A weekend in the heart of Praz sur Arly

A look back at a stay in the heart of Praz sur Arly

As the season drew to a close, I wanted to get away from the heat of the cities, while avoiding the euphoria of the big resorts.
I was able to meet these expectations by spending my stay in Praz sur Arly, a small town on a human scale, lively and offering all the necessary activities and infrastructures.

More used to traveling in a van and settling in the middle of nowhere, I chose to spend these few days at the Prés d'Arly campsite, just a stone's throw from the center. To be able to take advantage of the lifts for a hike, the lake or even go to the restaurant without having to take my vehicle.

I got off to a great start. I woke up in the morning to incredible weather, with magnificent 360-degree lights piercing the peaks facing the village.
I then headed for the village center, where I spotted my means of transport for the morning: two huge canvases on the ground ending in two gondolas, with several people moving around them.
The slight stress I'd been feeling since the day before gave way to excitement.
I even join other passengers in putting the hot-air balloons into the air. The friendly team immediately put us in the mood, with their good humor and, of course, safety instructions.

We're all seated in the basket, the pilot hits the throttle, the canvas inflates and we leave the ground, still surrounded by the magnificent lights.
We gain altitude very smoothly, even smoother than an elevator. As we climb, the peaks reveal themselves and give way to an exceptional spectacle: between the Mont Blanc chain, the Fiz, the Aravis, the Bauges, the Beaufortain, we even manage to catch a glimpse of the Matterhorn.
My photographer's eye finds the compositions incredible, with these totally unprecedented viewpoints, so I play along and take lots of photos with different focal lengths. In addition to the panoramic views, the gentle, silent movement of the balloon quickly plunges us into a very pleasant tranquillity.

The exchanges with the pilot on piloting and flight preparation are very interesting. However, he becomes increasingly concentrated as he searches for his landing spot. After flying over a few houses in Megève, he decides to land in a private garden! The scene is surreal for us, but quite normal for him, since on a hot-air balloon flight the landing spot is never predefined.
The owner of the premises, just as surprised as we are, enjoys the moment, takes a few photos and greets us with a big smile.
Once we've landed and helped pack up all the equipment. The pilot surprises us with a glass of champagne. The atmosphere is convivial, and we're already reminiscing about the wonderful moment we've just experienced.
It's time to get back on the road to Praz sur Arly.

As soon as I arrive, I head for the chairlift for a short hike up the hill. Greeted by the sound of cowbells typical of alpine pastures, I find myself once again faced with an exceptional panorama that makes me want to climb to the summit of Crêt du Midi. Here, Mont Blanc unfolds before my eyes. I'm always in awe of the beauty of nature, and I always feel as if I've lost all sense of time. I feel so good here that I stop to take photos and recognize the peaks around me.

Hungry, it's time to head back down to find a restaurant. On the way, I come across a small alpine farm. As I watch the cows graze, I exchange a few words with the owners, who introduce me to their youngest calf: only a few days old, already on his feet and very curious.

One thing leads to another, and I find myself visiting this little farm, where tome cheese is in the spotlight, and I share a tasting of this cheese with them over a beer.
We talk about the job, the difficulties involved, but also the pride and joy of doing this kind of work.
This too seems a moment out of time, but it's time to go on my way.

On the way down, I stop off at the high-altitude restaurant "Le Serasson", where the terrace offers an incredible panorama of Mont Blanc. Here too, as since the start of my stay, I find a warm welcome and an excellent meal! I highly recommend it.

After an already busy day in the heat, I take the chairlift back down and head for the adventure lake to cool off a bit. The lake is perfectly integrated into its natural setting, with clear, cool water. A wide range of activities are on offer, including accrobranche with a zip line across the lake, inflatables and a more relaxing nature area.

There are different sections, one more suited to families, with supervised swimming and shallow water for the little ones to enjoy. Then there's a wilder corner where I decide to settle in and enjoy a swim, an incredible pleasure after a hike.

The following day, I took the opportunity to rest and work on the photos I'd taken the day before, with the added bonus of a view of the mountains. I also took advantage of the Praz sur Arly market to buy a little cheese and some fruit and vegetables.
It was starting to get hot, which was the perfect time to sit on the banks of the Arly with my feet in the water. If you look hard enough, you'll find plenty of little spots all over the village where you can sit back and enjoy a cool moment.

My stay in the region was short but intense, with magnificent encounters and breathtaking scenery. I'm sure I'll be back this winter to discover Praz sur Arly in all its white glory.