Summer – APASSION

Tarmac Rodéo (electro) swing into Sixt

robin.tarr — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 14:54:21 +0000

Electro Swing lights-up Sixt Fer-à-Cheval

Thought-out the summer the commune of Sixt Fer-à-Cheval put on free weekly concerts, the Music O’ Jardin, with artists coming from across the country to light-up the grounds of the Abbey with a wide range of musical genres.

This week was swing week and “wow” were we treated to some high energy electro-swing by the amazing Tarmac Rodéo.

No way to describe it so you best just get a taster for yourself from the clip below and understand why the place was swinging!

Tour de France Femme hits Samoëns

robin.tarr — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 06:12:55 +0000

Bravo Pauline!

What a treat to be able to witness the Tour de France Femme take-on the challenge of the Col de Joux Plane. Starting from the village of Samoëns the ascent combines a total elevation gain of nearly 1,000m with an average gradient of 9% and was described by Lucien Van Impe (5 times winner of the Tour de France mountain jersey) as one of the toughest climbs in France.

With over a week of racing already in their legs the ladies of the TdF Femme seemed to make light-work of the heat and gruelling ascent en-route to the race finish in Châtel.

Whist Anna van der Breggen won the race to the 1691m summit of the Joux-Plane with a 45 second lead over the peloton, the day was really only about one lady; The incredible Pauline Ferrand-Prévot who doubled down on her stage win of the day before to win both her second stage of the 2025 Tour but also to extend her overall lead and become the first French winner of the ladies edition of the TdF in over 30 years! Bravo Pauline!

Cirque de Fer-à-Cheval – Where Cliffs and Waterfalls Meet

robin.tarr — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 07:24:44 +0000

Taking its name from the shape of the semi-circular rock formation (Fer-à-Cheval translates to “Horseshoe” in English) the Cirque du Fer-à-Cheval is the largest mountain cirque in the Alps.

The steep sided cliffs that line the valley rise up to over 2,000m and create a stunning back-drop for the many waterfalls that offer the opportunity for a very refreshing dip in the height of the summer.

The Cirque forms part of the Sixt-Passy National Reserve, the largest national reserve in Haute Savoie, which is home to a truly magnificent array landscapes, animals and plant species.

You’ll find more information about the hiking options within the Hiking section of our website

Always a favourite – Hiking to Refuge de Sales

robin.tarr — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 13:59:24 +0000

A personal favourite - The hike to Refuge de Sales

One of the hikes that we love to do every year and we try and time to see the mix of the amazing flowers and the refreshing waterfalls in full flow.

Refuge de Sales itself sits on a huge plateau, Le Grand Pré, at a height of 1,877m but the hike itself offers a variety of landscapes, stunning views, beautiful alpine flowers and the opportunity to cool-off in one of many mountain fed waterfall pools.

Approximately a two hour hike from Le Lignon the Refuge offers both overnight accommodation for around 60 people, but also the option of a hearty mountain lunch and a refreshing beer for thirty days hikers like ourselves!

During the summer the Refuge hosts a number of events and activities, ranging from wine tasting to talks from local guides about the flora, fauna and geology of the region.

To find out more about some of the local hiking options then go to the Summer Activities section of our website and find out where you might want to go next time you visit the region!

A Perfect Yoga Retreat (despite a little rain!)

robin.tarr — Sun, 02 Jul 2023 09:37:43 +0000

What a perfect few days filled with 5 yoga sessions with the amazing Tess from Alpine yoga with Tess, parapenting, hiking, and plenty og healthy eating (including a fabulous night out at le 8M des monts) and of course plenty of laughs – not even the rain showers could dampen the spirits of our ladies!

First ride out of 2023

robin.tarr — Sun, 09 Apr 2023 15:59:47 +0000

Whilst there is still plenty of skiing to be had before the 2022-23 season draws to a close its still never too early to benefit from the glorious Spring sunshine and the stunning scenery from the saddle of a bike!

With that in mind (plus the incentive of a Sunday morning coffee in the sun) we unpacked our cycle gear, dusted-off the road bikes and tried to remember how to unclip our cleats before falling off!

A little chilly in the shade at first but we warmed to the occasion and were soon working-up a sweat just to keep-up with ‘lead-out’ man Paul.

