Haute-Savoie
Rent in France -
Self catering Haute-Savoie holiday rental chalets, villas and apartments, France
Search Rent in France for self catering French holiday rental homes in the Haute-Savoie, France– Book direct with the owner. This beautiful French department is known for its location in the Alps mountain range. Situated in the east of France in the Rhone-Alpes region, Haute Savoie borders both Switzerland and Italy. The department is home to France’s second largest lake, the Lake Annecy and also includes the south shores of Lake Geneva. Europes largest Mountain, Mont Blanc sits at an impressive 4,810 meters and lies on the border between Haute Savoie and Italy. The magnificent mountainous landscape that the area has to offer, makes an Haute-Savoie self catering holiday the ideal destination for all those skiing fanatics out there. Rent a ski chalet or apartment in Haute Savoie and experience some of the world best ski stations offering a wide range of alpine sports for all ages and levels.
The Haute Savoie is paradise if you are looking for a walking holiday. The department has a large number of opportunities for all you hiking fanatics to get out there and take in the wonderful alpine scenery or the magnificent trails through the Semnoz forest. Due to its fantastic scenery the department does become a tourist hot spot during the summer months. For golf enthusiasts, there are around 12 golf courses to play throughout the department; one of these is the Evian Masters Golf Club where around 80 top professional come each year to compete on the shores of Lake Geneva. Other activities that are available in the Haute Savoie include horse riding, paragliding, mountaineering and sky-diving.
Places to visit in Haute-Savoie, France
Chamonix Known to many as the winter sports capital of the world. Chamonix surprisingly receives the majority of its visitors during the summer months and becomes very popular with the mountaineering enthusiasts. Every August the town hosts the annual Fetes des Guides de Chamonix, where the town celebrates its world famous mountains by hosting a number of climbing events along with a number of festivities including fireworks. During the ski season the après ski in Chamonix is second to none with many fine restaurants, bars, nightclubs and a casino. 
Annecy Situated at the tip of the Lake Annecy and overlooked by the magnificent castle, this is a beautiful but understated town. Approximately 35 Kilometres south of Geneva, Annecy is the capital of the Haute Savoie department. When taking an Haute Savoie self catering holiday home, be sure to visit this wonderful area of France and explore the city through its canals and enjoy its wonderful architecture some of which dates back as far as the 12th century.
Portes du Soleil Combining 14 interconnected ski resorts from Mont Blanc to Lake Geneva Portes du Soleil is the largest ski area in the world. The Portes du Soleil caters for all levels of skiers so whether your a beginner or an expert there is something to accommodate everyone. With approximately 650 km of pistes there is plenty of choice during you self catering holiday rental in the Haute Savoie.
Flaine Located in a large bowl, the resort can offer you some magnificent skiing conditions along with lovely sunny days. A purpose built village has been constructed so that all the family can enjoy a number of activities other than skiing, including bowling, indoor swimming, saunas, helicopter tours and paragliding.
The department experiences a typical continental climate, the summers are warm and dry along with the cold winters. Due to altitude and exposure, the average temperatures across the department can vary quite a bit. Between the months of December and April is when the ski season hits the Haute Savoie due to the heavy snowfall that regularly occurs in the area. The temperature may drop but the winter days in the Haute Savoie are often pleasant, bright and sunny.
Getting to Haute Savoie couldn’t be easier and there is a huge choice when booking your flights to your holiday destination in the area. The department is serviced very well by a number of airports, these include Chamberry Airport , Lyon Airport and also Geneva Airport which is situated just over the border in Switzerland. British Airways offer daily flights to Lyon Airport from Gatwick, Birgmingham and Manchester. Other Airlines such as BMI Baby, Ryanair , EasyJet, Aer Lingus and Virgin Express all provide services and low cost flights from across the UK to Lyon, Chamberry and Geneva .
Taking the train is another option when getting to your holiday rental in Haute Savoie, there is a TGV service which will take you all the way to Lyon or Grenoble from the channel tunnel, this service is fast and comfortable but please be aware a change is required in Paris. The complete journey time from London St Pancras is approximately 6.5 hours although we do advise making reservations for any of the above train services.
Overall the Haute Savoie is a holiday destination that you can visit the whole year round. The department offers you the perfect combination of beautiful scenery along with the strong French traditions and magnificent French architecture. There are many activities on offer which include sight seeing, rock climbing, paragliding, skiing and spending time relaxing on a number of lakes in the region. Whether you are visiting the department in the summer or the winter, taking a self catering holiday rental in Haute Savoie will offer something for everybody!