Walking & Hiking, Samoens, French Alps

Here in Samoens, French Alps, Absolute Alpine is perfectly placed for you to explore the endless trails and peaks of this walker's paradise. Between altitudes of 700m and 3,100m, the Grand Massif and surrounding mountains offer something for all ages and abilities.

In the Giffre valley alone, there are more than 900km of marked trails and several nature reserves ready for walking, hiking, exploration and adventure. The famous GR5 route passes through Samoens on its way from Holland to the Mediterranean and our chalets are a great starting point for a multi-day trip to Nice.

Whether you would prefer a gentle stroll along the banks of the Giffre taking a glimpse at the local lifestyles and history, or a more taxing high altitude ridge hike, the Grand Massif and surrounding areas will definitely give you plenty opportunities to get the most out of your stay.

If summits are your thing, there are some wonderful peaks to stand upon and gaze around at the world below - most offering uninterrupted views of Mont Blanc. If your itinerary involves more than a day's walking / hiking or you merely fancy a night on the mountain, there are plenty of refuges available for overnight stays. These mountain huts not only provide a hot meal and bed for the night, but, frequented by like-minded mountain lovers, offer an unparalleled alpine experience. With limited places, we are more than happy to help with recommendations and bookings.

If it's higher and harder that you seek, mountaineering challenges such as the Grand Ruan (3,040m) or Tenneverge (2,989m) are an alpinist's dream. If you've yet to experience the thrill of such high-mountain adventures, we can help you arrange high mountain guides so that you can follow in the footsteps of famous mountaineers.

With both of the Absolute Alpine team currently in training for mountain leadership qualifications, we are very enthusiastic about exploration by foot and are more than happy to provide advice and guidance where we can. We've also a selection of maps and guide books for you to flick through at your leisure.

To make sure you get the most from your stay, we can even provide packed lunches and catering for those evenings where you want to use all remaining energy reminiscing about the day over a glass of wine or cold beer. Please feel free to contact us for further information on walking / hiking holidays from our chalets.

Some of our Absolute favourites:

• Le Bout du Monde - walking to the limit of the Fer à Cheval, this gentle itinerary provides beautiful surroundings that really do feel like the end of the world
• Refuge de Vogealle (1,902m) - the Boret path offers an exposed climb up to stunning open pastures as it winds up what appears to be a vertical rock face
• Le Môle (1,864m) - an intriguing isolated peak with beautiful views over the Mont Blanc range
• Pointe de Chalune (2,116m) - meander past small settlements of the past to a prominent summit with views over France, Switzerland and Italy
• Pointe de Sales (2,497m) - a stunning climb with rewarding views of the Mont Blanc and the Grand Massif. You could even grab a fondue at Refuge de Sales on the way down...

We will be on hand before you arrive and throughout your stay in the chalets to help with booking activities or to offer advice or recommendations on how to make the most of your stay. Enjoy your walking / hiking holiday with Absolute Alpine.