Guide To : Megeve, St Gervais & Les Contamines
Megeve, St Gervais and Les Contamines make up the group of villages and resorts called the Pays du Mont Blanc, perched along valleys at the foot of the domes de Miage, the Aiguille du Bionnassay and the east side of Mont Blanc and bordering where the Haute Savoie meets the Savoie.
Each village has its own, distinct character, whilst all still drawing on their traditional roots as Savoyard mountain villages.
Megeve simply sparkles as a favourite winter ski holiday destination of the rich and famous, whilst Les Contamines basks in beautiful mountain panoramas, coupled with a laid back atmosphere. Meanwhile St Gervais perches in between the two, straddling the Chamonix Valley ski area of Les Houches and Megeve.
St Gervais is made up of four communes : Le Fayet on the valley floor, St Gervais town and the hamlets of St Nicolas de Veroce and Le Bettex. A vibrant and friendly place, St Gervais manages to be a normal town and a charming tourist resort in one, famous for it's thermal waters.
Skiing is from the Bettex area just outside the centre, with lifts offering direct access to the pistes of St Gervais and Megeve.
You can also take the Tramway Mont Blanc up from Le Fayet or St Gervais right up to the Prarion/Les Houches ski area. In summer the train runs all the way to Nid d'Aigle at 2372m, the starting point for the classic route to summit the mighty Mont Blanc (yes, the top of Mont Blanc is actually in St Gervais!).
St Gervais offers all the activities you need all year round, with horse riding, swimming, ice skating, snow shoeing and hiking. There is also a very creative side to St Gervais, with lots of artists, sculptors and potters offering visits or even hands on sessions in their workshops.
For total relaxation, make sure you book in for a spa treatment at the art deco style Thermal Baths. Set in a lovely little park area in Le Fayet that also offers climbing and walking, there is a whole host of massage, facial and body treatments available.
As you head out of St Gervais towards Les Contamines Montjoie, you'll soon see the view from your Mountain Drop Offs minibus changes. Traditionally farming lands, Les Contamines really does offer the most family-friendly and relaxed skiing in the Pays du Mont Blanc area.
To put it simply, in Les Contamines there are rarely any lift queues,
the terrain is open and varied, with pistes to suit everyone, the mountain restaurants and auberges are superb with reasonable prices and the powder stays untracked for days - what's not to love?
As well as skiing, you can have a go at speed riding, take a husky dog ride, practice your gnarly tricks on the massive half pipe in the village or even try ice climbing. A holiday highlight is a horse-drawn sleigh ride to the Auberge de Colombaz for dinner in the evening, followed by a torch-lit 3km descent on toboggans back down to the village.
A true delight in winter for all the family, Les Contamines is very quiet in the summer, making it a perfect choice for a 'get away from it all' holiday, surrounded by the majestic snow-capped peaks and offering lots of walking in the nature reserve and other gentle summer activities.
Take a wander around the impossibly pretty village centre in Megeve and you'll see high fashion brands such as Marc Jacobs, Dolce&Gabbana, Prada, Gucci and Colmar in the windows of very smart boutiques.
There is no denying it, Megeve is one of the classic playgrounds of the rich and famous since the 1930s and still today the resort attracts those who love a bit of skiing with lots of shopping, gourmet food eating and evening entertainment.
Divided into distinct areas, Megeve Village offers the best boutiques and restaurants, whilst Rochebrune boasts direct access to the pistes. The Mont d'Arbois area high in the forest discreetly plays host to many multimillion-pounds chalet hideaways and some great skiing in Cote 2000. Across the other side of the valley is Jaillet, the sunniest sector of the ski area, whilst further down in Demi-Quartier/Princesse area, you've got easy access to the lifts and other resorts in the Pays du Mont Blanc area.
The ski area covers both sides of the valley and also links up with St Gervais, offering a total of over 330km of linked pistes. The terrain is very varied, with wide motorway style pistes, steep blacks and some marvellous skiing on the likes of the Epaule where you can take in the amazing views as you descend the spine of the mountain.
Aside from skiing, you can try paragliding, go ice skating in the village centre or at the Palais des Sports complexe which includes an Olympic-sized ice rink (where local ice hockey team Mont Blanc also play their matches), 
along with climbing wall, gym and swimming pool. If you're a culture vulture, make sure you visit the Baroque-style church in the village centre as well as the Megeve and Haut Val d'Arly museums for an insight into the traditional Savoyard lifestyle before people came to Megeve in their X5s to ski.
Apres-ski in Megeve really does come into its own, with a plethora of restaurants in often sublime settings - even the McDonalds is in a chalet-style building with a huge log fire! After dinner, the infamous Palo Alto night club always draws big crowds who want to dance the night away to world famous DJs like Bob Sinclar, David Guetta and Martin Solveig. You can also take a gamble in the casino or you can head to the very distinguished jazz club.
Whether you decide Megeve, St Gervais or Les Contamines is the resort for you, Mountain Drop Offs organises transfers directly to your accommodation, or we can drop you off at special meeting points in Le Fayet.
Things to do in the Pays du Mont Blanc area
* Try mountain biking in the snow in St Gervais - 1.5 hours hurtling down the snowy pistes after the lifts have closed. Guide, mountain bike and protective gear supplied, from 49€ per person
* Go up, up and away on a hot air balloon ride taking off from St Gervais and Megeve areas. This tranquil and most romantic way to see the Pays du Mont Blanc costs 260€ for one or 480€ for two
* Book to go ski joering from Les Communailles area of St Gervais and let the gorgeous Comtois horses take you skiing!
* Have a go at curling with an expert teacher at the St Gervais ice rink. At only 9€ per person for a two hour session it's a great value, fun activity for all the family
* Head to Les Contamines for free night time cross country skiing on the pistes which circle the traditional Savoyard hamlets all around the resort - every Wednesday between 18:00 and 20:00
* Splash the cash on a pleasure flight in a light aircraft from the Altiport in Megeve. The plane uses 'skis' to take off from the snowy runway at 2000m in winter and there are three circuits to choose from, giving a bird's eye view of Mont Blanc from 64€ per person.
* Go paintballing in Megeve in the snow or at night for that extra twist. Two hours of gung-ho warfare costs 20€ and 20€ for a round of 500 paintball ammo
* When taking a meander around the village centre in Megeve, make sure you pop into the very smart Allard department store, which has been present in Megeve since 1935. The epitome of elegance, there is even a doorman to open the door and welcome you in
* A great way to see Megeve at any time of year is by horse-drawn carriage and you'll find them gathered around the central square by the Baroque-style church
St Gervais, Les Contamines & Megeve websites
Megeve Tourist Information - the official website in English for visiting Megeve in winter and summer.
Visit Les Contamines Monjoie - all the info you need on organising a holiday to Les Contamines.
Les Contamines info - up to date webcams, lift info and a forum on the official Contamines lift company website (in French only).
Welcome to St Gervais - the official tourist information site with what to do and where to go in St Gervais.
ESF Megeve - book your ski and snowboarding lessons in Megeve online via their English language site.
ESF St Gervais - all the latest online special offers and pre-bookable ski and boarding lessons for adults and children in the St Gervais area
ESF Les Contamines - over 70 ski and snowboard instructors and nine high mountain guides to take you out on the slopes of Les Contamines and the Pays du Mont Blanc
