We have just returned from a long weekend skiing in the Evasion Mont Blanc ski area where resorts Megeve and Saint Gervais are located. We stayed in Saint Gervais, which is quieter and less expensive than it’s sister resort, Megeve.

Église Saint Gervais and Saint Protais

Flights

We flew from London Heathrow Terminal 5 to Geneva with British Airways. Flights cost £134 per person which included a 23kg checked bag each. BA are one of the few airlines that allow you to use your baggage allowance for ski equipment at no additional charge. Our flights were found through Skyscanner and booked directly through BA.

Transfers

Saint Gervais is approximately an hour and 10 minutes from Geneva Airport. We compared the cost of renting a car at Geneva airport and the associated tolls and petrol, versus booking a transfer. Car hire was working out to be about £60 per day so we decided as we were not planning on using the car once in resort we would take a transfer.

Alpy Bus was one of only a few who transferred passengers all the way to the Bettex lift station within Saint Gervais les Bains. The transfer cost €75 each for a return journey. Some of the other transfer companies were slightly cheaper but only dropped in the lower village of Saint Gervais which would have meant needing to take a local bus or taxi the remaining 20 minute drive to the resort.

Accommodation

We booked a studio apartment in Castel des Roche through Airbnb. The apartment was small but spotlessly clean with a well equip kitchen area, comfy sofa bed and ensuite bathroom. In the basement was a ‘cave’ to store our skis. A three minute walk to the Bettex gondola and five minutes to the centre of town the location was ideal. Carla, our host, was lovely and met us from the transfer bus to show us up to the apartment.

On mountain restaurants

We ate lunch on the mountain each of the three full days we were skiing. Most people seem to break for lunch around 1pm but our approach to skiing is up early, eat early. We generally missed the crowds by having lunch at midday. On average we paid around €20-25 for lunch, which consisted of either a panini, saussicon or sandwich each plus a beer, vin chaud and a coffee.

Click here for a great guide to mountain restaurants in the ski area.

Javen Snack

We were recommended this small snack bar at the bottom of the Petite Fontaine chair by our Airbnb host. It didn’t disappoint. With outdoor seating and a toilet round the back, Javen serves panini’s, sandwiches and pizza. The staff are friendly. Place your order at the hatch and wait for your name to be called when your food is ready. It is a good spot to watch other skiers descend to the lift and has lovely views across the pine trees.

D’Alpage La Grande Montaz

Located on the edge of the blue run, orgeres, going down to the bottom of the Croix chair is this small restaurant. With a terrace and indoor seating it serves paninis, sandwiches, fries, saussicon and soup. The is an eco-toilet outside. The staff are friendly and it is understandable why this place seems so popular.

Le Ferme D’Avenaz

Located on the Finance run down to Bettex is this rustic restaurant. It has a terrace outside and two small dining rooms inside. Serving paninis, open sandwiches, saussicon, soup and salad. Try the American sandwich of crispy bread, steak hache, onions, reblochon, fries and a choice of sauce.

Off mountain restaurants

Saint Gervais is fairly small and during weekends and holidays the restaurants get very busy. It is advisable to book a table at least 24 hours in advance.

L’éterle

A busy restaurant serving pizzas and Savoyard specialties, as well as takeaway. There are two floors of tables and a small covered terrace (which could be opened up in warmer weather). On the evening we visited all tables were full and there was a constant queue to get in. We had the standard tartiflette and also their specialty tartiflette which contains duck breast and mushrooms. Both were delicious. A meal of mains, wine and coffee for two people cost €55.

Bistrot Le Sérac

Linked to the Michelin starred Le Serac restaurant just round the corner, this bistrot provides highest quality food and service at a fraction of the price. The chefs and wait staff are trained to work in the main restaurant so you really do get a Michelin experience. The set menu is €28 for three courses and bottles of wine start at €24. We had smoked salmon with lentils and Bistrot pate to start. Followed by New Zealand lamb and the richest, and most delicious, mash potato I have ever eaten. Desserts are chosen from a huge selection in refrigerated cabinets on the shop floor. It felt appropriate to have the Mont Blanc which was a white chocolate collar surrounding merengue and chocolate mousse.

