Guest Hook Travel Guides Serre Chevalier in the Alps | Page 2

THOUGHTS FROM THE EDITOR A YEAR ROUND MOUNTAIN DESTINATION... Back in 2001 my wife and I ditched the real world and decided to tour France for six months. Whilst my wife knew France fairly well, having lived in Marseille and Paris, I knew very little. I’d grown up thinking of France in an ashamedly stereotypical way - baguettes, onions, berets - you get the picture. We were taking six months out for personal reasons so France itself was not the motivator, it was simply close to the UK. It’s fair to say I didn’t expect France to “wow” me. How different the reality was. I was totally unprepared for such diversity of landscapes. From the rugged coastlines of Brittany, the rolling garden of the Loire, the spectacle of moving from the Jura Mountains to the Alps and meeting Mont Blanc head on, the glitz of St Tropez, the aggression of Marseille, the Pyrenees, Boredeaux wines, Toulouse-Lautrec, and on and on. I haven’t even mentioned Paris! So it’s no surprise that I felt the same diversity when I started working with Helen Beaumont. Her apartment is located in Serre Chevalier, a village in the French Alps. Of course you think ski and of course you’d be right. But it’s so much more than ski. It’s also a fantastic summer destination as the landscape changes into something entirely different. As you read through Helen’s inside guide to Serre Chavalier and Briancon you’ll feel her love of the area, you’ll get her experienced local tips and thoughts, and you’ll see some of the beauty of a truly year round destination. E: [email protected] W: www.vacationinsiders.com Serre Chevalier