A skiing holiday in France is a gourmet travel opportunity for me as well. I would normally take an afternoon off to scour the supermarket and bring all our favourite French food classics back home. But even more than that, I love to visit the local weekly farmer’s market. Come rain, shine, or snow, the French will always have their weekly market. Even if it’s a small village tucked high up in the Alps, these events run strictly on schedule.
So, I didn’t expect any less for Le Grand Bornand. After a quick lookup, I found out that their weekly market falls on a Wednesday morning running year-round from 8:00 AM to 12:30 PM. We were staying in Le Chinaillon, a gorgeous sub-village located just a kilometre further up the mountain. Because the Dutchman and I will head out for our day hike after lunch, I had the entire morning to completely focus on the market. I didn’t plan on staying too long, but I wanted enough time to properly survey the offerings. I just love farmer’s markets! They give me so much energy and positive vibes. If you are skiing in France and share this passion, checking out the local market is an absolute must.
To beat the crowds, I made sure to arrive early. There is a free bus shuttle that runs directly between Le Chinaillon and Le Grand Bornand, which is so much easier and smoother than struggling to find parking for a car. It wasn’t overly busy yet when I arrived, but a few dedicated locals were already perusing the stands.
The Historic Heart of the Aravis Market Culture
The Le Grand Bornand Wednesday morning market itself is steeped in tradition, dating back to its first official weekly gathering in 1795. It has since grown into one of the most famous and beloved markets in the entire Aravis region. The vibrant heart of the event is La Grenette, the beautiful old covered market hall that anchors the historic village square. The very first mentions of a grain market hall here date all the way back to 1569. Over the centuries, it was destroyed by village fires and heavy alpine snow weights, but it was lovingly rebuilt multiple times—most recently restored in 2013. Today, it serves as a central meeting place for holidaymakers and Bornandois (locals) alike.
While walking past the colourful stalls, I noticed a particular cheese vendor operating out of a little van with a massive queue. It was clearly a local favourite, and for good reason: this market is actually the last surviving traditional Reblochon market in the region. It serves as a practical, bustling hub where local dairy farmers arrive to meet directly with wholesalers, unloading crates of fresh cheese.
The True Star of the Show: Reblochon Fermier
You cannot talk about Le Grand Bornand without talking about Reblochon AOP, the absolute speciality of the area. Le Grand Bornand is the leading Reblochon-producing village in France! This famous, creamy cheese has a fascinating history: back in the 13th century, savvy Savoyard farmers would deliberately under-milk their cows to pay lower taxes to the landowners (who taxed based on milk volume). Once the officials left, the farmers would milk the cows a second time. This rich, creamy late-milking was called “reblocher” (to pinch the udder again), which created the legendary Reblochon cheese.
To this day, Reblochon Fermier is still produced entirely by hand twice a day on the surrounding mountain farms, right after the morning and evening milkings. If you look closely at the cheese wheel, a green casein stamp tells you it is an authentic, farm-made Fermier product.
My Gourmet Savoyard Haul
I managed to score some incredible local foods to bring back to our chalet, as well as a few treats to transport back home to the Netherlands. My haul included rich terrines, dried artisan mountain sausages (saucissons), and cooked Savoyard Diot sausages—a regional speciality packed with flavour, traditionally simmered in onions and white wine brine. I was incredibly happy with this selection!
I normally pair the dried sausages and terrine with some local cheese and gherkins to create our own in-house, chalet-style après-ski platter. It has become a sacred ritual for us to enjoy this spread right before we hit the spa for a bit of well-deserved relaxation. As for the savoury Diot sausages, they make for the perfect comforting alpine dinner before we have to pack up and leave the mountains.
If you ever find yourself skiing or hiking in the Aravis region, make sure you don’t miss the Wednesday morning market magic in Le Grand Bornand!
Check out our skiing post here: A Laid-Back Week in Le Grand Bornand: Ski-In and Ski-Out Bliss & Alpine Vibe
Happy Travels!
With love from Jo
Travel Period: January 2026
Le Grand Bornand, Auvergne-Rhones-Alpes (Haute-Savoie), France