Apartment French Alps

The beautiful village of Samoens is located in the Giffre valley about an hours drive from Geneva. Unlike many ski resorts, the village has a life of its own outside the ski season. Restaurants, bars and shops remain open and there is plenty to see and do in Samoens and the local area. The village comprises shops of all trades, banks, a medical centre and bars.

The food of the Haute Savoie region tends to be rustic and very tasty, based around local cheese. The fondue, raclette and tartiflette are the most famous local recipes. Raclette is a machine which melts the special Raclette cheese; the melted cheese is scraped off onto bread and potatoes. Tartiflette is not for those on diets, as it is made from Reblochon cheese, lardons, potatoes & cream.

Tartiflette can often be bought fresh at the local Wednesday market in Samoens. The market sells a vast variety of items from local sausages, cheeses, wines and local crafts.

Vin de Savoie wine can be bought at most shops in Samoens and is reasonably priced and compliments the rich food perfectly.

Samoens is quite unspoilt and has been declared an Historical Monument. Its chapels and expert stonecutting traditions make it a place of great interest and also worthy of note is the Great Linden Tree which stands in the centre of the town, and which was planted in 1438.

It is a traditional Savoyard market town, consisting of a mixture of wooden and stone built houses, reflecting the history and craftsmanship of the region. There is a weekly market in the village, which offers you the chance to sample local produce and the cheese factory in the village is open to the public.

The botanical garden "La Jaysinia" in the centre of Samoens village is a stunningly beautiful 3.5 acre alpine garden, created in 1906 with more than 8000 varieties of alpine plants from around the world. You can also find waterfalls, castle ruins from the XII century and a chapel from the XVIII century