🏔 Au Pays du Mont-Blanc and in the 🏔 Chamonix Valley, we have lots of great 💦 swimming pools, and over the ☀️ summer months you’ll find that they organise plenty of animations for families and children.

In addition, over the ☀️ summer months you’ll find some 💦 outdoor pools open to the public, and there are 💦 ephemeral water slides, water games, wibit parks and paddling pools.

In the following article, you will find information about:

• 🌈 summer waterslides – over the last few years, some ephemeral summer waterslides have made an appearance, to complement those in-situ at our outdoor pools;
• 🌈 wibit parks – Lac de Passy, Morillon’s Lac Bleu, Les Gets’ Lac des Ecoles, Vitam, TNA cable park, WAM Park Savoie near Albertville;
• 💦 paddling pools & river paddling – for little ones . . .
• 🏊‍♂️ summer swimming pools & parcs aquatiques – (including swimming 🐻 at a zoo!);
• 🏕 nearby campsites with fabulous pools and waterslides;

[ ⇒ for more information about 💦 LAKES & WATERSPORTS au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and beyond), see separate article here ]

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COLOUR CODE FOR LISTINGS:

Chamonix Valley (Chamonix, Argentière, Les Houches, Servoz) & Vallorcine

Passy & environs

Sallanches, Combloux, Cordon & Domancy

St Gervais, Le Fayet, Saint Nicolas de Véroce, Bionnassay & environs

Megève, Praz-sur-Arly & environs

Les Contamines-Montjoie & environs

🇫🇷 Further France 

🇨🇭 Switzerland 

🇮🇹 Italy

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Water-based EVENTS

Let’s start with some of 🌊 the water-based EVENTS of this summer (in chronological order) :

🇫🇷🌈 La Folle Furieuse mud & water obstacle course (Les Carroz) – Sunday 23rd July 2023 / you’ll be sure to get WET ! / ⇒ more information here;

💦 Traversée du Lac (Lac de Passy) – normally the first weekend in July;

💦🏃‍ Mont-Blanc Triathlon International (Lac de Passy) – weekend 17th & 18th June 2023 / ⇒ more information here;

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There are a few 🌈 pop-up waterslides not too far from the 🏔 Pays du Mont-Blanc that appear over the ☀️ summer months, as well as the fabulous waterslides within our local swimming pool complexes (and a bit further away) . . .

Pays du Mont-Blanc swimming pools (and lakes) with waterslides 

There are 🌈 great waterslides at the public swimming pools in:

• 🌊 Chamonix – outdoor slide feeding into indoor pool;
• 🌊 Saint-Gervais-Mont-Blanc – small outdoor slide feeding into small outdoor pool;
• 🌊 Sallanches – a pentagliss (several slides) outdoors;
• 🌊 Megève – a pentagliss (several slides) outdoors;
• 🌊 and in Cluses;

[ ⇒ see separate MBFF article 💦 SWIMMING POOLS & LAKES au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and beyond) for more information about our local pools, and larger swimming pool complexes further away ]

Mont-Blanc Plage (next to Lac de Passy)

The 🏕 campsite Mont-Blanc Plage (right next to 💦 Lac de Passy) has a lovely restaurant terrace, decorated with pots of flowers, that looks out over its own private lake (Lac de la Cavettaz) – with 🐟 45 year old carp, the odd 🦆 duck, and beautiful water-lilies . . .

If you eat lunch or dinner at the restaurant, then you are allowed to swim in the campsite 💦 lake (you must ask politely, of course, and not assume the right!)  – there is a slide, a diving board and rafts to swim out to. There is a jaded grandeur to this campsite, and the restaurant is lovely and peaceful (we have eaten here many times!).

Plan d’Eau et base de loisirs de Flumet

In Flumet, just past Praz-sur-Arly, is the 💦 Plan d’Eau et base de loisirs, a lovely little mountain lake! Every summer, in late July is their « La Fête du Plan d’Eau », sometimes with a temporary waterslide, a ventriglisse « Gliss’On » (60m long waterslide, taking you straight into the water), waterballs, stand-up paddle boards, slack-line, Zumba, boat-making, lâcher de lanternes, spectacles and more . . . MBFF went in 2018 year and had a blast!

FURTHER AFIELD waterslides

There are 🌊 fabulous waterslides at these nearby parcs aquatiques:

• 🇫🇷 Vitam (Neydens);
• 🇫🇷 Aquariaz (Avoriaz);
• 🇨🇭 Aquaparc (Le Bouveret);

[ ⇒ see separate MBFF article 🏊‍♀️ SWIMMING POOLS & LAKES au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and beyond) for more details . . . ]

In addition, ☀️ summer months your’ll find :

🌊 Water Circus (Etrembières) – this 🌊 water jump & body-boarding aquapark, located under the Salève mountain, is NOT for the faint-hearted; you have to wear a casque to go down the slides! It looks WILD!!!

