# French alps



## Geeza40 (May 24, 2015)

Hi all, new to the forum so apologies if this question has been asked and answered before.
We are looking to go down to the French alp in early July for 10 days or so. My initial plan is to head for charmonix or Praz sur Arly. 
From there I'm not sure what to do. Does any one have suggestions / tours you've done.
Did you use Aires, are there many in around the Alps,.......any help, advise appreciated.....

Dave


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## Robell (Mar 13, 2013)

Hi Dave and welcome to the forum. We went to Chamonix and Lake Annecy last year on a 2 week trip. Stayed at Camping Mer de Glace in Chamonix and Camping International du Lac Bleu at the bottom end of Lake Annecy. There is an aire much nearer to town of Annecy but it's usually choc-a-block unless you get there early. There's also a municipal camping site there which is up a hill, and apparently there's a bus that stops outside that will take you to the town. Unfortunately they stop running it at the end of August ---- and we were there in September, so found it a tad tiring after walking around the town to the trudge up the hill to the campsite.

It's a long trip down to the French Alps for 10 days (although you may prefer to just drive straight through in one go) and then go on somewhere else, as there's a heck of a lot to see. We intended to stay at Chamonix for 2 days and Annecy for 5 days. We liked Chamonix so much we stayed there 5 days and could have stayed longer but the OH wanted to see Annecy at all costs. Apart from the touristey trips to do there's so much nice walking in the Chamonix area that you're spoilt for choice if you like that sort of thing.

We spent 3 days travelling down and similarly 3 days travelling back and used aires along the way.

Hope you enjoy your trip, it's lovely in that part of France.

Rob


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## Geeza40 (May 24, 2015)

Hi Rob, thanks.for your reply, yes we love a walk so it sounds perfect for us.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

We have done most of the Route de Grande Alpes now. http://www.moveyouralps.com/en/route-des-grandes-alpes/the-alpine-route Thats a cycling site but you get the idea. Runs from Lake Leman (Lake Geneva) all the way down to the Med. You wont do it in ten days though. The bit from Lake Geneva down to Annecy area is stunning though. The Cirque at Sixt fer a Cheval is worth a stop en route http://www.sixtferacheval.com/en/sixt-unique-site. There is a good aire and the village is worth seeing as is the cirque which is magnificent. Plenty of walking in that area.

Annecy will be very busy in July but you can soon escape the crowds. If your going to be there for Bastile day on the 14th there will be all sorts going on. Fireworks, parties, music etc but there will be more motorhomes that you can shake a stick at.


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## MyGalSal (Dec 8, 2008)

barryd said:


> We have done most of the Route de Grande Alpes now. http://www.moveyouralps.com/en/route-des-grandes-alpes/the-alpine-route Thats a cycling site but you get the idea. Runs from Lake Leman (Lake Geneva) all the way down to the Med. You wont do it in ten days though. The bit from Lake Geneva down to Annecy area is stunning though. The Cirque at Sixt fer a Cheval is worth a stop en route http://www.sixtferacheval.com/en/sixt-unique-site. There is a good aire and the village is worth seeing as is the cirque which is magnificent. Plenty of walking in that area.
> 
> Annecy will be very busy in July but you can soon escape the crowds. If your going to be there for Bastile day on the 14th there will be all sorts going on. Fireworks, parties, music etc but there will be more motorhomes that you can shake a stick at.


Barry, you are my guru, you are the font of all knowledge. I am now paying rapt attention to your many, varied suggested routes. My feet are itchy and I yearn for pastures new. Actually, right now I yearn for Spain and sun and warmth and blue skies! I am stuck in Scotland (in the rain, the grey skies, the cold, the dark and oh, did I mention the rain?) on the waiting list for surgery for a new hip. I even contemplated an escape to Spain for a 'splash and dash' but the day after I booked the tunnel I had a phone call from hospital- I needed to go for yet another blood test (unrelated to hip) so I gave up my ideas of escape, logic prevailed and I am sitting obediently waiting and waiting and waiting..... But, I can dream - and plan and when it's over and as soon as I can we will be on the road SOUTH! So your links re route Geneva to Med sounds just the job. 50 years ago I did a lot of touring in France and Switzerland, over all the passes, never through a tunnel but that was in a car. We are happy to take the van on most roads but not all. I really don't like drop-offs. You have obviously taken Hank the Tank down these roads but are there any scary bits, like drop-offs?

