Possibly the best refuge in Haute Savoie!

<Photo of a baby goat at La Ferme des Vonezins refuge near Thones, Haute Savoie, France  >

Why have I posted this gorgeous photo of a baby goat? She was one of the lovely surprises that greeted us at Le Ferme des Vônezins refuge near Thônes when a group of us went there in March. If you’re going to go to a refuge, this is the one to go to.

You might remember the andouillette sausage I wrote about. It was ranked the tastiest of all ‘poo’ sausages that my friend Julia had ever eaten, and it was the chef at Le Ferme des Vônezins who made it for her. The food at the refuge surpassed typical Savoyarde offerings, with snails, roasted leg of lamb and venison casserole on offer amongst other things. There were even a few vegetarian options which didn’t involve goats cheese salad!

Our large group were beyond satisfied with the food on offer, and the service was friendly and attentive — a massive difference from the refuge in La Clusaz a few weeks earlier. On top of the service and the great food, the setting was amazing! A twenty-minute walk up a snowy path led us to a chalet with accommodation available, low ceilings and an amazing interior (see some photos on their website).

So, when the chef brought the baby goats in, our night was complete (or so we thought). The goats need feeding every four hours, and with the weather still too cold outside, he had brought all four of them in so they would survive this snowy winter. We were given bottles to feed the goats and big smiles ensued. When we left at 1.30 in the morning, our night was not yet complete. We jumped on our parets (local toboggans) and raced each other back down the snowy path, without any angry mountain staff telling us off. A top end to a top night. GO to this refuge!

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About

I'm a technical author, journalist and writer from Australia who has been living in Europe since 2000 and exploring the world from there. My passions are writing, snow sports and travel.

3 Comments on “Possibly the best refuge in Haute Savoie!

  1. It really is great, but I’m worried those goats are all grown up now before I’ve had the change to go back there.