MenuPraz-sur-Arly Summer Stay from August 26th to September 2nd, 2023
Du 26 août 2023 au 02 septembre 2023
Contributors to this presentation : Enrico Alberini, Jean Luc Matte, Christophe Badonnel and the members in charge of the digital field and support.
The 2023 summer stay will take place from August 26th to September 2nd in the department of Haute Savoie in the heart of Mont Blanc area. A local team, Didier Rémond and Sébastien Vadot, prepared this stay.
vue sur le Mont Blanc
We’ll be accommodated in the Belambra holiday club called “l’Alisier”.
You’ll find below information on the following subjects :
– presentation of the region
– Road and VTT rides
– accommodation
– Word from the board of administration
– inscriptions
– Other activities or visits
Cyclist :
Presentation of the region :
Praz-sur-Arly is a French mountain village located in the department of Haute-Savoie in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, at an altitude of 1,035 m in the Val d’Arly (Arly river vale) between Megève and Flumet. It is at the crossroads of Arly river and Cassioz and Varins smaller streams and the Gorges.
History :
In the 14th century, some farmers came and built the first farms at La Thona (called La Tonnaz today). They were the first inhabitants of the place that would become the Pratz de Megève, later Praz-sur-Arly. Little by little, other hamlets came to life, like Réon, the Pratz which is today the village centre of Pratz-sur-Arly.
In the 17th century, chapels were built, Tonnaz in 1600 and Pratz in 1643, followed by the Mary Magdalene church (Sainte Marie-Madeleine Church) founded in 1696 and connected to Megève parish.
History shows that Pratz de Megève had to cope with many upheavals like all the villages of the region. During the French Revolution, the region of Savoie was annexed by the new republic before being integrated again to Piémont-Sardaigne kingdom. Later, during a second period of troubles, Savoie was incorporated to France and on the 14th of June, 1860, Pratz de Megève became French once and for all but the inhabitants of Pratz kept their Megève roots.
Pratz of Megève was officially separated from Megève by imperial decree in 1869 as a result of political disagreement between Megève and the imperial administration. The separation became effective in 1870.
In 1907, upon request from the Town Council and by government decision, Pratz de Megève became Pratz-sur-Arly. This decision led Pratz-sur-Arly towards total and final independence from Megève.
Tourism :
Pratz-sur-Arly is considered a historical landmark as it welcomed the first school for winter holiday in 1950, from March 9 to 30. They were children from a Paris primary school and their class was accommodated at the Chalet Les Bambinos, now called Chalet Val Soleil. This was the beginning of what is called snow classes.
The village is a ski resort connected to the Espace Diamant domain, a link to the resorts and villages of Les Saisies, Crest-Voland, Notre-Dame-de-Bellecome as well as Flumet.
It is the only mountain village in the French Alps to offer a spot for hot air ballooning managed by a specialized balloon company operating all year round. This activity is possible thanks to ideal aerological conditions as this alpine valley is open and protected from the winds.
For one weekend in January, a real international ballooning festival is held every year. 2023 will see the 32nd international Montgolfiades.
Gastronomy :
Praz sur Arly territory offers to visitors 4 AOC (Controlled Designation of Origin) cheeses and 2 IGP (Protected Geographical Indication) cheeses : six in all. The 4 AOC’s are : Reblochon, Beaufort, Chevrotin and Abondance. The 2 IGP’s are : Savoie Emmental and Savoie Tomme.
As for Beaufort cheese, Pratz-sur-Arly is the only commune in Haute Savoie to enjoy the AOP label over all its territory.
Nota : If you want to read more about Praz-sur-Arly in English, click on the following link :
https://www.prazsurarly.com/en/praz-sur-arly-2/history-of-praz-sur-arly/
Circuits :
Road rides:
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- Seuil de Megève © Didier Rémond
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- col des Grands Vans © Didier Rémond
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- col de la Colombière © Didier Rémond
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- chapelle des Aravis © Didier Rémond
6 road rides with about 40 known cols (Aravis FR-73-1486, Colombière, Romme, Ramaz, etc.) or cols with a more gentle slope like Arpettaz FR-73-1581, Encrenaz, Plan Bois, etc.
Mountain-bike rides:
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- Cols de Very et Croix de Pierre © Didier Rémond
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- col des Grands Vans © Didier Rémond
6 rides with about 50 cols to discover located in the Espace Diamant domain, Les Gières or around Flaine with 4 cols with an altitude higher than 2000m.
A gravel option will be suggested.
You’ll find numerous hiking trails or other sites to discover for the non-riders
Some mountain-bike rides will pass in the vicinity of 4 BPF controls.
For those who’ll come before or stay after the official dates and the mobile users or campers, you’ll have the possibility to do optional road or mountain-bike rides.