Apologies to OP for waffling on his thread, my only excuse is that after months of rain and atrocious weather I am losing the will to live! Roll on the surgery. My 12 weeks 'guaranteed treatment time' or whatever they call it is 6 April but I bet that doesn't happen.

Cheers, Barry.

Sal


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## EJB (Aug 25, 2007)

We visited both Chamonix and Annecy last June and repeat what Rob says.
Chamonix...same site excellent...aires not nice....Aguille du midi amazing similar to Jungfraujoch in Switzerland. Well worth a few days.
Annecy very pleasant for two or three nights....Aire a concrete box normally full and not nice....lots of campsites around.


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## caulkhead (Jul 25, 2007)

MyGalSal said:


> Barry, you are my guru, you are the font of all knowledge. I am now paying rapt attention to your many, varied suggested routes. My feet are itchy and I yearn for pastures new. Actually, right now I yearn for Spain and sun and warmth and blue skies! I am stuck in Scotland (in the rain, the grey skies, the cold, the dark and oh, did I mention the rain?) on the waiting list for surgery for a new hip. I even contemplated an escape to Spain for a 'splash and dash' but the day after I booked the tunnel I had a phone call from hospital- I needed to go for yet another blood test (unrelated to hip) so I gave up my ideas of escape, logic prevailed and I am sitting obediently waiting and waiting and waiting..... But, I can dream - and plan and when it's over and as soon as I can we will be on the road SOUTH! So your links re route Geneva to Med sounds just the job. 50 years ago I did a lot of touring in France and Switzerland, over all the passes, never through a tunnel but that was in a car. We are happy to take the van on most roads but not all. I really don't like drop-offs. You have obviously taken Hank the Tank down these roads but are there any scary bits, like drop-offs?
> 
> Apologies to OP for waffling on his thread, my only excuse is that after months of rain and atrocious weather I am losing the will to live! Roll on the surgery. My 12 weeks 'guaranteed treatment time' or whatever they call it is 6 April but I bet that doesn't happen.
> 
> ...


Good post Sal! I feel your pain AND the rain. Hope all goes well and that you are soon flying down the autoroute towards the sun:wink2:


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## fatbuddha (Aug 7, 2006)

a someone who had a place in Chamonix for 10 years and still head to the Alps fairly regularly (mainly for skiing now), you will probably never uncover all the beauty of the French Alps in a lifetime. add the Swiss, Austrian and Italian Alps into the mix, and there's just too much to see and do.

just go and explore - you'll want to keep going back again and again

sadly, Chamonix has become less motorhome friendly in latter years, and the closure of the Grepon aire (underneath the Aiguille du Midi cablecar) has limited options further. You can stay on a permitted area just up the road from the MBC (Micro Brasserie de Chamonix) for 24hrs max, and there is a new aire in Les Houches although that is only open in summer months. for winter use, Les Deux Glaciers campsite is the only open one - there are others in summer. or you can wild it on the Grands Montets lifts car park in Argentiere but imho it's a bit skanky, especially in winter. 

alternatively, head down the valley to the Lac du Passy and overnight there in the car park close to the campsite (open in summer and can get very busy)


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

The aire at Pont Du Fosse is great. It is free and it is the old camping municipal. Good riverside walk to the nearby village.
N44 degrees40.200 E006 degrees14.317


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

MyGalSal said:


