Auberge du Soleil
Haute Savoie
Nearest Airport: Geneva |
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Ideal for extended families or families holidaying together. Sleeps up to 12 plus 2 babies in cots in 6 bedrooms. At a glance
Traditional mountain chalet halfway up the mountain
Ski in, ski out
Amazing open fireplace in the centre of the living area
Wifi and broadband available
English speaking babysitting available
Stunning viewsWhat Tracy thinks...
Nestled at the top of the telecabine, this beautiful renovated Savoyard farmhouse is bathed in sunshine when the village below is shrouded in grey cloud. A truly magical find; experience a traditional skiing holiday in a winter wonderland unspoiled by the intrusion of modern life, yet with all the necessary comforts. Enjoy the splendid isolation of the mountains when all the day trippers have returned to the local village for the night. In the mornings, no need to rush out to beat the lift queues - you are already there and once the ski school has collected your children from the chalet, the day is yours to ski or relax as you wish. Inside
This rustic mountain farm, built many years ago, giving images of Heidi and the Sound of Music, is a place that shuns the modern world. Sensitively renovated over the years by the family that still use it as a second home, the farm is still completely traditional but with the added security that is has been fully inspected by the Mairie and the pompiers to ensure that it is up to 21st century safety standards. The farm is a paradise for lovers of nature and the open air, the ultimate getaway for all the family from the stress and strains of the modern pace of life. Imagine, total silence at night, no bars, no cars, just the mountain and yourselves. When you arrive in the locality you will be met by the staff who will transport your luggage to the farm by skidoo. You will put on your skis and take the chairlift up, which terminates just outside the farm. Small children and babies can be carried on the chairlift or you can take the telecabine which arrives about a 15 minute walk from the Farm, along a snowy track. The children will be pulled on sledges, so make sure you have warm clothes and footwear handy. In the downstairs hallway a welcoming log burner is the first thing you see and gives you an indication of the warm welcome awaiting you on this holiday break into the past. In common with most buildings in this region the ground floor gives access to 4 of the bedrooms, 3 of which are en suite, with the 4th bathroom opposite the bedroom. They are all decorated individually to match each bedroom. The blue bedroom has twin beds (that can be pushed together to make a double) and plenty of space for an extra bed or cot. This room also has an antique crib in situ for very small babies and the bathroom features a corner bath and a separate shower. Along with spacious built in wardrobes this bedroom also has a private balcony, conforming to French safety standards.
There is also a twin blue bedroom which features rustic mountain beds, the twin also has a private balcony. On the same floor, there are 2 more rooms with double beds one with an en suite bathroom and one with adjacent bathroom. The remaining two rooms are on the lower ground floor, one has twin beds that can be pushed together and the other is a bunk room with a sturdy wooden bunk set. These 2 rooms share a bathroom. All the bedrooms are provided with feather duvets to snuggle under and the bathrooms are completed with towels and complementary toiletries. Returning to the main entrance and the log burner, you go up the wooden open tread stairs to the most amazing living dining area, open to the rafters of the building. This fantastic family living space is dominated by a beautiful central fireplace and a typical Savoyard chimney that would have been used in the past to smoke the farmer's hams. This multi function room easily looses the 12 guests it can accommodate in winter, due to the ingenious layout whereby the fireplace effectively divides the room in to 4 separate areas but still leaves the amazing feeling of space. In one side of the room, there is cosy seating, an abundance of scatter rugs and cushions and a TV, DVD and video player, the next part of the room has a table for writing postcards and playing games from the large library of board games and paperbacks. The third part of the room has a couple of sofas around an old sledge masquerading as a modern coffee table, simply for relaxing and taking in the spectacular views surrounding the farm. The final part of the room is the dining area with a sturdy mountain table for 12, which fills the gap between the living area and the kitchen that is open to the living area but set slightly to one side. In Winter, the accommodation is provided on a half board basis, this includes:- - Breakfasts of home-made bread, croissants, compôtes, fresh fruit, cereal, eggs, fruit juices, porridge, cereal, coffee teas and/or infusions
- Afternoon tea of homemade tarts, biscuits, pancakes or cakes
- 3 course evening meal with aperitifs and wine with the meal (except one night per week)
- Early suppers for children and packed lunches can also be arranged direct with the staff.
Parent Points:
Obviously the open fire, however it is about 15" of the ground, with a large stone surround which provides a natural barrier. There is also an all encompassing fireguard should you wish to use it. The top of the stairs has a superb custom made wooden stair gate that blends in with the surroundings. Outside
The farm opens directly onto the mountain slopes, so is not enclosed at all as there is nothing to cordon off except wide open spaces. All you can see are endless open pistes for all abilities, ski lifts and a few other mountain farms. It really is a childhood dream to have such freedom and no traffic in sight – except skis and sledges. As there are plenty of pistes going past the farm, non skiers do not feel isolated and it is perfect for returning for a break at any time of day. Parent Point:
Please note, in keeping with the open nature of this stunning chalet, the garden is not enclosed at all. Baby and Toddler Friendly: - Stair gates
- Cots and cot linen
- Microwave
- Highchair
- Hand blender
- Plastic plates, cups and cutlery
For the children...
What more could a child ask for than to play in the snow all day? A winter wonderland is directly outside the farm with direct access to the snow. A combination of daycare and/or skiing is available for children from 8 months old for those who would like it and the ski school will also collect children direct from the farm. See here for childcare and ski school information. And Beyond...
Situated in the heart of the Aravis mountains, the Farm is at the end of the mountain road in Chinaillion. The main focus of this holiday is the easy access to the skiing, the return to nature away from the melee of the usual ski resorts and to eat well on the local foods provided by your hosts. If you wish to try something different hire a local guide and go out on skins for a day, hire snow shoes and really get away from everyone or ask your hosts to contact a local parapenter so you can take to the skies and then land on your skis, at the bottom of the mountain. Go on, do something different this winter, you wont regret it. For those who fancy a day out, the famous resort of Chamonix is about an hour and a half's drive away or you could visit Lake Annecy the second largest lake in Europe, also the cleanest lake due to strict environmental regulations introduced in the 1960's. For those who fancy a spot of shopping, Geneve has some fantastic bargains and not being part of the EU, it's also duty free. Parent Point (and adults with no children!):
Please note that the farm is not suitable for people wanting lively apres ski activities as there is no access to the village in the evenings, apart from in an emergency. Before booking, please read about Realistic Expectations. You should also read our Terms and Conditions.
| Arrive |
Depart |
Time |
Carrier |
| Geneva |
Stansted, Luton, Gatwick, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, Mancheste |
1 hour |
Easyjet |
| Lyon |
Edinburgh, Gatwick, Stansted |
2 hours |
Easyjet |
| Chambery |
Belfast, Edinburgh, Leeds Bradford, Manchester, Newcastle |
1 hour 15 mins |
Jet 2 |
| Geneva |
Gatwick, City, Heathrow |
1 hour |
British Airways |
Gallery 
The beautiful chalet.
The view from below.
Aperitifs in style.
Mountain breakfast.
The living space by candelight.
Fireside drinks.
Traditonal Savoyard dining.
The picture postcard red bedroom.
The red bedroom.
The blue double bedroom.
Antique crib in the blue bedroom.
The pretty blue twin bedroom.
The blue bathroom.
The pretty yellow bedroom with its stunning views.
The yellow bedroom.
The yellow bathroom.
Hot air balloons drifting by.
The chairlift passes nearby.
Find a moment for romance, once the children are in bed.
The spectacular ice table at Christmas.
The local transport.
Parapenting.
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