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Samoens lies at the foot of the the Grand Massif in the French Alps. It’s a popular holiday destination in both summer and winter. It is the only ski resort to be listed by the Caisse des Monuments Historiques and a ‘Land of Art and History’.

In summer visitors can take advantage of numerous activities such as horse riding, white water rafting, golf, via ferrata, and of course hiking, walking and climbing.

In winter Samoens is a popular, but not crowded, ski and snowboarding destination with links to many other ski resorts. The Grand Massif is one of the largest ski areas in the French Alps, with plenty of slopes for all levels of ability.

But what of the village itself? Samoens is situated in the heart of the Haute Savoie, a beautiful traditional farming village, making it a far cry from the concrete jungles you find in many ski resorts. It has nine hamlets, all part of it’s rich heritage. The ‘Gros Tilleul’ (large lime tree) in the centre of the market place dates back to 1438, planted to celebrate a ruling passed by Duke Amadeus VIII of Savoy. The ruling stated that the inhabitants of Samoens owned the Freterolle, Chardonniere, Vingy, and Cuidex meadows in the Manche valley nearby.

There are nine chapels in Samoens, plus shrines spread through the hamlets and surrounding areas. Two of the chapels have been physically relocated in the past, the chapel in Le Berouze was badly damaged during Swiss invasion of 1476, and the stones were moved down the mountain from Col de Couz to build the new chapel. The chapel in Mathonex was founded in 1656, but was demolished by rockfall due to it’s precarious location. In 1901 it was rebuilt overlooking the Giffre Valley. A beautiful shrine was built nearby in 1747, but sadly it’s Virgin Mary was stolen a few years ago.

Samoens has a history of stone cutting, and the beautiful stone building stand testament to the stone cutter’s skills. These stone building are surrounded by tasteful chalets, the village prides itself on it’s beauty and traditions making it one of the prettiest villages in Europe. The Upper Giffre Valley has a high quantity of limestone, and the farming village supplemented it’s income by cutting and selling the stone. By 1659 the stone cutters has become famous their skills were called upon by many. They set up a brotherhood which helped care for the sick and wounded, trained apprentices, and built a library. They were called upon by Vauban, and Napoleon to assist in the building of fortifications and canals, such was their reputation.

If you are looking for ski chalets in the French Alps Absolute Alpine offer two beautiful chalets, fully catered or self catering, and an apartment in the heart of the village in both summer and winter.

India is not just a land that has a rich cultural, historical and religious heritage but there is much in terms of wildlife that you can cherish and shoot with your cameras here. The Indian wilderness invites you to enjoy the most beautiful moments of your lifetime in India. Indian wildlife tours are a great way to freak out and feel fresh whenever you feel like. There are several wildlife sanctuaries, bird sanctuaries and tiger reserves in India where you will find yourself in the most natural habitats of the wild animals and will come across several species of wild animals that are unique to India.

The Bandhavgarh national park, Kanha Kisli national Park, Kaziranga national park, Gir national park, Bharatpur wildlife sanctuary and many others are home to several wild species and birds and the vegetation and water reserves support their peaceful survival there. There are several national parks of India, earmarked under project tiger where an endeavor has been made to preserve and propagate the tiger species. Rhinoceros, Hippopotamus, Gaur, Leopard, Sambhar, Deer, Cheetal,  Butterflies and birds from far and wide find their home in these sanctuaries. You would definitely cherish this experience during an elephant or a jeep safari.

The cabs and hotels available at these places are reasonable and are neat and clean with cozy arrangements. One may even plan a different type of honeymoon tour in this wilderness, near to nature and full of tranquility. The local people also make herbs and honey available and those keen on purchasing these items would surely not miss this opportunity. At times, you may get a chance to see glimpses of tribal culture in the museums nearby. The tribal culture is affected the most by the presence of animals around and is far from the modernization and mechanization of our concrete jungles; you are sure to appreciate the simplicity and creativity of these tribal people

Do not forget to taste the great Indian food while on this interesting journey. Indian food is indeed exotic and has a rich aroma that makes it heavenly and you are sure to feast on it. India has a lot to attract tourists towards it and there is lot at these places that you would love to capture on your camera and take home. Wildlife is based on the paradigm of survival of the fittest and you will see it very closely in these wildlife sanctuaries.

India is indeed a wealthy land in terms of wildlife and greenery. When one goes nearer to nature; they are sure to experience a lot of peace within and a close encounter with the wild animals shows us how great mother nature is. India has various types of tourist destinations catering to the individual tastes of the tourists and wildlife related destinations are also in plenty. Those interested in relating with nature and photography are sure to enjoy the opportunity to come to India for a wildlife tour.

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