Given it was our first outing of the season we took the 13km ride from the chalet, along the valley floor through the village of Sixt Fer-à-Cheval, to the Cirque de Fer-à-Cheval in the Sixt-Passy National Park.

Always a beautiful ride regardless of the season and we were rewarded with blue-skies and snow (as well as that coffee on the way home!)

A Summer trip to Lake Annecy

robin.tarr — Wed, 05 Oct 2022 19:08:18 +0000

Fed by mountain springs, Lake Annecy is renowned for it’s clean, clear waters and is the third largest lake in France. Whether you prefer mooching around boutique shop, stretching your legs to experience stunning views or taking to two wheels for a lake tour there is something to suit everyone.

At it’s north end is the pretty medieval town of Annecy with it’s château, canals and bridges. We recommend a wander round the old town with it’s cobbled streets and beautiful old buildings, head up to the château for it’s views over the lake or sit in one of the many cafés lining the canals and watch the world go by. Annecy offers a mix of traditional and cosmopolitan shops from the finest cheeses to the most ‘a la mode’ fashion.

Take a water taxi or pleasure boat or even hire your own pedlo or motorized boat and explore the lake. The shores are lined with beaches and pretty medieval villages such as Talloires or Menthon-Saint-Bernard, dominated by its Château of the same name.

For the energetic, there are plenty of hikes on offer either around the lake shores or up into the surrounding mountains, affording magnificent views of the town and the lake. There is also a dedicated cycle path that goes round most of the lake with just a small section on the main road. The route is largely flat with just one small climb as you enter or leave the village of Talloires (depending on which way round you cycle!) There are numerous places to hire bikes in Annecy town or around the lake, including electric bikes. The route is 40km and takes about 2 -3 hours depending on your level of ability.

A trip to Lake Annecy wouldn’t be complete without lunch at one of the lakeside restaurants on the eastern shore where you feel as though you are in the French Riviera! The idyllic village of Talloires offers more than it’s fair share of great restaurants including Le Cottage, L’Abbaye de Talloires, or if you are feeling very extravagant, le Père Bise with it’s two Michellin stars. All offer views over the stunningly beautiful port and the sparkling waters for which Lake Annecy is famous.

Music ‘O Jardin in Sixt

robin.tarr — Fri, 12 Aug 2022 13:20:59 +0000

If you’re looking for something a bit different to do during your stay in Samoëns, we highly recommend a trip to the Abbaye in Sixt, just a 10 minutes drive from the chalet, for the Music ‘O Jardin evenings. Take along a bottle of wine and a picnic and sit back and enjoy the music. It’s a fun evening for all the family!

A day trip to Lake Geneva

robin.tarr — Fri, 03 Jul 2020 16:36:37 +0000

The fourth of our recommended day trips is to the magnificent Lac Léman (Lake Geneva), one of the largest freshwater lakes in Western Europe.

In addition to the cosmopolitan city of Geneva, along the shores of the lake you’ll discover medieval villages, Unesco listed vineyards, the Montreux Riviera, famous for it’s music festival held each July, and fabulous beaches.

The city of Geneva at its southern tip is renowned as a financial hub and for the headquarters that are based there including the World Trade Organization, the World Health Organization, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the second-largest branches of the United Nations and the World Bank. But it also offers luxury boutiques and jewelers, fabulous restaurants and boasts a number of famous landmarks including the emblem of the city, the Jet D’Eau, a fountain set in the lake that shoots water up to a height of 140m clearly visible for miles around. It is worth taking half a day to wander along the lake shore, visit the old town and have a stroll through the botanical gardens.

Geneva is also home to CERN, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, a European research organization that operates the largest particle physics laboratory in the world. You can visit anytime to see the permanent exhibitions but if you want a free tour of the facility you have to book online 15 days in advance.

A drive around the southern shores of the lake will take you to the beautiful medieval villages of Nernier, Yvoire and Margencel that are a delight to explore. Park the car and have a wander around the cobbled streets, visiting the craft shops, artisanal workshops and boutiques and their tiny ports before enjoying a leisurely lunch or coffee at one of the numerous restaurants along the waters edge. You could even take a ferry ride across the lake and explore one of the many towns on the northern Swiss side of the lake including Nyon or Vevey.

