We have stayed in some wonderful apartments with Peak Retreats over the years, but we experienced a new level of luxury at the recently opened Annapurna residence in Les Gets.
Residence Annapurna is situated close to the centre of Les Gets, at the foot of the Mont Chery ski area. We stayed in a second floor, two-bedroom alcove apartment, which was incredibly spacious and sumptuously furnished. I liked the large comfy sofa with fluffy cushions and the apartment’s deer theme, ranging from the large picture in the living room to antler-shaped bedside lights, concealing USB charging points. My husband marvelled at the large walk-in shower next to the master bedroom and the presence of all mod cons including a swish coffee machine. The teenagers breathed a sigh of relief when they discovered the free unlimited Wifi and multiple TVs.
At Annapurna the welcome pack included a bottle of champagne. We did not need to do an inventory on arrival or even strip the beds on departure. We all enjoyed visits to the relaxation area where there was a small pool, steam room, sauna and jacuzzi.
The weather was hot and sunny throughout our holiday, so water-based activities were the most popular and we enjoyed regular visits to the Lac des Ecoles, which is situated just above Les Gets village. Whilst the water was a perfect temperature for swimming, the highlight for our teens was climbing on the large Wibit assault course before launching themselves into the lake from the highest point.
We made good use of the local Multi Pass which included access to all the open chairlifts and gondolas in the Portes du Soleil area and entry or discounts to other activities. We found scenic walks to mountain restaurants for lunch, such as the walk from the top of the Mont Chery to the hamlet of Mont Caly, where we loved the view of Mont Blanc from the terrace of the rustic Les Chevrelles restaurant. On the other side of Les Gets we found the service very friendly at Les Lhottys restaurant, which is a short walk from the top of the Chavannes Express chairlift.
The Multi Pass also included access to the Mechanical Museum in Les Gets where we did a guided visit in French and heard a selection of instruments ranging from gramophones to organs. We enjoyed a flute and organ concert in Les Gets church which was part of a programme of summer events organised by the music museum. Les Gets is also home to the oldest merry-go-round in France which dates back to 1871.
Having loved the thrill of paragliding in the Alps last summer, our daughter was keen to try a new “flying” experience. We were off to the Fantasticable in nearby Chatel, where one can “fly” head first down a two-stage zip wire at up to 100kmh, up to 240m above the ground. The rest of the family positioned themselves at strategic points to film our daughter’s exhilarating adventure and I breathed a sigh of relief when she flew through the finish of the second zip wire with a broad grin on her face, asking if she could do it again! We then enjoyed a walk to the “Village des Chevres” in the Lindarets valley. Before driving back to Les Gets, we stopped in Chatel to unwind at the Forme D’O swimming pool and spa.
We would certainly recommend Les Gets for a summer alpine holiday. It is an attractive village, surrounded by stunning scenery and there were lots of activities to choose from. As we strolled along the mountain footpaths picking wild blueberries and humming Mamma Mia songs we could not help but imagine ourselves skiing the same area in winter. We noticed our apartment at Annapurna had a wood burner and a good supply of logs, so it would certainly be a cosy base for a winter holiday.