Arriving in Eden de la Vanoise

The Meek Family

We left le Grand Bornand today to drive a further 90km into the Alps. Much of the heavy snow had disappeared and the roads were luckily clear although you could still see large drifts piled up on the sides. It really was a dramatic drive (which included a diversion) with picturesque views of the wooden Swiss-style chalets dotting the snowy hillsides. The climb up and down required many twists and turns; the Sat Nav clearly demonstrated this.

 

When we arrived in the valley of Vanoise, the weather had changed dramatically. The sun was out and the temperatures were high. The girls immediately saw it as an opportunity to dig out the shorts and vest tops from the back of the cupboards. It was remarkably Mediterranean in feel!

 

Our latest site is a new one linked to the Caravan Club; it is called l'Eden de Vanoise in Landry and is located in the Vanoise valley alongside the Isere river, overlooked by the dramatic snowy mountains lined with ski lifts and joined by cable cars. Yes we are once again in the land of the winter sports but are choosing not to ski or snowboard here. Even though it's winter and there is little open, we aim to find activities to fill our time, including the cycle route that runs alongside the site.

 

The site has a few visitors although feels very quiet. We arrived at half one and had to wait for half hour before the reception opened (closing times 12h - 14h every day). The lady on reception spoke little English which meant I was able to practise my language skills. We later discovered her husband speaks better English and is able to communicate more easily with any English visitors. We were directed to a pitch that overlooked the nearby river and wasn't far from either the toilet block or indoor, heated swimming pool (a tempting sight for the girls!). 

 

The site is just on the outskirts of Landry village and opposite H2O Rafting. The latter is closed at this time of year. Realising we getting low on food, we wandered into the village in search of a supermarket. We asked a couple of people who chuckled when we asked if there was a supermarket nearby and directed us to the Charcuterie, that also sells a few bits and bobs. Initially, as we approached the dimly lit shop we thought it was closed but noticed that the door was slightly ajar. A bell tinkled above our heads as we entered and an elderly gentlemen greeted us. Half of the shop was taken up by a large counter selling meats and pates. The other half housed a few shelves with a small selection of fruits, vegetables, wine and other tinned essentials. After a brief chat with the shop owner about the unseasonal weather, we bought our goods, including a slab of local cheese and headed back to the site, bemused and charmed by the experience.

 

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chasncath

We know the site well, but it's not ideal for motorhomers as there are few facilities in Landry. Better by far is Camping Le Versoyen just along the road at Bourg St Maurice, where you have direct access to the town, supermarkets, restaurants, and a free
bus to the funicular up to les Arcs.

Eden is, however, a delightful if sloping campsite.

The Meek Family

I agree, with regards to facilities the Eden site is a little out of the way. We have driven to Bourg St Maurice to stock up a couple of times. We like the fact that it is by the river and in a less built up area. There are regular shuttles throughout the
day to Bourg St Maurice and other areas including up in to the ski resorts higher up. There is also a train station a short walk away. Pros and Cons!

chasncath

We agree it's a lovely site and have stopped there in both winter and summer ( our daughter and her family live at Macot).

The showers and toilets are excellent ( and warm). The constant sound of the river can be a 'problem' of you're pitched close by.

The Meek Family

Camping Le Versoyen is apparently closed till March for new building work (so a friendly neighbour told us as he had to move from there to here).

We LOVE the sound of the river, and the fact that this site is nice and quiet but has great access into Plan Peisey, Vallandry (for walks and sports in the Alps) and of course Bourg St Maurice. One of our aims is to explore the places we visit on foot, bike
or public transport, so this site is perfect.

We're quite happy with basic showers etc so anything better than that, we are very appreciative of.

Tim