Towing to Le Grand Bornard in the French Alps
We are thinking of a future caravan holiday to the French Alps. Camping L'Escale in Le Grand Bornard looks a good site in terms of quality, views, centre from which to tour etc. Just concerned the town may be lots of modern Ski Chalets rather than a quaint
alpine village? The town is over 4000ft ASL. I am therefore concerned the route may be very steep for towing. The D909 from Annecy looks the best route in. Does anyone have personal experience of the route that can be shared please? Another possible site
is the one near the south end of Lake Annecy. We would travel from Calais mainly on French Toll Motorways - I realise tolls are expensive but we just want to get there with 2 stopovers. Last year we went to North East Brittany and Loire valley and found the
motorways quiet - we did get a Sanef device for the car to avoid quiing at toll booths.Also I am trying to find out what the typical weather paterns are for this area each month. Thanks.
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The sanef thingy that goes on your windscreen is fabulous, but we still had to queue last year on occasion... However saved faffing about for change and the bill comes in the following month, not instantly taken from your account like the dart charge. Well
worth getting in my opinion too!!if you want to have a look around the town or area would google streetview be of any use to you??
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Martin
We have stayed at Camping L'Escale twice over the years with our previous caravan. I have to say that I don't think I gave the altitude of the site much consideration. We took the autoroute from Macon to Annecy and then onto La Grand Bornand with
no difficulties.David
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Hello Suppy. Thanks for the feedback on Sanef. I have been using Google maps satellite view but streetview is a good idea.
Hello David. Thanks for your info. Is the photo of L'Escale? From your perspective is there an Alpine style village centre and nice walks. Just concerned it may be a purpose built, half deserted, skiing village? We are looking at touring by car as far
as Montreau, Chamonix, Grenoble. Any thoughts on must-see locations/attractions welcome.Many thanks
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Martin
La Grand Bornand is a proper town. It obviously has its fair proportion of Ski facilities. The photo is taken from the site car park. There are a few more photos
here . I can't recall which one but short drive from the site is one of the Cols used in the Tour de France. Obviously Annecy is not far away. In the summer, if the lifts are working,
you might be able to get some Alpine walking in once the snow has cleared.David
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Any thoughts on must-see locations/attractions welcome.
We took a day trip from Lake Annecy to Chamonix, well worth taking the 'rack and pinion' railway up the mountain to 'Montenvers' at over 1900 metres. Walking from this station or just sit and eat looking at the glacier (I first thought it was just rubble not realising metres of ice beneath), or visit the ice tunnel beneath the glacier. Quite reasonable price for the train, plus free car parking nearby.
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DK, That will be the Col de la Colombiere. Impressive views from the top. Small cafe at the top.. We found that the town itself was very quiet with not much happening although a good market on Weds (I think) - nice walks but very little else. Obviously would
be a good place to tour from0 -
DK, That will be the Col de la Colombiere. Impressive views from the top. Small cafe at the top.. We found that the town itself was very quiet with not much happening although a good market on Weds (I think) - nice walks but very little else. Obviously would be a good place to tour from
That's. the one
David
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Our first caravan holiday in France was to Le Grand Bornand in 1995, staying at L'Escale. Although the site was not the best we have been to it certainly hasn't put us off going back on a couple of occasions since. The site is only a five minute walk from
the centre of a very nice small town and has spectacular scenery. Col de la Colombiere is a well worth going to - see if you can spot the many Ibex that live up there. Also worth going to is Col des Anne which is a bit closer or go up Mont le Chat if the
cable cars are open. We go up by cable car and then walk down although it is a good walk.The thing that we always remember about the town is the free entertainment that is put on in either the town square or the park every evening from the beginning of July to the end of August. This can be anything from jazz bands, folk dancing, puppet shows
etc etc and, on one occasion that we were there, a rendition of the musical Hello Dolly ( in French ) with a full size orchestra. It is a few years since we have been in July so this may have changed.In the town there are plenty of shops, a good swimming pool and also a cinema. Because of its location it is frequently on the route of car rallies and, on two occasions that we were there, the Tour de France came through with an over night stop on one of
the times.For a local trip out go up to the Plateau de Glieres. This is where a small contingent of the French resistance held out against the Germans for many months. There is a small museum and a chapel which looks very austeire being built of concrete and looking
from a distance like a wedge of cheese with a ball at the side of it but inside is something different. I'll not spoil the surprise. The road up to the plateau goes up from Le Petit Bornand just outside Le Grand Bornand. It is quite narrow with many hairpin
bends.All in all the area is not too ski orientated, that is further up the mountain at Le Chinaillon on the Col de Colombierre road but even there it isn't at all bad.
I could write lots more as there is so much to see in the area and, if like us when we went late June, the weather is good then there are hundreds of very interesting places to see within a relatively short drive.
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Any thoughts on must-see locations/attractions welcome.
As mentioned by John, the 'Plateau de Glieres' is worthy of a visit, must have been horrendous conditions in the winter. There is a circular walk (fairly long) with plaques along the way of the episode, I also won't reveal the inside but this is a photo of the memorial.
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Lovely site, lovely position, five minute walk into the town centre, no problem towing no particularily steep hills en route. Our memory of the place was the roar that went up through the valley as France won the World Cup so its a few years since we were
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Thank you everyone for your feedback. Very Helpful. This has dispelled my concerns. Just one further question. There are two routes from Annency to Le Grand Bornard. D909 or D916/D5/D16/D909. - I would be interested to know which is best for Towing?
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Hi MartinL
I have had a quick look at Google street view, and the D909 and D16 look very similar.
Our
driving directions suggest the D16 (you need to scroll to the bottom of the page)0
