FROM ANNECY TO MEGÈVE
ROAD TRIPPING THROUGH THE FRENCH ALPS
March 2022 | HIDDEN GEMS GIMBER
You know what they say, “the best gems hide close to home”. Well, actually, we’re the ones saying that but so far, we’ve been right! If you’ve followed our hidden gems sessions, you know we love digging out the awesomeness that hides behind cities & putting them in the spotlight. This time, to honour winter’s last stretch & embrace skiing season, we threw our insatiable curiosity, a couple of warm sweaters & some ski apparel in the back of our car & drove from Annecy to Megève. Our goal: say hi to the numerous venues that have adopted GIMBER in their shops and are sprinkling its good vibes along the French Alps.
DAY 1 - DEPARTURE CITY: ANNECY
You know what’s just as breath-taking as being on a mountain? Watching it from below! With a 360° degree view on the French Alps, the city of Annecy offers a parallel mind-blowing show starring a myriad of snowy peaks. Famous for its picturesque canals, its medieval architecture & bridges, this “Venice of the North” had us drop our mouths a few times & catch our breath at a few places that surprised us with a bottle of GIMBER.
© Lemeunier Maxime
Babeth
Annecy
Cute name but also, cute concept store! We dropped by for a cup of coffee & got happily distracted by the quirky clothes, accessories & decoration items of this modern-days Pandora box.
© Lemeunier Maxime
© Lemeunier Maxime
© Lemeunier Maxime
© Lemeunier Maxime
Rive Bio
Annecy
Rive Bio, a gourmet food store near the lake of Annecy, had us well-fed with its high quality local French food & some snacks on the go from their bulk station.
La bouchonnerie
Annecy
What’s better than a French glass of wine to celebrate life? A glass of GIMBER! La Bouchonnerie, a bodega with a wide selection of wines, liquors & premium alcohol-free drinks, got us enjoying the best of both worlds during a memorable evening.
7 Rue Président Favre,
74000 Annecy
France
Website - Instagram
© Lemeunier Maxime
© Lemeunier Maxime
Talking about the lake
Annecy wouldn’t quite be Annecy without its lake. Its water crossing town and its bridges make it a very convincing “Venice of the Alps”. A serpentine headed to the foot of the mountain, the lake of Annecy is renowned for the cleanness of its water and offers a bright reflection of the authenticity of the old town of Annecy. A few stops on the lake are definitely a must to admire the splendor of the scenery from different angles.
© Lemeunier Maxime
DAY 2 - ON THE ROAD AGAIN: HEADING TO MEGÈVE
Satiated with Annecy’s overwhelming tastefulness, we got reminded we were actually heading somewhere… So we took the wheel again to answer the pressing call of the mountain. On our way, we couldn’t help but make a couple of stops, in the towns of Manigod & La Clusaz.
© Lemeunier Maxime
© Lemeunier Maxime
Lo Garajo
Manigod
If you like a nice rooftop, you’ll definitely enjoy this altitude bar for cool kids that doubles as a concept store. The perfect stop to chill & have a glass of GIMBER, beer or hot chocolate after a long day of skiing. Props to the spectacular view!
651 Rte du Col de la Croix Fry
74230 Manigod
France
Website - Instagram
© Lemeunier Maxime
© Lemeunier Maxime
© Lemeunier Maxime
Candide Store
La Clusaz
Ever wondered where you could buy some ski apparel, have a coffee & shop some local items at the same time? Well, right here, at Candide Store. Owned by local celebrity skier Candide Thovex, this triple threat seduces with its modern & minimalist looks.
26 Route de l’Étale,
74220 La Clusaz,
France
Website - Instagram
DAY 3 - AND FINALLY, MEGÈVE
The victims of a classic mountain-road head spin, we were happy to stop the engine, finally arrived at Megève. The massif of the Mont Blanc all peakey and perky in front of us quickly set the tone: we were in for a playful ski day in this traditional yet luxurious ski station of the South-Eastern Alps. From the slopes, a few places known to be friends of GIMBER caught our eyes so we paid them a visit to fill you in!
© Lemeunier Maxime
© Lemeunier Maxime
L’Epicerie des Fermes
Megève
Cute name but also, cute concept store! We dropped by for a cup of coffee & got happily distracted by the quirky clothes, accessories & decoration items of this modern-days Pandora box.
28 rue des trois pigeons,
74120 Megève,
France
Website
© Lemeunier Maxime
© Lemeunier Maxime
© Lemeunier Maxime
Hôtel Mont Blanc
Megève
You couldn’t find a more centric hotel in Megève. In the very heart of the ski station, the Hôtel Mont Blanc will have you delight yourself in its rooms, at its restaurant & spa. Expect full-on cozyness thanks to a warm and authentic yet up-to-date design that will make you want to curl up in front of the fireplace.
29 Rue Ambroise Martin,
74120 Megève,
France
Website - Facebook
© Lemeunier Maxime
Les Fermes de Marie
Megève
Relaxing in a private chalet of a 5-star hotel after you’ve been zigzagging the slopes all day hits different. Slightly in the outskirts of the station, Les Fermes de Marie got the whole alpine package with their gorgeous spa, spectacular terrace, and Restaurant Traditionnel. It is the perfect place to indulge in some very typical great heights-friendly dishes such as fondue, raclette, etc.
163 Chemin de la Riante Colline,
74120 Megève,
France
Website - Instagram
© Lemeunier Maxime
© Lemeunier Maxime
© Lemeunier Maxime
Oh and while you’re at it, hit the spa…
Come on, you’re on a holiday! Not sure where to go? Megève surprised us with 3 great spas: Alpaga, Pure Altitude & Les Fermes de Marie. All we can say is we never felt more relaxed…
D. André, L. Di Orio, M.P. Morel, T. Shu & DR
Hôtel Lodge Park
Megève
You’d rather spend less bucks on accommodation & more on daily treats? We get it! In that case, this hotel definitely is your perfect match.
Walk of the Hammeau du Maz & Altiport
Megève
Drop the skis for a second, you’ve got some hiking to do! Follow this 2-hour & 6-km trail suited for everyone. This walk goes from the station to Cote 2000, with a stop at the Altiport lookout for a view you’ll never forget.
WILL WE SEE YOU THERE SOON?
You know what they say (they really do this time): what matters is the journey, not the destination. After this trip through the French Alps, we couldn’t agree more. Although Megève & its immaculate rocky landscapes didn’t give us a break from feeling marveled, the build up of wows we enjoyed from day one really made this trip worth our while. But what did even more is those gems of local food, wine, coffee, craft & people we got to meet along the way, as well as the pride to see GIMBER being poured in some cozy glasses held by some cozy souls, far away from home.