If you have time visit the Jardins des Cinq Sens in Yvoire and the Domaine de Rovorée..

Les Jardins des Cinq Sens is a picturesque sensory garden featuring some 1,300 varieties of plants, all carefully chosen to appeal to the five senses.

The Domaine de Rovorée is a 24-hectare nature park on the shore of the lake to the east of Yvoire and a leisurely 20-minute walk from the village. This protected area is a haven for wildlife and boasts a centuries-old forest of chestnut trees.

A drive along the northern shores of the lake will take you through the Montreux Riviera, home to the town of Montreux and the Unesco listed Lavaux vineyard terraces. The steep vineyards arranged in terraces are crisscrossed with walking trails and bike routes with magnificent views across the vineyards and lake to the Mont Blanc range. Take a walk or cycle through the vineyards and then stop to enjoy some winetasting with one of the many winegrowers in the area. Alternatively the ‘Train des Vignes’ takes a mere 12 minutes to wind its way from Vevey through the vineyards up to Puidoux-Chexbres where you can stop to do a tasting of local produce before hopping onboard again for your descent back to Vevey.

Finally, if you happen to be staying with us in July then a visit to the Montreux Jazz Festival is a must! Its stunning setting on the shores of the lake make for a perfect evening. Free music events are staged throughout the day/evening or simply stroll amongst the artisanal craft stalls and food markets before settling by the lake with a glass of wine and enjoying the famous Montreux atmosphere. Of course there is also the option to purchase tickets for one of the many pay venues hosting a wide range of international stars. Famous artists such as David Bowie, James Brown, BB King, Prince, Elton John and Arlo Parks have all starred here.

Trip to Sixt Fer-à-Cheval

robin.tarr — Tue, 16 Jun 2020 13:53:44 +0000

Closer to home is the village of Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval, a quick 10 minute drive or 20 minute cycle from the chalet.

Sixt is home to the natural wonders of the Cirque du Fer-à-Cheval, the Cascade de Rouget, the Gorges des Tines as well as a magnificent 12th century Abbey.

The Cirque du Fer-à-Cheval is a Réseau des Grand Sites de France (https://www.grandsitedefrance.com) and is part of the Sixt-Passy Nature Reserve, a natural amphitheatre formed by limestone escarpments which rise dramatically around you as you enter the Cirque. In spring and after heavy rainfall more than 30 spectacular waterfalls descend from the rock face down into the area below. There are numerous walking trails within the Cirque of different levels of ability enabling visitors to explore this natural wonder. The walk to the Bout de Monde (end of the world) is a relatively easy walk with a gentle incline to the head of the valley. If you fancy something more challenging then you can take the walk up to the Buvette du Boret where you can look down over the Bout de Monde and the Cirque. You could also continue up to the Lac de la Vogealle via the Refuge de la Vogealle.

From the village of Sixt Fer-à-Cheval you can also head to the Cascade de Rouget, also known as “The Queen of the Alps”. This is one of the most powerful waterfalls in the French Alps, it’s torrent falling dramatically over 80 metres. The road passes right by the waterfall giving a birds eye view of the water powering over the rocks. At the end of the road is a café with magnificent views down the valley towards Sixt. You can just stop for lunch or a drink or chose one of the many walks that start from this point including the Pointe de Salle via the Refuge de Salle or the Lac d’Anterne via the Refuge Alfred Wills.

The village of Sixt marks the start of the descent of the River Giffre via the Gorges des Tines to the village of Samoëns. You can chose between white water rafting, kayaking, hydrospeed, airboat or canoraft. There are a number of companies offering equipment rental and guiding down this challenging but thrilling stretch of the river.

There is also the opportunity to experience Via Ferrata at La Mont, opposite the Gorges des Tines. Via Ferrata was developed during the First World War as a way of enabling mountain troops to access seemingly inaccessible areas. Foot plates, metal rungs, ladders and swing bridges assist your passage and a steel cable running along the length of the route, to which you connect, prevents you from falling. The via ferrata at La Mont offers a superb panorama of the Pointe de Salle and the village of Sixt below.

In summer the Abbey in Sixt plays host to an open air music concert every Wednesday evening. Take along a picnic (an a bottle of good wine) and enjoy a convivial summers evening with friends or family in the grounds of the Abbey.