Lac de Montriond and the Aulps valley

Green-glass ripples, resin on the air, and the crisp snap of ice underfoot: Lake Montriond sits at 1,072 m beneath the cliffs of the Roc d’Enfer and the shadowed north face of Pointe de Nantaux. In winter the shoreline rims with ice; by spring, Ardent waterfall swells audibly beneath its timber bridge. Ten minutes from Morzine, this landslide-dammed lake tells a geological story, while down the Aulps valley the Cistercian abbey (founded 1094) reveals Romanesque masonry and a physic garden planted with documented species.

From there, it’s about moving smartly but unrushed: hotel pickup in Morzine, a spacious Mercedes at your disposal, flexible stops to match light and weather, and your driver dropping you right at trailheads and gates. The loop links the lake, Ardent waterfall, then Saint-Jean-d’Aulps and its Discovery Centre in roughly four hours, with 15–20 minutes between each leg. Around Morzine, your private chauffeur knows which car parks are cleared after snowfall, the best photo windows, and where to taste a farmstead tome without detours.