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Haute-Savoie (French Alps)Les Contamines

The Best Kept Secret of the French Alps
By Michelle Tardivet

If you happened to be on a ski trip in Les Contamines – Montjoie in the early 1980’s, you may have thought you were crossing the border to Italy. That’s because local residents posted road signs to Italy all over town, and the road led to a dead end. You would remember, because the practical joke led to a bottle-neck traffic jam that lasted for hours in the snow. The tourists were not so amused, but the locals were, and still are.

Yet in spite of the infamous characters of the local men and women and their wry sense of humor, every year visitors return to les Contamines to recapture the thrill and wonder of this beautiful alpine resort town nestled in the folds of Mont Blanc. Mixing with the locals is by far a big part of the fun, if you know how. While popular among French, English, Canadian and other European visitors, few Americans know about les Contamines. As an American living here locally, I can assure you that Americans are most welcome.

There is no doubt that the celebrated ski resort is the town’s crowning glory. In addition, there are countless alpine sport and recreational activities for locals and travelers alike to enjoy all year long. Les Contamines – Montjoie is situated above Saint Gervais Les Bains and about ninety minutes from Geneva. A jewel of a town, unspoiled with charming streets, shops, and restaurants serving traditional Savoyard dishes of fondue, raclette, crepes, and saucisson. A visitor can still experience traditional Savoyard life lived every day more or less as it has been for hundreds of years. A visit to les Contamines will transform anyone who loves a bustling, pristine alpine town amidst some of the most spectacular scenery the French Alps have to offer.

However, it is the fabric of life lived by the locals that give this town its unique character. They are robust, energetic, and do not mince words. I wouldn’t say they are unfriendly or rude. I would say that they can seem indifferent to outsiders, as if we were all invisible. Let’s say that they prize us for vacationing there and contributing to the mainstay of their economy. They even treasure us for giving them the opportunity to play an innocent practical joke. We are their biggest form of interactive entertainment.

Let’s take an afternoon at one of my favorite restaurants, La Roselette, for example. La Roselette is a refuge above town complete with room and board, and a thriving restaurant with some of the best Savoyard cooking in the region. In winter it is a ski lodge; the rest of the year accessible by car, lift, or a good randonnee on foot. The location with views of Mont Blanc is unparalleled, and the atmosphere very convivial. The owners, Jean Pierre and his lovely wife Cathy are full of warmth, laughter and generosity. On the other hand, when you enter, don’t be surprised if you are greeted first by the locals with “adieu” instead of “bonjour.” Again, we as visitors are invisible except for to the proprietors. I have noticed that the fancier the designer gear worn by the tourist, the louder the “adieu.” These burly locals learned to ski before they could walk, are schooled in emergency first aid, and would protect and save a skier’s life by instinct like a Saint Bernard. But woe to the flashy tourist who starts to show off! I sit in a corner and wait for the show. One fine afternoon of skiing, a smartly outfitted French tourist with a distinct I’ll-show you-peasants bravado wanted to teach a lesson to the locals by trying to out-drink them. The wine flowed, and by the end of the day the swaggering skier was in no shape to ski. The locals leapt on their skis like rabbits and descended the mountain. Roselette’s Jean Pierre was kind enough to give the intoxicated, crestfallen man a lift down on his snowmobile.

The trick to disarming the local indifference to outsiders is easy: Just smile and say bonjour, or in this case, adieu. You will discover that behind the community scoff, if you make the effort, you will find some of the friendliest, most intriguing men and women who are more polite and eager to please than anyone you have seen in a long time. Les Contamines seems to breed brilliant, industrious, self-actualized human beings. They grow up experiencing nature, wildlife and alpine sports, and have expertise in all of it. There must be more professors and researchers per capita from this town than any other village I have been to. Les Contamines produces Olympic skiers, architects, professors, chefs. The manager of the outdoor ice skating rink is one of the only left in the France you can see each day laying ice with water by hand. He is is also the local alchemist, author to research books on the region, and the scholar the French government consults before ever turning a stone to build a trail or road. Once in conversation with him or just about any other of the locals, you will discover you have found hidden treasures among these fascinating, robust and very friendly individuals.

So when you arrive to les Contamines, just remember to smile, and you’re in. You may meet the premier architect of the region. Or one of the few Falconers who will love to show you how he trains his falcons, just down the road. Or the youngest researcher of the Sorbonne who discovered how to grow the planet’s diminishing coral reefs with an X-ray. The spectacular place and its people are well worth repeated visits. Just remember, if you are greeted with “adieu,” just say “adieu” right back and you have made friends for life.

For more information about les Contamines, go to www.lescontamines.com.

-Michelle Tardivet

Follow @jeffsteiner


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