EXCURSIONS

Group bus excursions will be offered on four afternoons during the Feast. There will be no excursion on Friday, the fifth day of the Feast, so please feel free to use the suggestions we have included below to do a little exploring in the town of Évian-les-Bains where you will be staying (or at any other time during the Feast when you find yourself with some time for a little adventure!). [Please note: There will not be a formal excursion to Geneva as stated in the previous Feast in France announcement.]

Payment for excursions must be made online via PayPal by Sunday, July 1, 2018. Excursion buses must be reserved ahead of time, so unfortunately, your reservation is not refundable in case of cancellation. However, once at the Feast, you may be able to find someone willing to exchange or purchase your excursion tickets.

Please note:

• Costs listed are per person.
• Infants two and under are free if they do not take up a seat on the bus.
• Payment deadline: Sunday, July 1, 2018
   

1. GRUYÈRES

Date: Tuesday, September 25
Cost: See detail by age and guided visit choice below

Explore the picturesque architecture of the medieval town of Gruyères, located at the base of the Swiss Alps. This charming little town, seemingly frozen in time, gives its name both to the surrounding region, as well as the famous Gruyère cheese. You may choose to spend the afternoon simply sight-seeing, shopping, and soaking up the atmosphere. Alternatively, choose from one of two tours being offered to La Maison Cailler Chocolaterie or La Maison du Gruyère cheese exhibition and tasting. They are both amazing, but we just don’t have time to do both!

La Maison Cailler Chocolaterie: From the earliest Aztec cocoa ceremonies to the modern day, you will experience and interact with the history, culinary art and, of course, the taste of everything chocolate as seen through the 120-year tradition of Swiss Chocolatier Cailler. This is a 90-minute tour. For more information on La Maison Cailler Chocolaterie please visit their website:

https://cailler.ch/en/maison-cailler/la-chocolaterie-suisse/

La Maison du Gruyère: On this 30-45-minute audio guided tour of the “five senses” of cheese, you will walk through the processes and intricacies of cheese making from caring for the milk producing cows to crafting the rinds for proper aging. For more information on La Maison du Gruyère please visit the following website:

https://www.lamaisondugruyere.ch/useful-information/general-information/

After the tours, you will have time to do some exploring of the town. For general things to do in Gruyères including a visit to the medieval château, please visit the following website: https://www.la-gruyere.ch/en/GP859/places-of-interest?group=859

 

Costs:

Gruyères - town visit only
Adults and children over 2 years old: €20.00
Infants two and under are free if they do not take up a seat on the bus.

Gruyères and La Maison Cailler Chocolaterie
Adults, 17 years old and over: €28
Teens and children ages 3 to 16: €20
Infants two and under are free if they do not take up a seat on the bus.

Gruyères and La Maison du Gruyère (« Cheese Exhibition »)
Adults, 17 years old and over: €25
Teens and children ages 6 to 16: €23
Children ages 3 to 5: €20
Infants two and under are free if they do not take up a seat on the bus.
 

2. LES LINDARETS

Date: Wednesday, September 26
Cost: Adults and children over 2 years old: €26.00
Infants two and under are free if they do not take up a seat on the bus.

Les Lindarets, referred to as the “Goat Village” sits in a high alpine pasture (in French “l’alpage”) at 4,800 feet (1,487 meters). For centuries, shepherds would take their flocks into the high mountains in summer to graze and this tradition has been maintained in Les Lindarets where the goats roam free through the village and surrounding pastures. We will take a 45-minute English guided tour of the village and afterward be treated to a specialty pastry of the region in the Farmhouse restaurant. After the visit, soak up the scenery as you enjoy some shopping, sit on a terrace of one of the restaurants or just observe and interact with the goats. For those who want to walk or hike, this is a great starting point for several trails. The Brochaux waterfall is about 30 minutes one-way from the village.  Learn more about Les Lindarets at:

http://www.savoie-mont-blanc.com/en/offre/fiche/les-lindarets/260797

 

3. CHAMONIX

Date: Thursday, September 27
Cost: Adults and children over 2 years old: €20.00
Infants two and under are free if they do not take up a seat on the bus.

