Montchavin

The Montchavin caravan and winter campsite sits on a balcony at 1,250 m above the Tarentaise valley, in the commune of Bellentre (La Plagne Tarentaise), in Savoie. It faces Mont Blanc and is close to the Vanoise National Park. The Paradiski ski lifts (La Plagne and Les Arcs) are about 200 m away, as is the village, with its shops and restaurants.

It is a small, traditional mid-mountain site: 23 terraced pitches of around 80 m² with a 16-amp hook-up and water points along the lanes, and two mobile homes for 4 to 6 people of 25 m² with a semi-covered terrace, heated and equipped with a kitchenette and a television. Pitches are cleared of snow in winter as soon as possible.

Opening period: the campsite is open from 13 December to 30 April, then from 1 June to 30 September. It is therefore closed in May and from 1 October to 12 December. The published price lists nevertheless also cover May and October to December (mobile home weeks at a reduced rate, winter pitch rate from 1 November) without specifying whether reception is open; a stay in these periods should be confirmed with the campsite on 04 79 07 83 23.

The washrooms, heated and with hot water, include a baby area and cubicles for guests with reduced mobility. There is also a laundry room with washing machine and tumble dryer, a drying room that is handy in winter, a freezer for ice packs, a loan service for adapters and paid Wi-Fi access. A common room with books, board games and a television, a garden set and a communal barbecue complete the facilities, along with a play area with a table tennis table.

Motorhome users have a service area (drinking water, emptying of waste water and toilet cassettes). The campsite sells propane gas against a deposit. The village, 200 m away, has a grocery shop, a bakery and restaurants; the valley’s grocery shops are 8 km away, and the supermarkets in Aime or Bourg-Saint-Maurice 15 km.

In winter, the campsite is in the heart of Paradiski, with downhill, cross-country and winter walking trails, telemark, snowshoeing, paragliding, snow mountain biking and ice diving. In summer, visitors hike the GR 5 and the Grande Tour de la Tarentaise, cycle or go for family walks. The website states that the resort is open from late December to late April and from late June to late August.

Less than 30 minutes by car: Aime with its Gallo-Roman remains, Bourg-Saint-Maurice and Les Arcs, the Baroque trails, the Pierre Borrione archaeological museum, the Macot lake and the Vanoise park. Further afield: Champagny-en-Vanoise, Tignes, Albertville and its Olympic Games museum. For relaxation, the website also mentions the Paradisio water park.