> Barry, you are my guru, you are the font of all knowledge. I am now paying rapt attention to your many, varied suggested routes. My feet are itchy and I yearn for pastures new. Actually, right now I yearn for Spain and sun and warmth and blue skies! I am stuck in Scotland (in the rain, the grey skies, the cold, the dark and oh, did I mention the rain?) on the waiting list for surgery for a new hip. I even contemplated an escape to Spain for a 'splash and dash' but the day after I booked the tunnel I had a phone call from hospital- I needed to go for yet another blood test (unrelated to hip) so I gave up my ideas of escape, logic prevailed and I am sitting obediently waiting and waiting and waiting..... But, I can dream - and plan and when it's over and as soon as I can we will be on the road SOUTH! So your links re route Geneva to Med sounds just the job. 50 years ago I did a lot of touring in France and Switzerland, over all the passes, never through a tunnel but that was in a car. We are happy to take the van on most roads but not all. I really don't like drop-offs. You have obviously taken Hank the Tank down these roads but *are there any scary bits, like drop-offs?
> *
> Apologies to OP for waffling on his thread, my only excuse is that after months of rain and atrocious weather I am losing the will to live! Roll on the surgery. My 12 weeks 'guaranteed treatment time' or whatever they call it is 6 April but I bet that doesn't happen.
> 
> ...


Sorry to hear about all your troubles Sal. Hope you can get going soon.

The main part of the routes we have done are all pretty good roads. As to there being scary drop offs well it depends what you consider scary.  I think it includes two of the highest paved roads in Europe. The Col de La Bonette in the southern part of the route and the col de l'Iseran midway (we have done the Col de La Bonette but not other other one (yet).

They go up to over 9000ft so yes they are up high but I only remember the Col de La Bonnette being a tad scary near the top. The roads are fine though.

The stretch from Thonon les Bains through Les Gets, Le Grand Bornand and down towards Annecy is a nice route. A few passes but nothing on the scale of the passes further south. Some great aires and wild spots along route.

One tip in Summer is to use CC Infos and look for the motorhome Parking spots (Not Aires). These are the ones with a P that allow overnighting and are often Ski resort parking with fantastic views but of course not overly used in the Summer.

Go for it!


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## Geeza40 (May 24, 2015)

Thank you everyone for your tips and suggestions. Really excited now.......
I think I will book a couple of sites in advance and then go with the flow for the rest of the time......


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## Gretchibald (Jul 22, 2011)

We like this Aire at Plaine Joux, easy to get to, about 7euros, ( about 18 miles from Chamonix). Elec hook up, good TV signal, showers and toilets. Nice hill walks behind the MH. Short walk to the lovely Lac Vert. If clouds lift , great views across to Mt Blanc. Watch the hang gliders (or join them). Will try to put some pics/ videos on which shows it all.


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## Gretchibald (Jul 22, 2011)

...and Lac Vert


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## Gretchibald (Jul 22, 2011)

...and wake up to this view... ( the mountains, not the wife).


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Yes we stayed at Plaine Joux Aire a few years ago. Stunning area. I think we came up an odd way though as I remember struggling up a few narrow twisty roads through some villages with a 3.5t limit on. I blamed the sat nav of course.


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## fatbuddha (Aug 7, 2006)

barryd said:


> Yes we stayed at Plaine Joux Aire a few years ago. Stunning area. I think we came up an odd way though as I remember struggling up a few narrow twisty roads through some villages with a 3.5t limit on. I blamed the sat nav of course.


I know which route you took - I've biked up it - and it is pretty narrow in places. eejut!


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

fatbuddha said:


> I know which route you took - I've biked up it - and it is pretty narrow in places. eejut!


Not Eejut Fats, Fearless! 

White van man has nothing on me!


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## Gretchibald (Jul 22, 2011)

To the OP, the mis- adventures of Barryd are legendary on here, don't be put off, the main road is a major bus route, all up hill and full of bends but no scary bits.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Rubbish! Thats the wimps route.


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