Watch some of the videos on the FB page or Instagram page, to get an idea of the jumps!

website

address: 467 route du Pont de Zone, 74100, Étrembières;

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Over recent years, 🌈 wibit inflatable structures on lakes have been popping up more and more! As well as having one right here au Pays du Mont-Blanc at 💦 Lac de Passy, a little further down the valley, you will find more wibit structures in place . . .

Aqua Park du Mont-Blanc (Lac de Passy)

Now an established addition to the 💦 Lac de Passy scene, the wibit inflatable structure is located next to the criques. The 🌈 Aquapark du Mont-Blanc is open during the summer months from 10h to 20h and costs from 10€ for 45mins. Children have to be 8+ years to try it out on their own, and from 6 years, they can go with an accompanying adult (or 15€ for a child & adult combination!). You must wear a life-vest while on the structure, but it is still a good idea to keep a watchful eye on children, as it can be hard work getting back on the inflatables from the water, or sometimes they can hit the water a bit roughly !

good to know: you can book birthday parties here!

FB page

Mont-Blanc Kids bouncy castles & waterslide (Lac de Passy)

Over the summer months, there is a small inflatable waterslide at Mont-Blanc Kids at 💦 Lac de Passy (behind the Buvette de la Plage & accrobranches) – this is great for yonger kids;

website

Lac de Baignade (Parc de Loisirs du Pontet in Les Contamines-Montjoie)

There is now an 🌈 inflatable slide leading into the small swimming lake in the 🎾 Parc de Loisirs du Pontet in Les Contamines-Montjoie!

There are also new water games and paddle boards (as well as karting, mini-golf, trampolines & bouncy castles), from 🌈 Nash Mountain Games – you buy jetons at the little welcome hut;

Lac de l’Etape (Les Contamines-Montjoie)

There are now 💦 WATER GAMES at this bucolic mountain lake (as well as a fairly new playground and relaxation zone!), and great little boats that kids can rent out.

TNA Cable Park (Arenthon) 

You may have seen 💦 TNA Cable Park on a drive to Geneva or Annemasse, from 🏔 le Pays du Mont-Blanc . . .

At this small lake, you can try out 🌊 wakeboarding, water-skiing, or their 🌈 wibit watergames!

eating options: buvette, BBQs;

website & FB page

address: 110 chemin du Brachouet, 74800, Arenthon;

Pentagliss géant (Flaine)

☀ ” Summer in Flaine is FREE! “ – if you have booked accommodation in Flaine, then you’ll get FREE access to activities and entertainment with the Flaine Summer Pass (my friends’ children had a blast with this initiative last summer!).

And, even if you are not holidaying in Flaine, you can still buy a day pass to enjoy the many activities on offer, and 💦 the water option is a 140m long pentagliss : 💦 slip n slide (and a version for toddlers).

⇒ more information here

Base de loisirs du Lac aux Dames (Samoëns)

La base de loisirs de Samoëns = a swimming pool and 10 hectares of green grass and lakes, with a whole host of activities for families, including a unique water sport: 💦⛳️ water golf – you aim at targets on the lake !

⇒ more information here

Le Splash wibit at Lac Bleu (Morillon)

There is a 💦 wibit inflatable struture on 💦 Morillon’s Lac Bleu!

⇒ more information here

Lac des Ecoles (Les Gets)

There is an entrance fee to access Les Gets’ 💦 Lac des Ecoles, where you’ll find a wibit softplay (for children 6+ years), a splashpad water games area for little ones, and a giant slide. You pay at caisse to validate a créneau horaire;

⇒ more information here

Vitam (Neydens)

Vitam has introduced 💦  wibit structures to its indoor pool . . . it is placed in the indoor pool at certain hours (this you’ll need to check).

website & FB page

address: Vitam, 500 route des Envignes, 74160, Neydens / tel: +33 (0)4 50 84 66 66;

Aqualac (Lac de Bourget)

💦  Aqualac is open all year–round, and in summertime offers: a swimming pool and slide (indoor and outdoor), activités aquatiques and wibit, minigolf, paddling pool, sandy beach and lake swimming, lots of green grass, picnic tables, parking on-site, and a restaurant;

FB page

address: avenue Daniel Rops, Aix-les-Bains / tel: 04 79 61 48 80;

WAM Park Savoie (Montailleur, near Albertville)

There are now a handful of 🌊 WAM Parks in France, and this 💦 water fun specialist describes itself as: « mieux qu’un WAKEPARK . . . un WAMPARK! ».