Annual international meeting
The traditional annual international meeting will take place on Sunday 27 August 2023 from 11am at theCol de la Lézette FR-73-1786. Welcome drinks will be served on the spot for all the members, not only for those who are on full board. But note that you’ll have to book this off-place packed lunch (see the section « Bookings »)
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- Col de la Lézette © Didier Rémond
Accomodation
The Belambra club is situated 5km away from Megève in the heart of a ski-resort village with a traditional and family atmosphere. The rooms are of contemporaneous and design style. Everything is made comfortable for the customers. The view from the building onto the mountain scenery is magnificent. From the restaurant, you’ll see the ski slopes. You’ll be able to choose between double or single rooms, bed linen and towels included.
Here is the address:
Club Belambra “L’Alisier”
476 route du Val d’Arly
74120 Praz-sur-Arly
+33(0)4 50 21 91 02
https://www.belambra.fr/club-praz-sur-arly-l-alisier/hiver
Other Accommodation:
Camp site whereabouts:
Camping chantalouette 384 Route du Val d’Arly
+33 6 70 06 19 71
camping chantalouette © Didier Rémond
Camping les prés de l’Arly Route des Touvassières
site
+33 6 10 44 02 33
Service area with no possibility to park
à la sortie de Praz-sur-Arly, direction Flumet, sur le parking du garagiste, borne type euro relais, vidange eaux usées et grises (pas d’emplacement)
Praz-sur-Arly, 1418 Route du Val d’Arly,
Word from the board of Administration
It you are considering booking an accommodation different from those suggested, think of subscribing to ‘Solidarity Fund’ for us :
- to be able to organize the events offered to the participants (information sessions, welcome and farewell drinks),
- to be able to offer the Cent Cols booklet on Praz-sur-Arly stay
- to share out the preparation and organisation cost equally between all the participants.
Bookings
Please download the PDF format booking form from the internet link you’ll find below. Note that the form comprizes 2 pages : the Booking Form itself (please fill it in completely and sign it) and the particular conditions which you should also sign. If you intend to come with your partner, please subscribe them as an associate member with your DT and don’t forget to put their associate member number in the appropriate place on the form.
All the participants must subscribe to the ‘Solidarity Fund’, whatever the choice they make (full board, ‘7 evening meals only’ or ‘participants only’ (i.e those who arrange for their own accommodation and meals) with the exception of the associate members (Cent Cols board decision of 26 September 2020). This Solidarity Fund corresponds to all the services the participants will benefit from : cost of preparing the week and its circuits, producing the maps and trombinoscope that will be put on display, the welcome and farewell drinks, the booklet, organizing members’companions’activities, insurance, etc.
Please remember that the stays are made available only for Cent Cols members, which means your yearly membership fee must be updated before you send your booking form.
You can choose from the following formulas :
• ‘Full board’ for …..€, plus the Solidarity Fund for …..€, for a total sum of……€ ;
• ‘7 evening meals only’ fo ….€, if you arrange your own accommodation, but wish to dine with your friends. You must add the Solidarity Fund for …..€, for a total sum of …..€ ;
• Optional subscription to Gritchen insurance (2.34 % of the subscription cost with a minimum of 8 € per person or 16 € per couple) ;
• ‘Solidarity Fund’ for …..€ if you arrange your own accommodation and meals.
If, and only if, you do not have FFCT insurance, you must subscribe to the compulsory insurance on the form for 7 euros. You can pay by cheque or by bank transfer to the Club’s account. Because of the additional costs required by Paypal, we do not accept this form of payment.
The acceptance of bookings will be taken in the order of payment, whether by cheque or by bank transfer. For the former, it is the postmark which counts, for the second, please send a copy of the transfer with your booking. If the stay is fully booked, a waiting list will be put in place, and acceptance will operate in the same way as the direct bookings.
If you have not already sent your photo for the trombinoscope, and would like to be on it, tick the appropriate box on the booking form and send your photo in jpg format by email.
Further information will be put on the Club’s website in due course. For each new piece of information, the person responsible for holiday weeks will put a notification on the message board. If you would like to receive these mails, and have not already joined the message board, we invite you to do so.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the person responsible : +33 6 78 87 33 67
Click on the following links to download the booking form
Gritchen couverture Covid 19 (Covid 19 Gritchen cover)
The last date for receipt of bookings is 27th May 2023
You can leaf through the booklet HERE. It will be given to the participants upon arrival. You’ll find the welcome message, the information on the area to discover, the map directions, a reminder on safety measures and a detailed presentation of the circuits.
Other activities or visits
- Hiking in the vicinity of de Praz-sur-Arly dont le sentier des contrebandiers (Smugglers’hiking trail)
- Mont-Blanc tramway, the only left and highest mountain railway line in France
- Montenvers Railway, starting from Chamonix
- The historic center of Megève, which has successfully kept all the charm of a real Savoy village
- Diozas Gorges
- Combloux market, open every Wednesday from 8am to 12am
- Val d’Arly fruit farm