Northern pre-Alps & Samoëns
France > Alps > Samoens
The Northern pre-Alps, climbing back from the shore of Lake Geneva, are softer, greener and a lot less crowded than the mighty ranges further south. A fine place to absorb the region's atmosphere is the gentle and attractive village of SAMOËNS, 21km from Cluses on the main Geneva–Chamonix road, lying at the foot of the Aiguille de Criou, with the tall peak of Le Buet in the distance. Its principal architectural claim to fame is its sixteenth-century Gothic church on a Romanesque base, with a doorway with crouching lions like those in the Queyras.The village is chiefly known, however, for its stonemasons and for Marie-Louise Cognacq-Jay, who left to seek her fortune in Paris at the age of 15 in 1853, and found it – as the founder of the famous French department store, La Samaritaine. There's a beautiful botanical garden (daily: summer 8am–noon & 1–7pm; winter 8am–noon & 1.30–5.30pm; free) on the slope above the old village centre, created by Madame Jay and planted with specimens of mountain flora from all over the world. Hers was an exceptional success, but migration was part of the pattern of local life. Up to World War I the men of the village would set out every spring with their tools on their backs to seek work in the cities of France and Switzerland. Their guild, les frahans, evolved its own peculiar dialect, le mourne, so they could communicate secretly among themselves. For a hotel, try Les Drugères (tel 04.50.34.43.84, fax 04.50.34.19.06; €55–70; closed May & Nov) or Les Glaciers (tel 04.50.34.40.06, www.hotel-les-glaciers.com; €70–85), both of which have restaurants and good-sized, comfortable rooms. The cheapest option in town is Le Tuet (tel 04.50.34.40.60, fax 04.50.34.91.56; €30–40, full board €40–55), while there's a municipal campsite (tel 04.50.34.41.92) by the River Giffre, which meanders around the town, and a gîte d'étape, Les Moulins, 1km away on the road up to Les Allamands (tel 04.50.34.95.69).
Pages in section ‘Samoens’: Sixt .
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