Mountain Adventures in the Maurienne. Andy Hodges

competitions, as well as being home to the largest ice axe in the world, which stands outside the mairie (town hall). Many of the roads and streets are named after famous mountaineers, so a walk around the town may well turn into a who's who of classic Alpine mountaineering. Nor should you miss the chance to visit the old capital of Savoy, Chambéry, with its elephant statue in the middle of town (a celebration of General de Boigne's exploits in India rather than an indication of Hannibal's passing through the region). The large market on Saturdays, the old town architecture and Dukes' Palace encourage an amble through the maze of backstreets and alleyways. The title of capital of Savoy is also claimed by Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, which is home to the Opinel knife factory, a French classic. The factory houses a small shop offering a wide range of knives and household tools, all of the highest quality.

      The Pas de la Beccia with the frontier barbed wire still visible on the skyline (Route 19)

      Further afield, a long day out to Chamonix can fulfil all your gear-shopping dreams. Towards the end of July the shops all have a huge clearout sale aimed at the French holiday market. The Quechua outdoor equipment supermarket at Saint Gervais has more incredible bargains. Chamonix has an interesting museum in the centre of town and a (very expensive) cable car trip up Aiguille de Midi is literally breathtaking, at around 3500m. It is always fun to plonk yourself at a pavement table and wonder just why people are wandering around in spotless outdoor kit in the middle of town. The road trip will be 2hrs or more each way.

      Air sports are another option. Tandem paragliding is available in Termignon and pleasure flights can be booked from the Sollières airfield. For current information and advice, ask at the tourist office in Termignon.

Using this guide

      Timings