St Jean de Belleville
St Jean de Belleville is known locally as the doorway to the Belleville valley and offers the tranquility and beauty of a traditonal mountain village. The village church (St Jean-Baptiste Baroque Church) is one of the churches on the "Sentiers du Baroque" and is the oldest in the valley with a listed altar piece and is open to the general public. Before the introduction of the ski resorts in the Belleville valley St Jean de Belleville was the chief village and still boasts the Mairie's office, the post office which hosts a small library, its own village hall which boasts its own cinema twice a month along with various other organised events each week, plus the village still retains its own primary school. The village is a perfect place for families as its quiet enough for children to sledge and play in the snow without the chaos of traffic found in the main resorts. During the summer months there are some beautiful walks starting directly from the village, all with stunning views.
The Three Valleys
The Three Valleys ski area is the largest in the World with more than 600km of skiing. It has something for every level of skier from beginners to families to extensive off-piste for advanced skiers. The Belleville valley alone has 300km of skiing. St Martin de Belleville and St Jean de Belleville and the surrounding villages still retain all the character of traditional French village life and are steeped in history. The area is just as appealing during the summer months as in the winter with plenty to offer for everyone.
Winter in the Three Valleys
The Three Valleys is a hive of activity during the winter months, nearby attractions include downhill skiing, cross country skiing, snow-shoeing, sledging (both Les Menuires and Val Thorens have dedicated sledging runs, Val Thorens boasts the longest dedicated sledging run in Europe at over 6km long), dog-sledding, leisure and spa facilities, cinemas, ten pin bowling, varied bars and restaurants to suit all tastes. Plus, each resort has it very own winter program, from wine tasting weeks, music & comedy festivals, firework displays and torchlit descents, to name but a few.
Summer in the Three Valleys
During the summer months there is just as much to do and see, from walking (there are various walking itineraries starting from the village and maps can be obtained from the Mairies office in the village centre, walking trails are well maintained during the summer season June - September), cycling/mountain biking, fishing (both river and lake), white water rafting, via ferrata, climbing, tree top adventures, sum, horse riding, golf (situated in Meribel or Courchevel), quad and motorbiking. Plus Les Menuires boasts an impressive children's activity programme, inlcuding archery, bouncy castles & trampolines, donkey rides, arts & craft sessions plus much more.
Eating out in the Belleville Valley
During both winter and summer there are numerous superb restaurants to try in the Three Valleys area. Why not try either of the Michelin Star restaurants in the Belleville valley, "La Bouitte" (our personal favourite) situated in St Marcel which now boasts an impressive 3 stars, or L'Oxalys in Val Thorens which has 2 stars and is the highest Michelin starred restaurant in Europe. If Michelin stars are not your thing there are plenty of others to try, La Voute, L'etoile des Neiges and Le Montagnard are all located in the centre of St Martin de Belleville and all serve excellent food. Just 2km away from the village in Le Villarly is a very local restaurant with exceptionally low prices for the Three Valleys area, they also sell bread and croissants from early morning and you can also purchase pizza along with local wines by the bottle all to takeout. If you fancy dinner in a beautiful French Chateau why not try the Chateau des Feissons, equally stunning summer or winter.
Places of Interest
There are a vast array of places to visit within the Rhone Alps. Here are a few personal favorites.
Annecy - is a beautiful lakeside town, its a perfect place to spend a day picnicing by the lake, partaking in various water sports, shopping, admiring the ancient architecture or visiting the castle and museums. Even during the winter months the temperatures can seem positively balmy compared with the mountain resorts. In the summer Annecy comes alive with numerous concerts and festivals.
Cite de Conflans, Albertville - perched high above Albertville you will find this ancient city preserved in time, with stunning views along the valley in all directions. Picturesque water fountains are dotted here and there along the quaint cobbled streets, its a perfect place to stop for lunch at one of the tiny restaurants.
The Lido - just a short drive away on the outskirts of Aigueblanche is an outdoor lido which is a fantastic place to take the family or to meet friends to cool down on a hot summers day.
Chambery - has a truly beautiful historic centre, the Chateau de Chambery and the Fontaine des Elephants are a must when visiting Chambery, or why not visit France's largest natural lake, lake bourget or the beautiful lake aiguebelette.
There are many other places to visit in the Rhone Alps, but the beauty of the traditional mountain villages and the vast array of activities they provide both summer and winter are hard to beat. For more information on the local area visit our links page.
Annecy - is a beautiful lakeside town, its a perfect place to spend a day picnicing by the lake, partaking in various water sports, shopping, admiring the ancient architecture or visiting the castle and museums. Even during the winter months the temperatures can seem positively balmy compared with the mountain resorts. In the summer Annecy comes alive with numerous concerts and festivals.
Cite de Conflans, Albertville - perched high above Albertville you will find this ancient city preserved in time, with stunning views along the valley in all directions. Picturesque water fountains are dotted here and there along the quaint cobbled streets, its a perfect place to stop for lunch at one of the tiny restaurants.
The Lido - just a short drive away on the outskirts of Aigueblanche is an outdoor lido which is a fantastic place to take the family or to meet friends to cool down on a hot summers day.
Chambery - has a truly beautiful historic centre, the Chateau de Chambery and the Fontaine des Elephants are a must when visiting Chambery, or why not visit France's largest natural lake, lake bourget or the beautiful lake aiguebelette.
There are many other places to visit in the Rhone Alps, but the beauty of the traditional mountain villages and the vast array of activities they provide both summer and winter are hard to beat. For more information on the local area visit our links page.
