To the sound of sleigh bells and hoofbeats, a horse-drawn carriage winds its way up the lanes of the village: in Megève, the carriage is as much part of the local heritage as the timber façades. You might take one for a quarter of an hour around the centre, for an hour’s panoramic ride through the heights, or simply as a way back to your chalet at day’s end. Here is who offers them, where they depart from and how to choose your ride.
The horse-drawn carriage in practice
- In the village: the drivers of the association Les Traîneaux de Megève wait on the Church Square, in the centre of the village.
- Availability in the square: from mid-December to mid-April, in July and August and during the autumn half-term holidays, from 10:30 to 19:30; for the rest of the year by reservation, 7 days a week.
- Duration: from 15 minutes to 1 hour depending on the route chosen, from one to four passengers per carriage.
- Departing from a farm: le Cheval de Feug, in Demi-Quartier, organises rides of around 1 hour in carriages with 4 to 12 seats, by reservation at least 24 hours in advance.
- Information: tourist office factsheet and le Cheval de Feug website.
On Church Square, Les Traîneaux de Megève
The association Les Traîneaux de Megève brings together the drivers you encounter in the heart of the village. They park on Church Square and depart on demand, with families or small groups. Their route list ranges from the shortest to the most extensive: a tour of the village centre or its surroundings in 15 minutes, discovery of lower Megève or the Tour de Glaise in 20 minutes, “La Magie de Megève” in 30 minutes, the “Mont Blanc” or “La Fontaine” routes in 45 minutes, and finally “Le Panoramique”, a full hour. Each carriage accommodates one to four passengers, and you choose your carriage freely. This list dates from the 2023-2024 season: the driver will confirm the current routes.
The carriage also serves as transport. The tourist office suggests this: depending on where you are staying, you can be driven to your chalet. The drivers are also available for trips around Megève, for a seminar or event, and the tourist office mentions outings after 20:00.
Departing from the farm: le Cheval de Feug
In Demi-Quartier, between Combloux and Megève, le Cheval de Feug is a family equestrian farm, passed down from father to son through seven generations and currently run by François and Florian Duvillard. Its rides last around an hour, departing from the farm, on the Combloux countryside side or the Megève side depending on where you are staying, with the option of collection from your residence. They end with a tour of the stud. The carriages range from 4 to 12 seats, and departures are staggered at 9:00, 10:15 and 11:30, then at 14:00, 15:15 and 16:30. The farm is closed on Sundays.
Since 2018, the farm has equipped its carriages with electric assistance, with the welfare of the horses in mind: a sensor placed on the shaft measures the horse’s effort, and a motor supplements it, whatever the gradient. It now has one carriage with 4 seats and one with 12 seats.
A Savoyard fondue in a carriage
Le Cheval de Feug also offers a dinner ride: after an explanatory tour of the stables, you settle into a specially equipped carriage where an authentic Savoyard fondue awaits. The meeting time is 11:30 for lunch or from 18:30 in the evening, for a minimum ride of one hour and from four adults onwards. The tourist office indicates that reservations should be made no later than 48 hours in advance.
AEC recommendation. Bring cash: the drivers in the square announce payment in cash or by cheque, and le Cheval de Feug clarifies that it does not accept bank cards. If you are staying outside the centre, ask the driver to drop you at your chalet: the ride then becomes your journey home.
The Megève horse, a carriage breed
The horses that pull the carriages have their own history. In the early twentieth century, a competition was held on Megève’s esplanade, where people came to buy a “Megève foal”. These horses were used for farm work and transporting wood; with the resort’s tourist boom after the 1910s, they began to take visitors in winter by sleigh or carriage.
The Megève horse, a cross between the Comtois and Franches-Montagnes breeds, is nowadays mainly employed to pull the village’s carriages. The herd numbered around 150 horses in 2016 and again in 2018, and the breed was officially recognised at regional level in 2024. Le Cheval de Feug is its principal stud, with ten to fifteen foals born each year. Every summer, in August, a foal competition is held on the esplanade of the Palais des sports.
Where to stay
The carriages depart from Church Square: a chalet or apartment in the heart of the village puts them within a few steps, and the drivers can take you back depending on where you are staying. To plan the rest of your winter, see our guide What to do in Megève in winter, our page on dog sledding and, for skiers curious about horses, that on ski joëring. Our agents will guide you based on your party: find our chalets and apartments in Megève.
The steady pace of the horses, the bell tower receding, the snow crunching beneath the wheels: a ride in a carriage slows time down, just enough to see Megève differently.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I take a carriage in Megève?
On Church Square, in the centre of the village: the drivers of the association Les Traîneaux de Megève park there and depart on demand.
When are the carriages available in the square?
From mid-December to mid-April, in July and August and during the autumn half-term holidays, from 10:30 to 19:30. For the rest of the year, rides are by reservation, 7 days a week.
How long does a carriage ride last?
From 15 minutes for a tour of the centre to 1 hour for the “Le Panoramique” route, depending on the list published by Les Traîneaux de Megève. At le Cheval de Feug in Demi-Quartier, the ride lasts around 1 hour and ends with a tour of the stud.
How many people fit in a carriage?
One to four passengers per carriage with Les Traîneaux de Megève. Le Cheval de Feug has carriages with 4 to 12 seats, suited to families and groups.
Can the carriage come and collect me or drop me at my chalet?
Yes. The tourist office indicates that the drivers in the square can take you to your home depending on where you are staying, and le Cheval de Feug offers to collect you from your residence.
Is the carriage accessible for people with reduced mobility?
The tourist office indicates that both providers are accessible to people with reduced mobility provided they are assisted in getting into the carriage.
Can I dine in a carriage in Megève?
Le Cheval de Feug offers a ride with Savoyard fondue served on board, at 11:30 or from 18:30 onwards, from four adults onwards. The tourist office asks for reservations to be made no later than 48 hours in advance.
