The Serre Chevalier is amongst the greatest snow capped, green areas on the Alps the four areas making up the area include Braincon, Chantemerle, Villeneuve la Salle and Monetier les Bains. This is the second largest ski area in the world and is known as the Grande Serre Che for good reason. Serre Chevalier is amongst the first ski resort areas to recognise the importance of the green economy and in taking steps to limit the sports impact on the environment. As well are using predominantly local stone and wood supplies for buildings, the area also generates 25% of its energy needs from renewable sources.
This area of France is big mountain countryside with a picturesque, winter holiday feel to it. When snow covered the area with its woodland greenery and rugged mountain backdrop offers the prefect winter vista for tourists. Braincon with its fortified centre and typical French shops is a wonderful place to visit.
This wonderfully peaceful outdoor paradise is the ideal destination for skiing and snowboarding and represents the prefect destination for lovers of eco-tourist destinations with beautiful, breathtaking scenery. It also offers those who take their pleasures off piste activities too including rock climbing, cycling, paragliding and hiking, although with the many slopes, runs, ski lifts and gondolas snow related pastimes are its main attraction.
The area 18 villages and the resorts are full of every type of accommodation desirable, large traditional, wooden Alpine hotels, five star fully serviced to small private family run properties packed with personal attention and homely hospitality. For those travelling light or not wishing to impact to heavily on the environment there are campsites, youth hostels and caravan or motor home stands to park up although these will vary depending on the time of year.
The Serre Chevalier is situated between Grenoble in France and Italy’s Turin and easily accessible from both areas airports. The railway station at Braincon is on the main line through to Paris from where you can catch the overnight sleeper train.
Photo from Flickr Eric-p