station, mainly with a cable car to the Charamillon refuge at 1850m. 

As you know, we are learning quite a few, so for now we have to go to beginners' slopes and green, blue at most, and Spanish-style blues. That around here they have told us that they go to a degree more than through the Pyrenees ...

We go to this station because we read in I don't know what website there is a track with free teletrawler for beginners, nor in the tourist office of Chamonix, nor is it announced anywhere. That is why it is not overcrowded and is very calm and fluid. There is practically no queuing and it is in a beautiful area.

It really is a great track where Anna puts on her new Santa Claus skis and when she is 3 years old she takes her first steps in alpine skiing, the cross country one she already tried in the Vansa if you remember, and she loved it.

Today, he still enjoys it a lot and when he gets tired of making snowmen. Me and Arnau were swollen to practice on that track, and every time we have more confidence in this thing about skiing, already wanting to go green and blue, but everything will go, we have to wait a little for Anna and so we will all surely enjoy with the family very soon.

We eat sandwiches over there at the solete and we continue throwing ourselves down the track until it is almost time to close at 16,30 pm.

That time is the time to take the bus.

There is so much queue to catch the bus that we have to wait for the second and there as sardines we get in the can hehehe that if before another bus that came collided with the open trunk of a car so we had to wait a little longer and hear a collective ohhhhhhh jejejej

We arrived at the campsite defeated, there is no desire for showers or preparing dinners or na de na…. And I can't stop hearing from my children and husband a "I'm burning with hunger, mom" I'm burning with hunger heheejje we want crepes we want crepes hehehe and thank goodness I have a pot of those from the mercadona that you just pour the milk and move and voila ... Total to make crepes play Piratatak for a while, another one of our favorites that this 3-year-old Anna already knows how to play and Batabaf, another where we all play.

But hey to the sled we wear it down a lot up and down and almost made a mini igloo. And to all this we ate well in a restaurant that was not bad. La Chavanne is called the restaurant, the price is more than correct, for 48 euros we all ate well, with a children's menu and above all, it must be said that the treatment of the girl who served us was more than excellent, that is why we only recommend it, and look at what we don't normally name restaurants ...

It was a great ski day and we all ended up sleeping.

Day 6: Les Houches, family ski town

In all the brochures and websites that we have been looking at, Les Houches comes out as a village 10 for families and children. There is a skating rink, toboggans, shows and parties for kids ...

Well, it must be the propaganda they want to do to you, but we don't experience any of that.

We take bus 1, on the left after the bridge next to the campsite. 4 stops and we arrive at Le Touchet les Houches stop which in theory is where the skating area and sledges and green tracks are.

Today the idea was to sled and skate, that was the plan. That we meet? A closed debutant tracks. Empty and almost snowless. Where only a few children are sledding and the skating rink closed and doing maintenance. It is a Sunday in high occupation of Christmas holidays of end of the year. Thats weird. What a disappointment.

After eating there was a tiny Carrefour open. We made 4 rigorous purchases of wines, spirits and basic survivals. And before leaving we stop by the tourist office. Let's see if they told us if there were other better toboggan runs and we were wrong.

But no, it was that there was little snow in general. And there are more tracks, yes, and an area for beginners and children that there is a piu piu club. But it is three more bus stops and we decided that the hours that we are already go to the car. We are going to do the laundry and shower quietly before dinner and sleep.

Day 7: Return

 

Our return was more like a return to the ring, since we took advantage of the annual Disney passes that we had for summer and we went 3 days to Disneyland. If you want to see this second part of the trip, access the link: Disneyland at New Years Eve and Christmas. Travel diary and tips

 

 

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This entry has 3 comments

  1. french alps caravan

    The truth is that I did the route of the alps in a caravan and it was amazing. I recommend it 100% since it is a route with impressive landscapes and great gastronomy. Very good article

  2. Miquel

    Great explanation, but with dogs? Do you leave it in the motorhome or do you take it to the ski slopes?
    Thank you

    1. Kucavanera family

      He stays in the motorhome while we ski 🙂 Like at home when we go to work 🙂 And then he also has good times for walks 🙂

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