Gabriel Loppe Exhibition in Chamonix

At the Bellevue Alpine Lodge, sometimes we like to take a quiet day and visit one of the many cultural events in the Chamonix valley.

One of our current favourites is the ‘Gabriel Loppé –Artiste au Sommet’ exhibition taking place in Chamonix.

Centenary of the artist's death
The Valley has been paying tribute to Loppé, who lived from 1825 to 1913, to mark the for the centenary of his death.

In addition to his paintings, his career as a photographer and mountaineer is also examined.  Loppé was a talented photographer and some of his work was acquired by the Musée d’Orsay in Paris in 1989.

Open until 17 May 2014
The exhibition has been open since 26 June 2013 and will run until mid-May.  You can find it at the Maison de la Mémoire et du Patrimoine.

The Bellevue Alpine Lodge offers great value B&B and half-board accommodation in Vallorcine, just 20 minutes drive from Chamonix.

Article by  Iain Martin

Les Ecuries de Charamillon in Le Tour / Vallorcine comes highly recommended

At the Bellevue Alpine Lodge, we are often asked by our guests for advice on where to take lunch.

Les Ecuries de Charamillon is never far from the top of our list. 

This will be the second winter season for this fullyrenovated restaurant, located along the slopes of Le Tour-Vallorcine ski area.

There’s always a warm welcome, followed by the chance to enjoy local-sourced, quality cuisine prepared with fresh products.   

Photo fournie par TripAdvisor

The design is typically Savoyard, with rustic interiors, and on the terrace there’s an unrestricted view to the Mont-Blanc range and the Chamonix valley.

The chef’s specialities include ‘croûte aux fromages’ (made with cheeses from the Balme side of the mountain).  These are made even tastier with morilles or chanterelles – local mushrooms.

Chanterelle mushrooms

The restaurant is 200 meters away from the top of the Charamillon cable car and can be reached by skis or snowshoes.  Reservations can be made by calling +33 (0)4 50 54 17 07 

Article by  Iain Martin

The train comes back to Vallorcine

Great news from the Tourist Office is that after two years’ work on the railway, the train will be returning to Vallorcine.

The route from Chamonix to Chatelard (Switzerland) includes a complete renovation of the tunnel in Les Montets, and a SNCF train travelled between Chamonix and Argentière last summer.

This winter, the 'Mont Blanc Express' will be back on the rails and will take again passengers to and from Vallorcine to Chamonix and the border with Switzerland.

There is no charge for travel on the entire line between Servoz and Vallorcine as long as you can produce your guest card.

The Bellevue Alpine Lodge is a B&B and Gite in Vallorcine. Please contact us for more details. 

Article by  Iain Martin

New 'Step into the Void' view opens at the Aiguille du Midi in Chamonix

This is definitely not one for anyone who suffers from heights or nerves...!

As if the height of a visit to the Aiguille du Midi (3842m) was not enough, from this winter it will now be possible to look directly downwards for over 1000m.

Installing the glass panels

Opens on 21 December 2013
The 'Step into the Void' feature will open on 21 December and will allow visitors to step into a glass box and look 1035m below them.

Each of the glass panels have been specially designed and are 12mm thick.  The structure will be able to withstand winds of up to 200 km/h.

Not for anyone who suffers from heights

Inspired by the Skywalk
The creation was inspired by the Skywalk at the Grand Canyon in the States.

This video explains more about the design and how the idea came about:



Accommodation in Vallorcine
The Bellevue Alpine Lodge is in Vallorcine, just 20 minutes from Chamonix and offers great value gite and B&B accommodation.

Please visit our website for details.

Article by  Iain Martin

Chamonix valley awarded the prestigious 'Flocon Vert'

Earlier this month, the resorts of the Chamonix Valley were collectively awarded the environmental award the 'Flocon Vert'.

The award was given by the Mountain Riders organisation, which focuses on sustainable development in mountain regions.

In operation for twelve years now, Mountain Riders encourages visitors to choose a resort that takes positive action towards sustainability.

The valley is the third region to receive the award, after Rousses (in the Jura) and Villars in Switzerland.

The 'Flocon Vert' applies for three years
In presenting the award, the 'pioneering and sustainable' activities of the Chamonix valley were cited, particularly in the areas of housing, transport and waste management.

The 'Flocon Vert' label applies for three years and has to be re-verified during that period.

So, if you needed convincing, yet another reason to visit.  The Bellevue Alpine Lodge is based in Vallorcine, 20 minutes from Chamonix and would be delighted to welcome you for a stay in this wonderful valley.

You can find more details on our website.

First Snow in Vallorcine: October 2013

We had to share these photos from our great friend and highly recommended mountain guide - Asmus Norreslet.

They were taken in Vallorcine at the end of last week - there's a long way to go, but fingers crossed for an another great ski season!

Follow Asmus on Facebook and if you have any queries about accommodation in Vallorcine, then please contact us.