What have you enjoyed most about being in the French Alps during the summer months?
Darren: One of our favorite things has been riding the electric bikes. Normally, those mountain roads would be impossible for us to bike up and down, but with the electric bikes, it's incredibly enjoyable. There's very little traffic, the roads are well maintained, and you can just spend the day exploring the mountains and countryside.
We've ridden the electric bikes all over the area, and honestly, that's probably been our favorite activity.
Albina: Also, I just love looking out at the mountains in the summertime. Even when you see Mont Blanc, it can still be covered with snow, so you get to enjoy being there in the summer while also taking in the beautiful view of the mountains covered in snow. It's such a unique combination, and the scenery is absolutely beautiful.
Darren: The views from our chalet are just amazing. The lighting every 10 minutes is like a different scene, because of the way the shadows move and the colors shift. It's just extraordinarily beautiful to sit and gaze out at the mountainside.
What activities do you love doing while you’re there during the summer?
Darren: Besides going on e-bikes, we do walk a lot!
Albina: The nice thing is, in the summertime, there aren’t as many people as in the winter, and it’s just more convenient to get around. Not too many places are open, but it depends on the month you go.
However, by July it starts getting busy again. So if you go in peak summer, like July, there are definitely more things open. There’s still plenty to do, when things are a bit more open, there’s really enough to keep you busy and enjoy the area.
Darren: If you're only there for a week or two, it's very relaxing. And for us, coming from Miami, which is just so hot during the summer, going to the French Alps is perfect. It's just so nice to be outdoors—whether you're going for a walk, sitting on the porch, or whatever it is. It's just a very pleasant environment.
Albina: Also, for me, I love going to the spa, so I’ll often go over to Chamonix. The location of the chalet is pretty convenient, so you can easily go to different cities and do day trips, which is just perfect. Like if you want to go to Lake Annecy, there’s plenty to do and explore in the area.
Will you continue to go to the French Alps in the summer?
Albina: Yes definitely, we’re actually going again this year in three weeks time, which will be the start of July.
Darren: We basically leave Miami the first of June and don’t go back until the first of September. So we just spend the summer in all our August properties!
Albina: Our summer itinerary this year is: we’re currently in our August home in Rome, then we’re going to the South of France, followed by two weeks in Tuscany. After that, we’re heading to the French Alps, then on to Barcelona, and finally finishing in Paris.
Any tips you’d give to someone traveling to the French Alps in the summer time?
Darren: Yes, make sure to pack padded cycling shorts, You’ll need them!
What advice would you give someone looking to join August?
Darren: I think it’s a great value, as long as you use it, it really is a very good value compared to going the hotel route, in terms of the experience you get.
I would say for someone considering it, just make sure your schedule allows you to actually use the amount of time it gives you, because if you don’t use it, it’s not cost effective. So it works out really well for someone who can really spend that amount of time traveling.
And I do think one of the great things for us has been the ability to share it with friends and family. August has a good system that enables that. There are a lot of people who wouldn’t normally have a European vacation in their plans, and it’s very easy to give them what, for them, is an extraordinary gift. For us as owners, it doesn’t cost that much to give someone a free week.
So that’s been one of the best parts, being able to share the European experience with friends and family.
Albina: Also to add, the owners of August have an amazing community platform where people share suggestions on what to do in different places. You can find recommendations, personal experiences, and restaurants people have tried.
It’s actually a really great resource to use and helps you make the most of each stay and just enjoy the experience.
