Gîte Les Méandres

I arrived before check-in without realizing it, after taking the train from Chamonix and walking about 15-20 minutes from the station. Bugy welcomed me, showed me my room, and even invited me to lunch. It was a lovely start to my first stop in Les Houches before the TMB, and left me with great memories. The accommodations were nice, dinner was an excellent pasta and cheese dish, and breakfast was a typical European spread. I’d recommend it.

The clean, comfortable rooms had what I needed after hiking, especially a hot shower and comfy beds. There’s also a garden where you can dry clothes, and you can wash them there too. The care the hosts put into the little details around Gîte Les Meandres really stood out. During my Tour du Mont Blanc trek and push toward the summit of Mont Blanc, staying at Gîte Les Meandres became one of my most memorable stops. The hosts made me feel welcome right away and created a cozy, family-like atmosphere. Sharing stories with other trekkers over a hearty home-cooked meal and relaxing in the common areas after a long day made it feel like a real community. The meals were delicious, with local flavors, and just right for refueling for the next day. If you want a home-away-from-home feel among the Mont Blanc landscapes, I can’t recommend it highly enough.

There was no hello or warm welcome, just outright rudeness. We’d emailed the day before to say our flight meant we expected to arrive at 9 p.m., and got a reply saying that was no problem. We showed up a few minutes before 9, but were still accused of being late. They also seemed annoyed that we were hiking the TMB instead of signing up to mountaineer. And there’s no soap here. Do not stay here!

After finishing our 7 day TMB, we stayed here for a great final stop. The view is amazing.