Located at the base of Mont Blanc (4,810m or 15,781ft), the highest summit in the Alps, the Chamonix resort offers various activities that extend far beyond your classic skiing and snowboarding pastimes. The price of this excursion is for the bus ride only, but once in Chamonix visitors will choose from two separate activities. The first, La Mer de Glace (the sea of ice), will allow you to take a ride on a charming railway car that will transport you to the viewing area and then descend into the glacier itself with an ice cave visit in the heart of the glacier. Pricing and other information about La Mer de Glace can be found at:

https://www.chamonix.com/montenvers-mer-de-glace,81,en.html

The second choice is the Aiguille du Midi where you will ride in a cable car up 20 minutes to a thrilling terrace at 3,777m (12,391ft) providing breathtaking views of the French and Italian Alps. The Aiguille du Midi is the closest you can get to the summit of Mont Blanc without hiking or climbing and is the highest mountain peak served by an aerial lift system. Enjoy incredible views of the Alps, and even take a brave step “Into the Void” if you dare—a clear glass box suspended far above the mountains below you, making for an exciting view! Please note that there is a significant altitude gain of 2,741m (8,995ft) to go to the Aiguille du Midi and that the tour is forbidden for children under 3 years old, and not recommended for children under 5 years old. Pricing information can be found at the following link: https://www.chamonix.com/aiguille-du-midi-step-into-the-void,80,en.html

For both activities, please be careful to dress warmly and with good footwear (bring your sunglasses and sunscreen, too!) as the weather is unpredictable and temperatures can vary drastically from the Feast site to Chamonix (and will likely be below freezing up at the Aiguille du Midi). If you suffer from altitude sickness, the Aiguille du Midi activity is not recommended, but please feel free to come enjoy La Mer de Glace or tour around the other attractions in Chamonix!

Take a peek at the extensive list of activities in Chamonix if you prefer to just hang out and enjoy this lovely location. More information on Chamonix can be found at: https://www.chamonix.com/what-to-do,121,en.html

 

4. YVOIRE

Date: Sunday, September 30
Cost: Adults and children over 2 years old: €20.00
Infants two and under are free if they do not take up a seat on the bus.

Listed as one of the "Most Beautiful Villages of France," the medieval town of Yvoire is an authentic 700-year old lakeside fishing village located a half-hour west of Évian-les-Bains. Wonderfully flowered and bustling with artists and craftsmen, Yvoire is one of the Chablais region's most remarkable sites. Take a tour of the lovely “Jardin des Cinq Sens”, (Garden of the Five Senses), known for its labyrinth, geometric patterns and precision or learn about the history of the 11th century bell tower that overlooks the town, and the ancient stones used to create the city. This is a lovely place for shopping. Learn more about Yvoire at: http://www.yvoiretourism.com/accueil_en.html

You can also look through some pictures of the beautiful village and lake views here: https://www.google.com/search?q=yvoire&rlz=1C1CHBD_enUS773US773&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiC8JuMvpHZAhVBpFkKHcczDEAQ_AUICygC&biw=1920&bih=949#imgrc=_.

 

EXPLORE ÉVIAN-LES-BAINS

Date: Anytime!
Cost: Priceless!

Take some time to explore the special city where you will be enjoying your stay in the French Alps! Nestled between the lake and the mountains, Evian benefits from a truly exceptional natural environment that has made it an internationally famous tourist resort. As a spa town, internationally renowned for its quality thermal facilities, Evian has cultivated an atmosphere that promotes both well-being and fitness. Also, a rich cultural destination, Evian offers a unique historic heritage, the Palais Lumière, and numerous other sites dedicated to art and entertainment that further enrich the array of all this town has to offer. Take a look at the gardens, the lake, the restaurants and markets, and all of the other activities at your disposal, all within an easy 15-minute walk of the VVF Village resort. More information can be found at: http://en.evian-tourisme.com/discover-visit.html