A walk along the 💦 quais in Sallanches makes for a perfect buggy walk or stroll with a toddler on a draisienne (see MBFF article 🌸 BUGGY WALKS – Sallanches springtime family stroll here for a suggested route). All is very compact in the 🏛 centre of Sallanches – so you can take in (and all in one morning or afternoon visit, thought be sure to check opening hours!):
- two playgrounds;
- 🦌 Le Centre de la Nature Montagnarde (currently shut for renovation; re-opening 2021);
- 📚 la Médiathèque Ange Abrate;
- ℹ️a visit to the Tourist Office;
- 🏛 some history;
- 🌺 flowers and some riverside ☕️ cafés and restaurants;
Springtime flowers & marronniers
A walk along the quais in Sallanches when the 🌳🌰 marronniers (chestnut trees) are in bloom is lovely, as the trees form a tapestry above one’s head, providing plenty of shade . . . the bridges across 💦 the Sallanche river are also adorned with 🌷flowers, making the walk even prettier!
The 🌳🌰 chestnut trees normally flower in early May.
Cafés & restaurants along the quais ☕️
You are absolutely spoiled for choice when it comes to ☕️ restaurants and cafés along the quais in Sallanches! Starting from La Place Saint-Jacques and heading down to the playground near the Mairie, you have:
- ☕️ Chez Vez (officially called the Saint-Jacques, and affectionately referred to as Chez Vez, this is an institution in Sallanches, with comfortable chairs next to the river and summer concerts);
- 🍰 Chocola-Thé – fresh juices, cake and chocolate!
- 🥗 A Table restaurant;
- 🥗 L’Espace restaurant and bar;
- 🥟 Viet-Thai Restaurant (Vietnamese and Thai cuisine, lovely);
- 🍺 L’M l’Atelier (great, locally-sourced food and the site of the summer event Ce soir on ferme la Rue);
- 🍕 Passion Pizza – a French-awarded pizzaiolo;
Most of these restaurants and cafés open summer terraces, which are perfect for lunch, apéros or an evening meal.
Down by the river . . .
There are various access points down to the riverside in Sallanches, the perfect place to have an evening picnic after a hot summer’s day ( NB – do take due care down by the 💦 water with small children! ).
There is a new and friendly little🍦wooden ice-cream hut right by the river (open during the summer months, under new management) – 🍦 La Cabane à Glaces;
Playgrounds
There are TWO playgrounds in the centre of Sallanches, and one is located right on the river, near the Mairie. This playground was recently renovated (it had a total overhall!), and it now incorporates terraced seating down to the river – a perfect picnic spot!
The second playground is located by the church.
Sallanches Saturday Market
A trip to 🍎 Sallanches’ Saturday morning market (which is bustling and lovely) is one way to experience the joys of the riverside; but then you do also have to share it with all the market stalls and market-goers (not so easy on a draisienne!).
A quieter visit would be on a weekday or Sunday . . .
Events & festivals along the quais
All year-round, there are 🎶 festivals and events for families and children in the centre of Sallanches and often up and down the quais . . . during the summer months, we are spoiled for choice:
- 🎵 « La Fête de la Musique » – this nationwide amateur music festival (21st July) is particularly lovely to experience along the quais in Sallanches (you can bar-hop!) / a couple of years ago, we found ourselves down by the river, with the children throwing pebbles and building a dam! (we had filthy children by the end of the evening, but they had so much fun!);
- 🖼 « Exposition Montagn’Arts » – June until August – photography graces les quais de la Sallanche . . .
- 🎵 « Ce Soir on Ferme la Rue » – every first Thursday of the summer, with a different musical flavour each month, la rue Berthollet in Sallanches (next to L’M l’Atelier) shuts to traffic, to allow for dancing! / FB page;
- 🌈 « Les F’estivales de Sallanches »: festivités de la Saint-Jacques (late July) – La Saint-Jacques is the patron saint of Sallanches, and the town celebrates with: retraite et illuminations aux flambeaux, fête foraine and other animations! / a huge funfair is set up in Sallanches for five days, next to the quais on the Pré de Foire, lots of FUN!
- 🌈 « Les Enfants d’Abord » children’s festival (in early August) – over 4 days, the quais and the centre of town in Sallanches are dedicated to children: workshops, games, spectacles! / this festival is really special and a fabulous initiative from Sallanches and all of the shop-owners and volunteers involved, and it has now been running for 24 years! / there are workshops galore, adventure games, nature games, dance, circus acts, magic, music, bouncy castles and a different spectacle each evening / themes this year: tac’inette is the owl mascot that guides children through the five different themed sections / the fun is from 15h30 to 18h30 each day / see here for programme;
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Many thanks,Liz.
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Hi Liz – MBFF doesn’t have a mailing list for now . . . but if you follow the website, then you will be informed of any new posts. I also link new articles on the MBFF FB page – https://www.facebook.com/montblancfamilyfun/ Thank you for your interest and kind regards, Fiona
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