UKC

Hello All,

I'm struggling to find any info on the web about self - catering accommodation for 6 - 8 people in the form of a chalet/holiday cottage or gite in and immediately around St Jean de Maurienne.

Has anyone any knowledge that can help, be it websites to visit, local knowledge, recommendations, that type of thing please??

Also, what's St Jean like as a place to stay in??

Thanks for your time.

In reply to timbers: Could be because no one finds the place attractive enough to want to stay there! If you want to be near there try Allevard, on the other side of the Belledonne mini range. Good walking, some modest mountaineering. It is a delightful little spa town. There is a camp site with mobile homes to let called I think Au Clair Matin.

In reply to altirando:

Thanks for the advice. Is it really that bad then?

In reply to timbers:

Try contacting Andy Hodges. He wrote this Cicerone guidebook:

http://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/news.php?id=3752

http://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/review.php?id=3793

In reply to timbers:
Alas yes, it's a rather depressed, somewhat run-down industrial centre deep in the floor of the Arc trench. Not, I imagine, somewhere many people would choose for a holiday. Depending on why you were looking for accommodation there at all, you could probably find very much more attractive places to stay in the ski resorts on the benches above the valley (e.g. Valloire, Valmeinier), or 30km up the Maurienne beyond Modane (Modane itself not being terribly appealing) - Bramans, Aussois, Lanslebourg. Just searching on those placenames will probably produce good entries to tourism information.

In reply to timbers: I always thought it was quite popular with cyclists, surprised you're finding it hard to find a place. Have you tried searching in French?

In reply to Bob Aitken: I spent a couple of hours there en route for a ski tour. It was raining which didn't help but it did seem pretty grim

In reply to timbers:

I'm assuming you are a cyclist.

We stayed here:

http://www.campingdesgrandscols.com/fr/index.aspx

Lovely campsite with self catering chalets at a reasonable price, I'll be going back.

I liked St. Jean. It's a town which exists not only because of tourism. It does have an industrial sprawl to the SE but the centre is pleasant and I found it quite friendly and lively.

In reply to Removed User:

Yep, cyclists. Looking for the best spot to stay in for next summer.

Thanks for the link to that campsite.

Are there a few bars/restuarants, etc in the town??

In reply to Bob Aitken:

Thanks for the info....given me food for thought.

Cheers.

In reply to jon:

Had a look at that book, looks quite useful. Thanks.

In reply to timbers:

Yes, there are a few, from cheap n cheerful pizza joints to good French, and a Senegalese.

In reply to Removed User:

Thanks again for the gen.

Never had Senegalese before!!!

Cheers.

In reply to timbers: Just seems to be down in a deep valley on a main lorry route to Italy. Presumably you will be going over the Col du Glandon. There is a delightful balcony road south from Theys on the west side of the Belledonne, accessed round the corner via Allevard. Sept Laux camping just south of Theys is pleasant. For a future year, go a bit further south to the Durance valley in the Hautes Alpes, great multi activity area. Embrun is a thousand percent more attractive than StJean, several campsites with chalets or mobile homes.

In reply to timbers: Can recommend a place in Orelle, sleeps 4 comfortably. Let me know if you're interested.
Jerry

In reply to Jerry67:
http://www.freewheelingfrance.com/where-to-go/cycling-in-the-maurienne-vall...
is a good review of the cycling in the area.
Loads of ski accommodation in the area whch should be cheap enough in the summer.
Try:
https://www.facebook.com/andy.hodges.754?ref=tn_tnmn#!/destination.maurienn...

In reply to marmot hunter:
and
https://www.facebook.com/cyclomaurienne

In reply to timbers:

and one of my favourite sites:

http://www.cycling-challenge.com/la-maurienne-valley-7-of-the-best-climbs-i...

In reply to altirando:

Blimey!! A wealth of information. Thanks to you all for your info, much appreciated.

I'll have a look into all them recommendations.

Keep it coming!!

In reply to Jerry67:

Thanks Jerry,

I'm going to do some more research and have a chinwag with the lads I'll be going with. may well get back to you at a later date.

Cheers,

Simon.

In reply to marmot hunter:

That's agreat website! Very helpful, thanks.

In reply to timbers:

Which one?
The Lacets are amazing - part of a classic ride over Chaussy.

Point your front wheel up a hill near there and you'll have a great day out!

Then pig out on Tartiflette afterwards!

In reply to marmot hunter:

The Freewheeling France one, lots of ideas and leads to other info, thanks.
The Lacet's do look really amazing, unbeleivable what the French will build a road up!
Gonna have a crack at the Croix de Fer, Madelaine, Galibier, Alpes d'Huez, The Lacets/Col du Chaussy, plus whatever else takes our fancy.

Be nice to have digs close to a few bars/ restuarants so we don't have to drive at in the evening.

In reply to timbers:

If you fancy a quiet alternative for the Madeleine, instead of going up the main road, head through La Chambre and over the bridge then follow the D76. It's pretty brutal to start with but it is beautiful and traffic free. Descent back down the main road, awesomely fast and smooth since it was resurfaced last year for The Tour.