The 🌊 wake park has a téléski nautique installation, allowing you to practise water-skiing or wakeboarding on a lake (the traction, instead of being from a boat, is through a system of cables and an electric motor – think téléski de neige!). At 🌊 WAMPark Montailleur, there are 🌊 two téléskis nautiques (one big, one small)

. . . and also 🌈 watergames, 🌈 a waterjump with 13 slides, and 🧗‍♂️ a climbing wall on the water (psicobloc) .

On-site, you will also find a buvette, paddle boards to rent, 🏝 a “floating island“, diving gear, hiking around the lake, and a large trampoline and slackline;

open from mid April until November!

FB page & website

address: Base de Loisirs Montailleur, 73460, Montailleur;

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Our 🌈 two amusement parks (one a parc de loisirs) here au Pays du Mont-Blanc, both have 💦 some water games and water features for the summer months:

Domaine des Planards (Chamonix)

There are some 💦 water games and a fairground ride taking you into a water splash (Nautic Jet) at this local amusement park!

[ ⇒ for more information about Domaine des Planards, see separate MBFF article here ]

Parc de Loisirs du Pontet (Les Contamines-Montjoie)

As mentioned above, the 🎾 Parc de Loisirs du Pontet has some 💦 new water games and paddle boards on offer, from 🌈 Nash Mountain Games – you buy jetons at the little welcome hut);

. . . and a little further afield:

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PADDLING POOLS FOR LITTLE ONES 

There are 💦 paddling pools within most of our 💦 public swimming pools au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and beyond):

• 💦 Chamonix – outdoor;
• 💦 Sallanches – outdoor;
• 💦 Saint-Gervais-les-Bains – indoor;
• 💦 Megève – indoor & outdoor;
• 💦 🇫🇷 Cluses; 
• 💦 🇫🇷 Vitam – indoor & outdoor;
• 💦 🇫🇷 Plage de la Beunaz (Saint-Paul-en-Chablais) – a new outdoor “splash pad” (water jets), as well as a paddling pool, included in entrance to the base de loisirs;

💦 💦 💦

In addition, there are some fabulous 💦 natural paddling pools for little ones (rivers, streams, lakes . . . ).

[ DISCLAIMER: always be careful, as many of 💦 our mountain rivers are part of hydroelectric projects, meaning that they are prone to flash-flooding. If there is a sign saying DO NOT ENTER THE WATER. then DO NOT enter the water! Never take your eyes off little ones close to water, as they can quickly step out of their depth! ]

[ ⇒ for NEW article 💦 5 TOP SPOTS for PADDLING in NATURE au Pays du Mont-Blanc, see here ]

• 💦 Le Paradis des Praz (Les Praz);
• 💦 La Mare au Têtards (Argentière woods);
• 💦 Sallanche river (Sallanches);
• 💦 Arly-Plage & Berges d’Arly (Praz-sur-Arly);
• 💦 Lac de l’Etape (Les Contamines-Montjoie);

💦 Le Foron river in Le Reposoir – in a bucolic mountain village above Cluses (on the way up to Le Grand-Bornand), you will find a lovely wooden swing hanging from a bridge, right next to ⛪ a pretty chapel . . . here the children can play in the shallow waters of the 💦 Foron river, build dams . . . and there are plenty of other activities in Le Reposoir:

[ ⇒ see separate MBFF article here for more information about Le Reposoir ]

And in nearby 🇨🇭 Geneva & environs, there are numerous FREE water 💦 paddling pools (eleven in total), many to be found within lovely parks, for under 10s / ⇒ information Ville de Genève: 

• 💦 Parc de la Grange – the little paddling pool in Eaux-Vives is located between two playgrounds in the park / ⇒ more information here;  

• 💦 Pataugeoire du Bois-de-la-Bâtie – NEWLY renovated and located not far from the Arve river, the Bois-de-la-Batie encompasses: an animal park, green grass, football pitches, a little river and paddling pool, a superb playground, woodland and paths;

[ ⇒ more information about patugeoire here and animal park here ]

• 💦 Parc Aqualudique de l’Auberge (Meyrin) – paddling pool with tipping buckets and water jets and playground / ⇒ more information here;

