WINTER 2021/22 THE GUIDE


La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc


This is one of the longest and most challenging dog sled races in the world, taking place over 11 days across 750km in Savoie and Haute-Savoie. Thousands gather to watch the mushers – and their teams of Malamute, husky and Greenland dogs, of course. The towns and villages along the route celebrate with fi reworks, exhibitions, igloo-building, huge tartifl ettes, campfi res… the wintry fun is endless! In 2022, the race takes place from January 8 to 19. www.grandeodyssee.com


Beautiful Sarlat in the Dordogne hosts a truffle festival every January


FESTIVALS L’Hexagone is fond of festivals all year round and the winter months are brightened with numerous events celebrating food, drink and winter pastimes. Here are just a few of them…


Salon du Chocolat


More than 700 exhibitors will take part when the Salon du Chocolat returns to Paris from October 28 to November 1, making it the place to be for chocoholics. Chocolatiers, pastry chefs, cacao producers and more will join together for demos, competitions and the famous fashion show where couture is made from – yes, you guessed it – chocolate. There are workshops for the little ones, too, as well as heavenly dégustations and the prestigious chocolate awards. www.salon-du-chocolat.com


Fête des Lumières Lyon’s fabulous Festival of Lights began on December 8 in 1852, when the townsfolk put candles in their windows to celebrate the statue of the Virgin Mary being erected on Fourvière hill – and it caught on. Today, millions of people from around the world come to see the spectacle which takes place over four nights and sees light artists present their dazzling creations on iconic buildings, such as the Cathédrale


Saint-Jean-Baptiste. This year, the festival takes place from December 8 to 11. www.fetedeslumieres.lyon.fr


Saint Nicholas Festival Art Nouveau gem Nancy becomes even more spectacular on the fi rst weekend in December (3-5) when the St Nicholas Festival kicks off the Christmas season proper, and it all starts on the Friday evening with the lighting of the Christmas tree on Place Stanislas. This year, the theme is fl ora and fauna and there will be parades of fl oats, street performers, and a large festive market on Place Charles III, alongside puppet shows, exhibitions and more, which runs from November 19 right through to January 2. saint-nicolas.nancy.fr


Sarlat Truffl e Festival If you’re looking for a break in the New Year, add the Fête de la Truffe in Sarlat to your itinerary. Created by the Black Périgord Truffl e Producers’ Group, there will be workshops on how to identify truffl es, cooking and truffl e-hunting demonstrations, stalls galore, and a chance to treat your taste buds to croustous, a kind of tapas of truffl e and foie gras. It takes place from January 15 to 16. www.sarlat-tourisme.com


WINTER BREAKS With the glorious French Alps offering some of the best skiing around, many of us will be heading to the slopes this winter for a long-awaited breath of fresh mountain air. To make it even easier, Compagnie des Alps group has declared the “ski in France experience will begin in the heart of London”, thanks to the Travelski Express (compagniedesalpes.com), which will run direct from London-St Pancras to the Tarentaise Valley. Look out for package deals that combine transportation, shuttle service, lodging and ski passes. Aside from skiing and the vibrant après-ski scene, there are plenty of new experiences to choose from this winter to boot, from the dizzyingly daring to the downright delightful.


Le Pas de l’Aigle


Got a good head for heights? Experience a bird’s eye view of the Alps at the new Pas de l’Aigle in Morzine, a 2,019m-high glass footbridge with a 360° panorama between Mont Blanc and Lake Geneva. The 15m footbridge, attached to side of the mountain, is reached via the Pointe de Nyon chairlift, or if your legs haven’t turned to jelly, follow the one-hour hiking trail down to the lake of Nyon-Guérin and treat yourself to lunch and a glass or two at the restaurant. www.ski-morzine.com/en


Zip wires


Not too bothered about keeping your feet on the ground? There are zip wires galore in the mountains. Head to Serre- Chevalier, where the giant zip line initially planned for 2020 is ready to thrill – expect speeds close to 100km/h, a descent of 1.1 km in just over a minute and a 300m vertical drop. Or you could head to Les Orres where the SpeedLine is the longest zip line in France and one of the largest in Europe with a toe-tingling length of 1,870m, taking in sweeping views of the Lac de Serre-Ponçon. www.serre-chevalier.com speedline-lesorres.com


Via Souterrata


Head underground for a unique way to experience the Dévoluy massif. The Via Souterrata


❯❯


La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc is the toughest dog sled race in the world Oct/Nov 2021 FRANCE TODAY ❘ 137


IMAGE © SHUTTERSTOCK


IMAGE © SHUTTERSTOCK


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15