The apartment is on the ground floor of a small chalet style residence in the village of La Chapelle d'Abondance in the Abondance valley in the Haute Savoie region of France. It is just a few miles from the Swiss border (with summer walks and winter skiing taking you over the border if you choose) with Lake Geneva (Lac Leman in France) just 30 minutes away and about a 90 minute drive from Geneva airport. La Chapelle d'Abondance is in the vast ski area of Portes du Soleil (PdS) and the apartment is just a 3 minute walk from a ski lift giving you access to the whole of PdS.
The apartment has been recently renovated to a very high standard, with lots of local wood and slate, making it a very contemporary and stylish space. There is a spacious open plan living area, comprising a very well equipped kitchen, dining table and plenty of seating for relaxing after a day out enjoying the mountains. The balcony, equipped with table and four chairs, is accessed from the panoramic windows in the living area and is a perfect place to enjoy the afternoon sun. The sofa in the sitting room converts to a double bed if needed. Bedroom 1 has a double bed and an ensuite toilet and shower room; bedroom 2 has 2 sets of chunky wooden built in, full size bunk beds along one wall (sleeping 4 people). There is a separate toilet and another bathroom with 2 basins and a bath with shower. All bedding, linens and towels are provided and the cleaning fee includes the laundering. The apartment is equipped with WiFi, 2 televisions (one in bedroom 2), 2 DVD players and some DVDs, a Bose blue tooth speaker, google chrome cast, games, walking maps, local information. There is allocated parking for one car right in front of the apartment, plus additional unallocated spaces. The cave / boot room situated in the basement is equipped with a heated boot rack and storage for ski wear and equipment or walking gear.
La Chapelle d’Abondance is a small, family oriented and family run village, with farming and leisure working side by side. Winter ski slopes become summer grazing for the cows (special Abondance breed, the source of milk for Abondance cheese) and the delicious local cheeses and meats can be enjoyed all year round. The village has numerous shops (including a bakery, pharmacy, small supermarket), bars and restaurants all of which are an easy walk away. There is also a large supermarket just a couple of minutes drive away and the the small towns of Chatel and Abondance either side of La Chapelle d'Abondance offer additional options for shopping, eating and drinking. In addition each town / village has a weekly market to enjoy, the largest of which being in Abondance on Sunday morning. There are numerous ski hire shops in the village and these turn into walking, hiking and mountain biking shops in the summer, meaning you have access to all you need, whatever the season. The local tourist office provides a programme of events, both summer and winter, for all the family to enjoy.
WINTER: The village has it's own ski area (Cret Beni) as well as being part of the Portes du Soleil ski area. You can ski from La Chapelle d'Abondance or drive (or take a bus that stops outside the apartment) to various places in Chatel (Super Chatel, Vonnes, LInga, Pre le Joux). The ski area is suitable for all abilities from learners (there are many ski schools to choose from) to experts. There is an abundance of great places to eat and drink in the mountains. A great feature of La Chapelle d'Abondance is the wide valley floor. In the winter, the valley floor features numerous activities to be enjoyed if you want a break from downhill skiing - Nordic skiing, dog sledding, walking, sledging. It’s a great space for all the family to enjoy.
SUMMER: Summer holidays here offer so many choices for everyone! If you like walking then there are so many choices of differing difficulty levels (we have books and maps in the apartment), some of these being accessed via the chairlifts that are open in the Summer. The views from the tops of the mountains are spectacular. If you are looking for an easier stroll, then there is a well maintained path just behind the apartment, alongside the river Dranse for walking or cycling. Some of the other activities to be enjoyed are white water rafting, swimming, downhill mountain biking, the Fantasticable, bob luge, adventure park, para gliding, fishing, visits to farms to see cheese making.... in addition you could head down to nearby Lake Geneva and visit Evian, Lausanne, Montreux or any of the lovely villages on the lake (and also swim in the lake) or take a boat trips, visit vineyards (on the Swiss side) or take in any of the other many cultural and historic attractions Yvoire, Chateau Chillon, Chateau Ripaille.
The Abondance Valley has been our ‘other home’since 2002; we love it whatever the season. We would be delighted if you choose to visit this area and stay in our apartment. We pride ourselves on making sure that all our guests have everything they need and are happy to answer any questions on the area or the apartment.
We want to give you every confidence, especially at this time, that the apartment is thoroughly cleaned between guests. Please note that we are following
an enhanced cleaning protocol, which was developed with expert guidance. Here are a few highlights:
We sanitise all high-touch surfaces
We use cleaners and disinfectants approved by global health agencies, and wear protective gear to help prevent cross-contamination
We clean each room using extensive cleaning checklists
We provide extra cleaning supplies, so you can clean as you stay
We comply with local laws, including any additional safety or cleaning guidelines
We hope this gives you confidence to stay at our lovely apartment.