South-West Facing Apartment in Traditional Alpine Village
Village Centre Location, Ideal for Summer or Winter Holidays
Sleeps 2/4 (1 Bedroom for 2 + Sofabed for 2)
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We enjoy both summer and winter holidays in Les Contamines Montjoie and many of our visitors contact us again for repeat visits. Les Contamines lies at 1164m, an easy 15-minute drive from the Geneva motorway, at the end of the quiet and beautiful river valley of Montjoie. Close to Mont Blanc and nearby Chamonix, the valley offers spectacular views, wonderful summer walking or touring, and good snow cover for winter holidays. Now a popular summer and winter holiday destination, its agricultural life continues, with bell-clanking cattle grazing in the alpine summer meadows. Our upper ground floor apartment faces south-west and is in the village centre, with views out across the valley and up to the mountains above. Shops, cafes, restaurants and other facilities are only five minutes walk away. A 10-15 minute walk takes you to mountain lifts and ski slopes, and in winter the village shuttle bus stops close to the apartment for the short ride to the lifts, if you prefer not to walk.
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| Rental Period | Per Night | Per Week | Per Month | Min. Stay (Nights) |
| 2 July 2011 - 3 September 2011 | £320 | 7 | ||
| 3 September 2011 - 1 October 2011 | £270 | 7 | ||
| 1 October 2011 - 17 December 2011 | £250 | 7 | ||
| 17 December 2011 - 24 December 2011 | £320 | 7 | ||
| 24 December 2011 - 31 December 2011 | £485 | 7 | ||
| 31 December 2011 - 11 February 2012 | £285 | 7 | ||
| 11 February 2012 - 10 March 2012 | £485 | 7 | ||
| 10 March 2012 - 21 April 2012 | £285 | 7 | ||
| 21 April 2012 - 30 June 2012 | £250 | 7 | ||
| 30 June 2012 - 1 September 2012 | £320 | 7 | ||
| 1 September 2012 - 29 September 2012 | £270 | 7 | ||
| 29 September 2012 - 15 December 2012 | £250 | 7 |
Notes on prices
Prices are for the property per week in UK Pounds, please contact us for prices in Euros. Discount for 2 or more consecutive weeks. Discount for repeat bookings.
Changeover day
Normally Saturday 4pm to Saturday 10am, but other days/times may be possible in low season.
Accommodation
| Bedrooms: | Double sofabed in lounge area, fitted wardrobe. Separate bedroom for 2, arranged as adult-size bunks, fitted wardrobe. |
| Bathrooms: | Bathroom with bath/shower over. Separate WC. |
| Kitchen: | Kitchen/dining area: oven, 4-plate hob, oven/grill, fridge. Door to balcony. |
| Living Rooms: | Lounge: radio/CD player, cards, books, Scrabble, TV socket (TV hire in village), double sofa-bed with mountain views, fitted wardrobe. Door to balcony. |
| Other: | Private storage room/ski locker in basement. Private covered parking space. Launderette in St Gervais-les-Bains (10 mins drive). |
| Cleaning/towels/ linen/maid service: |
Duvets, pillows and blankets are provided. Bed-linen and towels not provided, can be hired in village or in St Gervais. We askvisitors to clean before departure (cleaning tools provided). Alternatively cleaning can be arranged for you at additional cost. |
| Amenities/Facilities: | hob/stove oven fridge central heating |
| Location Type: |
Notes on accommodation
The apartment and building are furnished and maintained to a good standard and inspected after each rental.
Electric heating, with individual thermostat radiators. Automatic fresh air ventilation system; clean air and no draughts.
Accessibility
Short flight of steps up to building entrance door, short flight of steps from hall to apartment entrance door. Handrails for both flights of steps.
Outside
Double-length south-west facing balcony outside dining and lounge areas. Balcony chairs and table (stored in basement).
Private covered parking space beneath the building, plus shared parking outside the apartments. Summer swimming in sun-heated lake at village leisure/sports centre Le Pontet, 5 mins drive.
Coast/Beach
A solar-warmed swimming lake/beach area with cafe is open in July and August at Le Pontet, on the edge of the village, or there is an outdoor pool down in St Gervais les Bains (15 minutes drive).
Golf
Driving range at Le Pontet, far end of village. 18-hole championship courses at Megeve and Chamonix.
Skiing
Les Contamines has around 100km of enjoyable skiing on varied pistes of all grades, some wide and open, others tree-lined and picturesque. It has an excellent snow record and is popular with traditional skiers and snowboarders alike, with a snow park for boarders. The ski school has several English-speaking instructors, and a ski kindergarten for children. Many families come to Les Contamines and there are good meeting points at restaurants or bars up on the slopes for skiers of different abilities. The local pass include the skiing on the far side of the Col du Joly down towards Hauteluce. The ‘Evasion’ area pass includes also the nearby resorts of St Gervais, Megeve and Combloux, and intermediate-plus skiers can enjoy the famous Chamonix Valley resorts (30-40 minutes drive away). Other winter activities include prepared walking trails, cross-country skiing, skating (natural ice-rink), snowmobile rides and husky-sledding.
Special interest holidays
Les Contamines village is a traditional stop on the renowned long-distance Tour du Mont Blanc walking route. However there are also many beautiful short or long walks to enjoy on marked paths around the village and valley, to picturesque hamlets nearby or up into the surrounding mountains. Ten minutes walk from the apartment takes you out of the village and on your way along paths through the meadows, which from June onwards are full of alpine flowers. The village bookshop ('Maison de la Presse') sells a good walking plan ('carte des sentiers/promenades'), guide books and walking and mountain biking; maps. At the end of the valley you enter the Reserve Naturelle, where flora and fauna are protected and no tourist vehicles are allowed. The Reserve has an information and display office in the village, close to the tourist office. You can join guided walks (botany or wildlife), too.
