Verchaix (shown here) is a pretty little village at an altitude of around 800m. It is five minutes from Morillon (giving access to the Flaine ski area) and ten minutes from Samoens. Verchaix itself is known for cross country skiing and for the many wonderful walks in the area at any time of the year.

The name comes from 'vers les chais' because the winegrowers would go 'towards the wine stores'.

Verchaix is easy to reach. Access from the airport at Geneva takes less than 1 hour and cheap flights are available from the UK.

By car, the route from Calais is entirely by motorway to within 10 miles of the chalet; the distance is approximately 800 km and takes about 8 hours.

Verchaix itself has 3 or 4 hotels and restaurants but no shops. However there is a good supermarket about 5 minutes away by car, which sells a vast range of cheeses, cold meats, fruit, vegetables and everything else you can think of.

The nearby town of Samoens is noted for its alpine gardens and has a range of shops and attractions.

The region is known for its cheeses and wines. One local speciality is 'tartiflette', a dish of potatoes and bacon cooked in a white wine sauce covered with cheese and eaten with salad, which is delicious - and highly calorific!

The menu on the left gives further details of how to get there. Maps are on the 'Driving' page.