Open and sunny at the top of the valley, Le Tour is a great place for beginners and intermediates with its wide reds and blues. The exhilarating rolling pistes of the front are only half the story — the wide gullies here form natural halfpipes. Ride next to the Swiss border and down to Vallorcine for some great tree runs - another good spot when the visibility is down. Vallorcine is generally much quieter than the other areas, so it’s a good place to head for on busy days.
When not to go: Le Tour can get very windy and cold, so it’s a good idea to check for strong winds before heading up.
The unassuming looking station café — the Arrete Bougnete — is in fact a superb place to eat, with lots of unusual Savoyarde specialities like Sarrazin (Buckwheat) crepes as well as an excellent tartiflette. Highly recommended, and not far from the Vallorcine lift. Also serving Croustades and vin chaud is a tiny hut beside the green run run on the descent to Vallorcine, perfect for a quick snack before heading back up.
If you’re lucky, the mountain refuges will be open, and these are fun places to eat. At the base, the small Pcheu, the second from the lift, is much nicer. The Olympique, right beside the lift, has a lovely terrace but lousy service, so I wouldn’t recommend it for anything other than a quick apres drink.
Access to Le Tour:
By car: 15 minutes from the chalet. Plenty of free parking
By bus: Regular bus services from the road near the chalet (check the times) or from the Flegere lift (more frequent)
By train: Le Tour is a very steep walk from Montroc station — not recommended
Access to Vallorcine:
By car: 20 minutes from the chalet. Plenty of free parking
By bus: Regular bus services from the road near the chalet (check the times) or from the Flegere lift (more frequent)
By train: Regular train services from Les Praz, this is the best way to get there. Take a timetable with you for the return journey.
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