Travel
Nearest airport: Geneva, about 75 minutes by car, or there is a bus service.
Nearest railway station: St Gervais Le Fayet, 15 minutes. Regular bus service.
Nearest motorway junction: Le Fayet/Passy, 20 minutes (A40 Autoroute Blanche).
Nearest ferry port: Calais, 8-9 hours drive.
Distances
St Gervais les Bains, 15 minutes drive.
Megeve, 25 minutes.
Chamonix, 30-40 minutes.
Annecy, 1 hour.
Geneva, 1 hour 15 minutes.
Further details
The village has a good range of shops, bars and restaurants, including 2 supermarkets, bakers and an excellent butcher who also does daily specials, so you can produce gourmet meals at home with little preparation! In addition the village has a bank with cashpoint, post office, church, pharmacy and doctors surgery. English is spoken in the tourist office (by the fountain in the main square) and a daily weather forecast in English and French is posted up outside. They also sell bus and train tickets, and telephone cards. There is a weekly village market. The 'Contaminard' pain de campagne (country bread) is good, as are local cheeses (try the Beaufort, 'king of cheeses'), also hams, sausages etc. from delicatessens or supermarkets. Try also the delicious 'myrtilles' (mountain bilberries) found in patisseries or liqueurs; for a local white wine aperitif, ask for a 'myr' - which is a 'kir' prepared with myrtille liqueur instead of cassis.
In summer there is plenty to do besides walking, whether you want to relax or be energetic. The tourist office organises a programme of entertainment in July and August (village fete, craft displays, music, exhibitions, folk-dancing). For a quiet, easy day, stroll beside the river to the end of the valley and the little church of Notre Dame de la Gorge at the end of the valley (with a convenient bar-restaurant nearby). There is also horse-riding, white-water rafting, mountaineering, rock-climbing and mountain biking on marked trails. A solar-warmed swimming lake/beach area with cafe is open in July and August, at Le Pontet on the edge of the village, or there is an outdoor pool down in St Gervais, with a covered ice-rink nearby for those who are missing their winter sports! As well as the tennis courts, children's playground and skate park in the village centre, Le Pontet has an open-air leisure centre with tennis, crazy golf, and playground. Please contact for weblink to photo gallery of the village and area.
Booking notes
We send you further details of the property, a booking form and full booking conditions. Check availability with us, return the completed booking form with £50 / 75EUR deposit to secure your booking. Balance due is payable 8 weeks before your holiday starts, or at time of booking if your holiday starts less than 8 weeks ahead. A separate charge of £100 / 150EUR is made for a security deposit, to cover any damage or breakages. This deposit is returned to you once the apartment has been checked.
Guest comments
We have several couples/families who re-book year after year. In addition, here are two thank-you messages from first-time visitors:
August 2009: 'A great holiday. Yesterday we were walking in the mountains eating wild strawberries and raspberries! Now back in the apartment, eating, drinking and listening to French radio - Edith Piaf and the Beatles!'
April 2007: 'Thanks for providing a base for a wonderful skiing holiday. We have had a great time! I would like to book the two week Easter period for 2008.'
Summer 2006: 'Many thanks for the time at your Contamines Apartment. We had a very good 12 nights.'
Owner profile
About the owner
Thank you very much for your interest in our apartment in Les Contamines Montjoie village, which is in Haute Savoie in the northern French Alps, not far from Mont Blanc/Chamonix.
Our names are Moura MacDonagh and Martin Plimsoll. Moura works for an archaeology company as an administrator and is also a freelance translator from French to English, as well as speaking some Italian and Spanish and a little German. Martin is a retired teacher but is busy with charity and arts administration work - and golf. He speaks some French but more Italian.
We are both walkers and skiers and have had great summer and winter holidays in the Alps and elsewhere over many years. We look forward to hearing from you soon!
Year purchased: 1980's
Why the owner chose an apartment in this location
We initially chose Les Contamines Montjoie for its proximity to Mont Blanc (good snow record in winter), giving great winter skiing. However it's also great for summer walking and is easy to reach, as it is in the northern French Alps and only 15 minutes drive off the A40 motorway (Geneva/Chamonix). An added bonus is that the local village people are friendly and settled - we meet the same helpful people each year in bars, restaurants and on the ski lifts! Les Contamines Montjoie is at the southern end of a valley so there is no through traffic other than people coming to walk/ski from the village. It is a good place to stay in the winter or summer holiday seasons for both adults and children who like to relax, play, walk, ski or explore this beautiful area.
Unique benefits of the property
Our apartment is in the village centre, about 5 minutes walk to the shops. Its balcony faces south-west which makes it a good sun-trap. We have a private underground parking space (keeps your car cool in summer and unfrozen in winter!). Not far from the apartment is a friendly and reasonable bar/restaurant called the Op Traken, which we use as our 'local', although there are plenty of other places to try in the village. The village shuttle bus (free again for winter 2010/11) stops close to the apartment, for the 5-minute ride to the ski lifts in winter. Position: there are apartments in Les Contamines Montjoie closer to the lifts, but the valley topography means that many of these get less sunshine than ours, and they are much further from the main village centre.
For booking and further information
Property Ref FR1239
Martin Plimsoll and Moura MacDonagh
Tel: (UK) +44 (0)1722 710718
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Property Ref FR1239
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