The Skiers' Guide to Saint Gervais Mont-Blanc

A retro thermal spa town with a history rooted firmly in mountaineering thanks to it’s position at the base of Mont Blanc, Saint Gervais grants skiers access to the huge Mont Blanc ski area and is a quaint, relaxing ski trip option. Established in the 19th century, tourism was originally centred mostly around the thermal waters, which were found to have a high mineral content. These can still be enjoyed today at Les Thermes de Saint Gervais, which boasts a state-of-the-art thermal journey complete with saunas, pools, steam rooms and hammams - what better way to soothe those post-piste muscles?

The village, which is also known as Saint Gervais Les Bains, retains a retro feel throughout the architecture, enhanced by the Mont-Blanc tramway which takes passengers up to the Belleview/Prarion ski areas at the Col de Voza at 1900m. Nestled in a convenient spot for skiing the Chamonix Valley and Megève, Saint Gervais forms part of a small cluster of four villages, the others being Saint-Nicolas de Véroce, Le Fayet and Le Bettex.

That being said - the resort is low. While local slopes do climb up to a respectable 2353m, visitors will often be required to take the Bettex gondola back down into the resort as opposed to skiing the red, with the base station sitting at 850m. You shouldn’t let that put you off though, as you can make use of the entire Evasion Mont Blanc area once you’re up on the hill, or venture further along the valley to Les Contamines Montjoie to reach the higher (and tricker) terrain at 2487m.

The local area, which is known as St Gervais - St Nicolas, is a confusing to look at, heavily linked area which joins up to Megeve & Jaillet-Combloux, but you don’t need to worry about that because you quite literally won’t notice. They all come under the Evasion Mont Blanc lift pass, meaning you can go and party at the local Folie Douce (top of Mont-Joux chairlift) or head over to Megève’s Rochebrune sector for stunning alpine slopes through the trees. The pass includes a colossal 445km of ski trails and over 1,500m of skiable vertical. There’s not a lot of steep and deep stuff, but the whole area isn’t generally known for its off-piste or challenging terrain - this is where you come for a mixed group or intermediate break with plenty of chocolat-chaud or demi bier stops in the sunshine.

As well as the insane panoramas of Mont Blanc, riders can enjoy the two snowparks in the area. The Waidzai Park, at the Grands-Champs lift on the Rochebrune slopes has 10 obstacles, a boardercross run, and the option to be filmed while skiing. The Funpark, between the two Mont-Joux lifts, this park has kickers, rails, tubes, boxes, and an airbag. Snomad community hot-tip is to enjoy the scenic 4km ride down the Grande & Petite Epaule red pistes from the top of the Epaule lift.

There’s a large range of choices on the mountain, including the usual self-service cafes and pricier restaurants. Down in the resort, restaurants offer mostly French or Italian cuisine and a handful of Michelin options for something a little more elevated. There’s not an endless list to choose from like some more commercial or well-known resorts, but the ethos is definitely quality over quantity, with plenty of choice alongside the usual indulgent staples of fondue, tartiflette and rich meat dishes.

There’s a large range of choices on the mountain, including the usual self-service cafes and pricier restaurants. Down in the resort, restaurants offer mostly French or Italian cuisine and a handful of Michelin options for something a little more elevated. There’s not an endless list to choose from like some more commercial or well-known resorts, but the ethos is definitely quality over quantity, with plenty of choice alongside the usual indulgent staples of fondue, tartiflette and rich meat dishes. The après vibe in Saint Gervais is definitely more upscale and elevated than anything you’ll find in the likes of Austria, but that’s not to say you can’t have a lot of fun. There’s a Folie Douce venue in neighbouring Megève, and you can continue the party at the Oboose Cafe at the Bettex Gondola base station, which often has live music and DJ sets. The main street of Saint Gervais also has a selection of cosy and inviting bars for those seeking something more laidback.

Saint Gervais is a great option for families, with play areas, tobogganing and even igloo building making for great fun. There’s also a trail game leading you on a journey through the resort with clues, and the usual agenda of activities such as dog sledding, ice skating, torchlight descents and fun trails.

The biggest draw for non-skiers is the thermal baths in La Fayet, conveniently connected via a shuttle bus. Other than that, there’s swimming, ski touring, walking and browsing the resort shops and museum.

While the town of Saint Gervais itself is reasonably connected via shuttles to the lifts, it still feels like a bit of a faff if you’re looking for more of a ski-in, ski-out alpine experience - not to mention it’s really low at 850m. Better options would be to look for accommodation up in Le Bettex, the neighbouring Les Contamines Montjoie or St Nicolas de Véroce.

St Gervais has been awarded two snowflakes out of three as part of the independent Flocon Vert initiative, representing significant investment to reduce its environmental impact. No resort has been awarded three just yet.

Pros

• Part of the large Evasion Mont Blanc lift pass
• Great for mixed groups
• Close to Geneva airport

Cons

• Limited steep & challenging terrain
• Not a huge après scene