A walk along the 💦 quais in Sallanches makes for a perfect buggy walk or stroll with a toddler on a draisienne (see MBFF post Sallanches springtime family stroll for a possible route). All is very compact in the centre of Sallanches – so you can take in two playgrounds, 🦌 Le Centre de la Nature Montagnarde (currently shut for renovation; re-opening 2020), 📚 la Médiathèque Ange Abrate, a visit to the Tourist Office, some history, flowers and some riverside cafés and restaurants, all in one morning or afternoon visit (be sure to check the opening hours!).

🌳🌰 Springtime flowers & chatâignes 🌰🌳  

A walk along the quais in Sallanches when the 🌰 châtaignes (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 May to June.

Les châtaignes in bloom in Sallanches © montblancfamilyfun.com

Les châtaignes in bloom in Sallanches © montblancfamilyfun.com

Les châtaignes in bloom in Sallanches © montblancfamilyfun.com

Les châtaignes in bloom in Sallanches © montblancfamilyfun.com

☕️ 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);
• 🍰 Chocolat-Thé – fresh juices, cake and chocolate!
• A Table restaurant;
• L’Espace restaurant and bar;
• 🍺 Le Blaireau qui Brasse bar and restaurant (known for its home-brewed beer and great burgers);
• 🥟 Khue Dahn (Vietnamese 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.

© Le Blaireau qui Brasse

© Le Saint-Jacques

💦 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 friendly little wooden ice-cream hut right by the river (open during the summer months, under new management) – La Cabane à Glaces;

Sushi picnic next to the Sallanche river © montblancfamilyfun.com

Sushi picnic next to the Sallanche river © montblancfamilyfun.com

🍏 Sallanches Saturday Market 🍏 

A trip to 🍎 Sallanches’s 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!) / last year, 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 – from Friday 27th July to 1st August – 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 – this year from the 6th to 9th August 2019 / 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;