Relaxation

Photo courtesy of Les Grands Bains de MonêtierAs well as a fantastic base for a winter or summer activity holiday, Serre Chevalier is also a lovely environment in which to wind down, and many of our chalets and apartments have outdoor areas where you can relax, socialise and enjoy the scenery.

A highlight of a trip here is the natural thermal spa complex in Monêtier, "Les Grands Bains", where you can relax in style in its outdoor pool with stunning views of the mountains. The outdoors pool in Chantemerle is also a favourite destination to enjoy the 300 plus days of sunshine that Serre Chevalier gets each year

A driving tour of the area is a fantastic day out, passing through traditional local villages and giving spectaular mountain views, and you can even go to Italy for lunch!

Briancon

The town of Briancon is the hub of the Serre Chevalier valley with a fascinating history running from the Roman era to the present day. Briancon is famous for its walled old town, built in the 17th century by Vauban, military engineer to Louis XIV. The unique nature of the old town is recognised by its designation as a UNESCO world heritage site.

In more recent times Briancon has been a key strategic location in a number of wars and Fort Janus, situated high above the town was part of the WWII Maginot Line. We will be happy to arrange guided tours of the town as part of your holiday package.

Cultural events

Briancon town and its surrounding villages host a wide variety of cultural and traditional events through the year such as:

• Winter jazz festival
• The "Plume de Glace" murder mystery writing festival
• Art exhibitions throughout the year
• The summer music festival "Les Offenbachiades du Briançonnais"
• Summer jazz concerts
• Outdoors traditional Alpine music events
• The July Medieval festival in Briancon
• August electronic and chamber music festivals

Food and drink

As well as offering high Alpine food, the restaurants, shops and markets of Serre Chevalier are also influenced by nearby Provence and Italy, making a trip here a gastronomic delight. You will discover traditional mountain dishes such as tartiflette, fondue and raclette, menus with fresh fish and other produce from the south of France and superb Italian pizzerias.

A huge range of very reasonably priced French wines from the Haute Alpes region and further afield is available, and you can buy local produce from farms and stalls in the valley, including delicious Alpine honey!