Serre Chevalier, French Alps   15th - 19th June 2017

Our Top Tip

Fully booked - contact us to be on the waiting list!

Bridge in Serre Chevalier

The perfect chance to combine bridge and walking, wonderful food, great company and much more in beautiful surroundings. Serre Chevalier, in the Southern French Alps, has spectacular mountain scenery with a mediterranean climate, and is the sunniest in France, with 300 days of sunshine per year on average. France’s best kept secret!

June is the ideal time to visit as the mountains are absolutely stunning  with the glorious wild flowers at their best and the snow-capped peaks contrasting with the azure blue skies. Our first bridge holiday, 10 years ago, was held at Chalet Marmottes and we have been back many times since. A firm favourite with StockenBridge guests.

Click to see photos and read about our wonderful trip in June 2014.

Chalet les Marmottes

Chalet les Marmottes, situated in the centre of the old part of Chantermerle village, is an old French farmhouse, lovingly restored by Denis and Karin Lucas to provide accommodation for up to 14 people. 

The chalet is typically alpine with exposed beams throughout and the bedrooms are all individually decorated in a chalet-style with wooden floors, lovely mountain views and en-suite bathrooms. The living room, where we will play bridge, is full of character and the separate dining area on the first floor has a large south-facing balcony with fabulous mountain views. There is also a private garden with decked terrace where we can play bridge or sip well-earned aperitifs after bridge and walking. 

Walking in the Mountains

There will be two easy guided walks during your stay - one half day and one full day - with a qualified mountain guide to show you the flora and the fauna as well as telling you about the history of the area. 

One of the walks will take you to the stunning high mountain pass, the Col du Lautaret to eat a gourmet picnic by a secluded lake, before spending the afternoon tracing the footsteps of the chamois and a visit to the the Jardin Botanique Alpin du Lautaret with more than 2100 species of alpine plants from around the world and superb views of the Meije glacier.

The second walk starts high up on the Col du Granon, where we will head off by foot to the Refuge de Buffères in the protected and unspoilt River Clarée valley for a “repas randonneur” provided by the very hospitable Claude and Nadette. The refuge, inaccessible to cars, is surrounded by lush meadows where marmottes can easily be seen basking in the sun. We will then take a lovely stroll back through carpets of flowers, past waterfalls and returning to the picturesque village of Nevache.

For More Information

From £792 pp*, which includes:

  • 4 nights' stay in the charming Chalet les Marmottes
  • Full board every day including unlimited selected wines at dinner
  • Aperitif every evening
  • Transfers from Turin Airport (BA Gatwick flight only)    
  • 2 guided walks (inc transport and lunch) with local mountain guide    
  • All bridge tuition and course notes 

*with 10% discount, if booked by 10th January 2017

How to Book

If you would like to book, please first contact Claudia by email to check availability and to reserve your room provisionally.

Then download the booking form, and send or scan and email this to us, together with the deposit (via bank transfer or cheque). We will then email your confirmation invoice.

Click to download the booking form >
10% loyalty discount if booked before October 31st 2016

Delicious Food with Karin

Karin is an excellent chef and makes delicious home-cooked food with no pretensions, cleverly mixing traditional French and British cuisine. Her slow cooked lamb is legendary and her tarte tatin irresistible. She is also a wonderful warm-hearted hostess where nothing is too much trouble. Guests from previous holidays have simply loved Karin’s cooking and we are certain you will not be disappointed.

Location