Looking for an unusual break in the mountains? Wake up your adventurous soul and spend a night in an igloo! These ephemeral accommodations flourish in winter on the slopes of ski resorts in the Alps and on the high plateaus. An igloo for two in the middle of nowhere, a friendly ice cave, and even a course in building your own igloo... It's amazing how good it is to sleep in the snow!
A cosy igloo in Arêches-Beaufort
What if you lived the life of an Eskimo for a night? Go to the igloo village of Arêches-Beaufort, in the heart of the Beaufortain for a magical and peaceful moment at an altitude of 2000 metres. The adventure begins with a ski touring or snowshoeing trip before enjoying a dinner with local Savoy products at 2000 metres altitude. Starry skies, chamois, glistening snow, sunrise over Mont Blanc. The decor is inspiring and conducive to daydreaming, especially as your igloo is not lacking in comfort with its warm duvets and cosy mattresses. Enough to convince even the coldest of people.
Spend a dream night at the Igloo Village of Arèches-Beaufort with Globatlas Adventures
A stylish igloo in Val Thorens
Are you hesitating to take the plunge and do without the cosy comfort of a top-of-the-range hotel? The Pashmina has the solution in Val Thorens: the igloo-pod. A chic igloo just a few metres from the hotel, and all the services nearby! A cocoon with a panoramic view of the sky and the surrounding mountains, equipped with a bathroom with shower and toilet and heated with a wood stove (that's cheating!)... but no TV or Wi-Fi. And that too is the beginning of the adventure!
An ice hotel in Les Arcs
Similar to the one in Val Thorens, the ice cave in Les Arcs is even more spacious! As soon as you enter, young and old alike will be amazed by the sculptures on the walls: here, a dragon spits fire; there, a wolf pounces on its prey... You can visit the cave, but you can also come here for an aperitif after a day of skiing: an opportunity to have a drink and to nibble on a platter of cold meats and cheeses from the region. On Wednesday evenings, you can even enjoy a Savoyard fondue. And to prolong the experience, why not stay overnight? On a snow bed covered with animal skins, to dream of great polar adventures! Ice caves called "Igloo Villages" also exist in La Rosière and Avoriaz.
A polar village in Orcières-Merlette
The Rocherousse plateau has an air of a polar village about it. A few igloos emerge from the snow. Above, the sky of the Haut-Champsaur valley shines with a thousand lights. It would take very little to imagine yourself as an adventurer-explorer! The igloo village is named after Williwaw, the icy wind that blows along the coasts of the coldest regions of the world. At dusk, we put on our snowshoes for a short hike to contemplate the sunset and work up an appetite before savouring a raclette. In the evening, it will be time to slip into your igloo, well wrapped up to withstand the 2°C: the extreme cold sleeping bags are provided! The next day, discover the life of the mushers by offering you a ride with a team of sled dogs. The magic mountain!
An igloo "I made it" in Villard-de-Lans
This is an experience for real adventurers: in Villard-de-Lans, in the heart of the Vercors, you can learn to build your own igloo! For two days, accompanied by guides, you can discover the wild life in the mountains: the first day is devoted to building the igloo, and the second to a hike. In between, what pride to sleep in an igloo built with your own hands! It is of course possible to book for dinner only, or to spend a night in an igloo already built.
Eco-bivouac village of igloos, above Lake Annecy
Would you like to feel like a trapper for an evening? Imagine: the sun sets, and your guide takes you into the forest, snowshoes on, for an aperitif in the heart of the Semnoz mountain, on the heights of Lake Annecy before joining a dome in which you will enjoy a Savoyard dinner and then leave for a digestive walk with torches. After an evening around the campfire in the igloo village (with grilled marshmallows), it will be time to go to bed in your private dome, with its panoramic roof. Designed and manufactured in Haute-Savoie, the domes are recyclable and entirely self-sufficient in energy. The Annecy-Semnoz eco-bivouac is both rustic and magical!
Read more : - Prepare your stay in the Alps - Information Savoie Mont Blanc - Information France Montagnes
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By Caroline Revol-Maurel
Journalist passionate about wild nature, travel and rock. As happy to write about bearded vultures as Lou Reed. Often accompanied by my two best critics, my daughters.
