SEE: The charming French alpine village where goats roam free

You could say that the charming village of Les Lindarets is the Greatest Of All Time and you would be right: it is the GOAT village. Located in the Vallée d’Aulps between Montriond and Avoriaz, it has the Alps as a backdrop.

Les Lindarets is certainly picturesque, and it offers all the mouth-watering local produce you would expect from a destination in the Haute-Savoie, but its real claim to fame comes on four legs.

There are usually around forty goats to be found in Les Lindarets throughout the summer, and they can be seen strolling along the main road or lounging on picnic tables, perched on wooden posts or gently nudging visitors to ask for a snack. Thankfully, you can buy goat-friendly biscuits in the village, and it is a euro well spent in terms of entertainment value, regardless of your age!

Historic home to cattle farmers

For centuries, Les Lindarets was a typical alpine hamlet, home to a handful of shepherds and cattle farmers. Back in the early 1900s, as many as 900 cattle were brought here to graze on the pasture, along with a hundred or more horses, and 200 goats.

This routine was known as alpage, for which locals would leave their homes in the lower parts of the valley at the end of spring, taking animals further up the mountain to make the most of the abundant pasture there. During the four months of summer, the families of the shepherds stayed in the village; there was even a school here from 1881 to 1907, and as many as 70 chalets were built to house everyone.

While most of the shepherds’ huts were converted into boutiques, bars and restaurants during the 1950s, you can still appreciate the village’s history through these alpine chalets, covered in the small wooden tiles known as tavaillons. The cows, horses, and shepherds have dwindled over the years, but the goats – renowned for stubbornness – have stood firm and made the village their own.

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A taste of mountain life

It is unlikely that you will tire of the goats, but you could be tempted by the village restaurants serving some of the most delicious specialities of the Haute-Savoie. Indulge in a delectable fondue, a golden omelette with chanterelle mushrooms, or a tarte aux myrtilles from a vantage point on a sunny outside deck. Although be prepared to step over a goat or two in order to get into your chosen restaurant.

To walk off your lunch, the Ardent aux Lindarets is a fairly easy walking path of around 3km past the forests, through the pasture and passing by the cable cars. The scenery is stunning, so you will certainly lose yourself taking photos as you explore. If you choose to take the cable cars (télécabines) to reach the village, you will find a tourist train in July and August offering free connections between the cable car station and the village centre from 09:30 to 18:30.

You can take the cable car up to the resort of Avoriaz, a well-known ski resort that becomes a haven of greenery in summer. You could also head to the nearby lake in Montriond, to freshen up with a quick swim, try a pony ride, hire a kayak, or simply lounge at the water’s edge and admire the scenery.

If you have worked up an appetite after all that exploring, you can always pop into the village fromagerie before you leave, and pick up some goat’s cheese to take home with you.

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