An old-fashioned spa town first popular in the early 1800s, Saint-Gervais-les-Bains – to give the place its full name – boasts classic stone buildings, ironwork and sculptures reminiscent of the Paris Métro, some beautiful bridges, a working, rustic funicular and a stunning gorge location. In any other country it would be a major resort; in France it is overshadowed by neighbouring Chamonix and Megève.