There’s many a thing I’ve done in the evening in a ski resort, but whizzing down a sledge track through a forest isn’t one of them. Still, was I going to miss out on my chance to be ‘Night Rider’? No way!
My new Les Carroz friends clearly had me down as a sensation seeker, and I was saddled up – well, safely strapped in – before I could say, Lewis Hamilton. Ratcheting steadily up the steep rails into the woodland was enchanting as I gazed at the darkly silhouetted pine trees just as it started snowing, which helped to distract me.
Reality soon struck though, and there I was, facing down the metal rails, trusting a new friend to release the brakes, and wondering if my life was about to go off track!
With a laugh, she nudged our little sledge forward. The setting made you feel really small against the majesty of the mountain. Then all thoughts were dashed as we whooshed down the 850m white-knuckle descent, taking in steeply banked turns, slipping through forest passes and dashing at full throttle over nature’s snowy white carpet.
Charming Les Carroz
So where was I having this mini-adventure? Les Carroz lies in the heart of Haute-Savoie. Sum it up in a word and it would be ‘charm’ as the resort village has kept its traditional authentic French feel, which works for me way more than purpose-built resorts do.
Les Carroz is linked to the Grand Massif ski area and is just a one-hour transfer from Geneva. This is one of the biggest ski areas in the Alps connecting five ski stations – Flaine, Les Carroz, Morillon, Samoëns and Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval, covering 40,000 hectares.
An amble around Les Carroz is a discovery of fine things, from good quality food and boutiques to souvenirs, cafés, restaurants and gourmet dining.
Denne historien er fra December 2019-utgaven av France.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra December 2019-utgaven av France.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Paindemic In Paris
For American actor and writer Alexander Burnett, a shortage of bread at his local boulangerie was one of the biggest challenges of lockdown in his adopted home city
VEULES-LES-ROSES
Between the white cliffs of the Côte d’Albâtre and the bucolic landscapes of the Pays de Caux, discover a village that combines coast and country,
Taking the BISCUIT
France is known for its exquisite pâtisserie and extravagant gâteaux but the not-so-humble biscuit deserves recognition too
PICTURE PERFECT PISTE
After a decade away from the slopes Janet Brice finds her ski legs in val d'arly, a hidden gem in the shadow of Mount Blanc
Let there BE LIGHT
Lyon’s annual Fête des Lumières brightens up the darkest of December nights in spectacular fashion, finds David Atkinson on a winter visit to the Rhône capital
Shop ‘til YOU DROP
In the first of our new Insight guides, Helen Parkinson delights in the French shopping experience
Floating YOUR BOAT
Spending a day on the River Seine in Paris, Heidi Fuller-love samples some of the city’s top entertainment that can be enjoyed afloat
Creamy Dijon Chicken With Bacon And Spinach
Enjoy this hearty dish from Bisous & Brioche, a cookbook shot on location in Burgundy
A Moveable Feast
Philip Sweeney embarks on a voyage gourmand along the Vallée de la Gastronomie travelling from Dijon to Marseille
BOND RETOUR 7
To celebrate the return of everyone’s favourite globe-trotting British intelligence officer in No Time to Die, Helen Parkinson rounds up five of James Bond’s top cross-Channel escapades