Le Carré Rouge

Situated on the main street through Saint Gervais, this restaurant serves fondue, steaks and savory pancakes. We enjoyed a beautiful steak served with dauphinoise potatoes, garlic green beans and salad, and a tartiflette pancake. Wine can be ordered in litre and half litre pitchers, €9 for half a litre. For dessert we had creme caramel and an enormous salted caramel sundae. The total cost of the meal was €60.

Apres ski

Saint Gervais les Bains has plenty of bars but not so many offering the “classic” apres experience you may find in other resorts. The bars were more modern chic than somewhere you would feel comfortable still wearing your ski boots at 1am.

Le Folie Douce

The obvious choice for a bit of apres is Le Folie Douce just at the top of the Mont Joux chair. Apres starts at 2.30pm with live performers and DJs. Drinks are not cheap at €8 a beer but this is by far the best party on the mountain and there is nowhere else you can dance on tables under the towering Mont Blanc. The party finishes around 5pm and it is possible to ski back down to both Megeve and Saint Gervais les Bains. Beware that the run to Saint Gervais is very busy at the end of the day and there are a number of roads to cross (seven in total) some of which have snow cover and others which do not. If you value your skis then it is advisable to take them off to cross.

Brasserie Mont Blanc

Located on Avenue du Mont Paccard, next to the church, Brasserie Mont Blanc is a great place to have a few pre-dinner drinks. Try to get a window seat if you can and watch the church light up as the sun goes down. There is a large selection of beers and wines. Beer ranged from €6-7, a glass of prosecco was €5 while cocktails were around €8.50.

Pur Bar

Also located on Avenue du Mont Paccard, Pur Bar has a cool vibe and modern decor. It offers a selection local beers and cocktails and often has DJs playing. It is open until 2am.

Ski areas

Saint Gervais is within the Evasion Mont Blanc ski area, which also consists of the villages of Megeve, St. Nicolas de Veroce, Combloux and La Giettaz. There are 263km of slopes, serviced by 80 lifts. The majority of the resort consists of 98km of easy (blue) runs, 134km of intermediate (red) runs and 31km of difficult (black) runs. However, the categorisation of the runs is not always consistent and runs may have steeper or narrower sections than expected. There are some steeper black runs to challenge more advanced skiers but nothing terrifying. When the snow falls there are plenty of opportunities to venture off piste but please take advice from a guide and respect the avalanche warnings.

Mont d’Arbois

This is the largest area in terms of lifts and pistes. It is directly accessible from both Megeve and Saint Gervais. There are a number of gondolas and express chair lifts making this a good area for travelling around quickly. Most of the runs are below the tree line so a good area for poor weather days with low visibility. We especially enjoyed the Mont Rosset chair which had a good mix of blue and red tree lined runs.

Rochebrune

This area is across a valley from the Mont d’Arbois sector. It can be accessed directly from Megeve or by taking a cable car across the valley when approaching from Saint Gervais. A gondola and express chairs serve long runs through the trees. For the more adventurous you can ski as far as Cote 2000 but this involves some long, steep drag lifts to return. Javen Snack Bar is at the base of the Petite Fontaine chair.

St Nicholas de Veroce

This area is connected to the Mont D’Arbois sector via a short ski from the top of Mont Joux. It contains the highest lifts in the whole area, peaking at Mont Joly. There are some great opportunities for off piste skiing high above the tree line. There are also some lovely wooded runs heading down to Chattrix. We particularly enjoyed the gde epaule run which goes along the top of a ridge in the shadow of Mont Blanc before dropping into the trees and finishing in the charming little village of Les Chattrix – clocking up approximately 1000m vertical!

Combloux/Let Jaillet

Having only three days skiing we didn’t make it to this sector which is on the far side of Megeve. This would be easier to reach if we had a car. We heard good reports from fellow skiers of efficient lifts and good intermediate skiing.