What is there to do in the area?
The village of Mieussy is beautifully built and exactly as you imagine a village in the French Alps. In any season, the area offers many opportunities for numerous activities. For example, in the village the road goes up to the Col de la Ramaz; a well-known part of several editions of the Tour de France (a.o. 2023) and also a popular climb among amateurs. Mountain biking can also be done endlessly in the area. Les Gets (15-20 min) is a walhalla for downhill mtb. The possibilities for hiking are endless. Directly above Mieussy is the Sommand-Praz de Lys ski area, and although this ski area is smaller than Le Grand Massif and Les Portes du Soleil, both areas can be reached in 15-20 minutes, it is precisely the friendly atmosphere that appeals so much. Below is a more detailed overview of the many possibilities.
Summer
Hiking, hut-hiking, (sports) climbing, cycling mtb-ing, swimming, canoeing... and so on.
Haute Savoie is an area for nature lovers and really offers everything that makes the Alps so fantastic. Directly from the house you can go for walks that vary in severity. The whole area offers an inexhaustible arsenal of hiking possibilities from gentle to fierce scrambling and climbing. Nearby, there are also wonderful hut tours and plenty of opportunities for rock climbing. It is almost impossible to give an overview of possibilities but there are many maps in the chalet. Moreover, the apps of e.g. Komoot, Wikiloc and RANDO and Savoie Mont Blanc offer great support when hiking and making choices for hut tours.
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The area has unlikely cycling opportunities, and with the rise of the e-bike, more and more people are discovering the beauty of Haute Savoie this way. (see e.g. here). One handy app is VELO, Savoie Mont Blanc.
The sporty road cyclist need not look far. In the village of Mieussy, the road goes up to the Col de la Ramaz, part of several editions of the Tour de France, including 2023, and a popular climb among amateur cyclists and pros alike (see e.g. here). The chalet is more or less on this Col de Ramaz. A well-known tour for the tough is the one that continues after the Col de la Ramaz over the Joux Verte, Col d' Encranaz and Joux Plane (see here). But it can also be less strenuous. Consider a trip to the beautiful Sixt Fer a Cheval or Megevette, Habere Poche, Villard, Bogeve, Viuz and Sallaz. Another beautiful, but tough, trip is the one to Onnion and Plan Joux from where you can enjoy stunning views of Mont Blanc on one side and Lake Geneva on the other.
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In the brook, actually river, the Giffre can be bathed and swum in several places (e.g. le pont du Diable). In addition, Le Lac Bleu in Morillon is a popular place to cool off in the ice-cold water. The same goes for Lac de Montriond, where there are many facilities for a day at the lake. You can also have a good swim at the outdoor pool in Samoëns, Les Gets or the fun pool in Onion. It is also great to go for a swim in one of the mountain lakes. Of course, a day's swimming in Lake Geneva or Annecy also belongs on the swimmers' wish list.
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As mentioned, Mieussy is a beautiful authentic village located on the Giffre. The village has a small supermarket, bakery, a very reputable fruitiere (cheese dairy), cafés and two restaurants. Large supermarkets can be found in Taninges, Samoëns, St Jeoire and Cluses. Places worth visiting in the vicinity are of course Geneva, Annecy (bring bathing suits!), Chamonix and Évian les Bain. Be sure to set aside a day for each place. There are also many nice little villages such as Les Gets, Samoëns and Yvoire.
Spring and autumn
These spring and autumn seasons are generally most appreciated by residents of Haute Savoie. In spring, the alpine meadows are full of flowers while the snow literally disappears through the sun's rays. The temperature is lovely and the many hours of sunshine make the stay optimal.
Autumn is fantastic for its brilliant colours. September and October are generally characterised by stable weather. The days get shorter but are often sun-drenched and anyone who has visited Haute Savoie during this season understands why residents prefer this very season.
Winter
The area around Mieussy is a walhalla for winter sports enthusiasts.
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The chalet is close to the road leading up to Sommand/Praz de Lys. While this is not a very large ski area, one can in fact find everything one could want. In the area, one can still find the 'old-fashioned' cosy atmosphere of skiing and the massiveness of the big areas is far away. The views of Mont Blanc are breathtaking and, finally, the prices cannot be compared to those of the big areas in France, Austria or Switzerland. Our personal preference is therefore also for the Sommand-Praz de Lys ski area.
Right by the road, an eco-ski bus goes to Sommand-Praz de Lys according to a tight schedule so that, for example, in case of heavy snowfall, there is no need to use your own car. By the way, the road is always cleared immediately when snow has fallen!
The through road towards Taninges takes you to Morillon in 15 minutes and less than 20 minutes to the cosy village of Samoëns. From both villages there are direct lifts to the large ski area of Le Grand Massif (266 km of slopes). Besides Samoëns and Morillon, the villages of Les Carroz, Sixt Fer à Cheval and Flaine are located in it.
In Taninges, one can also drive up to Les Gets and possibly further to Morzine. From the house it is therefore possible in 20 minutes to ski down to Les Gets and from there to discover the huge ski area of Les Portes du Soleil (580 m of slopes).
Incidentally, the ski resorts of Massif Roc d'Enfer, Les Brasses (Onnion) and that of Hirmentaz/Les Habères (Habère-Poche) can also be reached in 20-30 minutes.
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In the surroundings of Mieussy, you can do some great ski de fond. Several trails run in the Sommand-Praz de Lys area. A beautiful site nordique can also be found at Plaine-joux. It has been claimed that this is one of the most beautiful places in the alps for cross-country skiing.
Ski and cross-country skiing equipment can be rented in Mieussy but also in Sommand, Praz de Lys and furthermore basically every surrounding town.