• La Grande-Jetée (Nyon, Switzerland) – inaugurated a couple of summers ago, and located at the end of the Promenade Niedermeyer, here you will find a lovely playground by the water’s edge, with fabulous 💦 views of Lac Léman and the mountains. There is lots of shade, sand for children to play, fountains, buvette, beach volleyball / ⇒ more information here;

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If you are holidaying 🏔 au Pays du Mont-Blanc, you may be lucky enough to have a swimming pool available at your hotel or chalet. There are also some hotels that allow you to use their pool if you have lunch in their restaurant (for example, the Folies Douces in Chamonix or L’Hotel Aiguille du Midi in Les Bossons). And there are plentiful options for 💦 public swimming pools in the area and a bit further afield! If you are more interested in some parent or adult pampering at a spa, then please head to separate article 💦 Chamonix Valley Spas & Massages.

[ ⇒ for more information about 💦 SWIMMING POOLS au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and beyond), including indoor wave pools, see separate MBFF article here ]

In addition to our local 💦 public pools in 🏔 Chamonix & the Pays du Mont-Blanc, and the centre aquatiques further afield, there are some fabulous ephemeral summer pools on offer fairly nearby, some in extraordinary settings :

• 💦 Espace Aquatique des Aravis (La Clusaz) – (and indoor pool) / see here;
• 💦 Le Grand-Bornand – see here;
• 💦 Samoëns – see here;
• 💦 Piscine des Marquisats (Annecy) – see here;
• 💦 Parc de Dérêches (Morzine) – see website & FB page;
• 💦 Forme d’O (Châtel) – (and indoor pool) / see here;

Worth a particular mention :

Centre Nautique in Evian 

I have fond memories of 💦 Evian outdoor pool, as this was where my now 12 year old (but then 2 years old!) developed a love for water (until that day, he had remained pretty indifferent to water, perhaps because it was often a bit cold!). The pool’s location is lovely, right by the 💦 Lac Léman, and there is plenty of grass to stretch out.

features: Olympic swimming pool, children’s pool, jardin d’enfants, beach with access to lake swimming, slides, buvette;

[ some other great activities in Evian en famille : ride the funiculaire, to get lovely views of the lake; visit the 🖼 art exhibition at the Palais Lumière, take a ride on a 🚤 boat, visit the special gardens the 🌷 Pré Curieux (access by boat) ]

website

address: avenue Général-Dupas, 74500, Evian / tel: 04 56 30 11 20;

 Zoo des Marécottes (swimming at a ZOO!)

Believe it or not, near the 🏔 Pays du Mont-Blanc, you can 💦 swim in a pool carved into the rocks, within a zoo, with a view of the black bears: at the 🐻 Zoo des Marécottes! It is open from early June, when the swimming pool is re-filled. The pool is 70m long and solar heated to between 24° and 27°;

facilities: restaurant, playground, feeding animals;

getting there: you can get there by 🚞 train from Chamonix, on the Mont-Blanc Express;

website & FB page

Alaïa Bay surfing spot (Sion, Switzerland) 

” In the heart of the Alps, Alaïa Bay is the very first wave pool in mainland Europe. From beginners to experienced surfers, we have waves for everybody. “.

You can take surf lessons here, and there is a restaurant on-site !

website & FB page

address: Domaine des Iles, route d'Aproz 65, 1950, Sion, Switzerland;

Genève-Plage (Cologny, Switzerland)

💦 Genève-Plage is a swimming complex situated right next to 💦 Lac Léman , and it has existed since 1932.

a little history: public bathing for the people of Geneva dates back centuries – since the Middle Ages, there have been places to bathe on Lac Léman, the Arve, the Rhône . . .

💦 swimming pool equipment: an Olympic pool, one pool for non-swimmers, one paddling pool, a waterslide (9m high);

💦 lake equipment: swimming zone, rafts, diving boards, showers, wibit on lake;

website & FB page

address: Genève-Plage, quai de Cologny 5, Port-Noir, 1223, Cologny, Genève;

🇮🇹 Piscine de Plan Chécrouit : “ La piscine alpine rechauffée plus haute d’Europe ” 

At this pool you’ll be rewarded with views of 🏔 Mont-Blanc as you swim in 💦 the highest (1700m) heated swimming pool (heated to 27°-30°C) in Europe! In summertime, you can reach Plan Chécrouit by the 🚠 Téléphérique Dolonne (or you can hike up from the valley floor in about an hour), and then you’ll be able to bathe surrounded by mountain peaks and green, green grass! The pool is 20m long and has a depth of up to 1,5m . . . and you’ll also find a sauna, snack bar and playground nearby!

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Swimming pools within spa complexes in nearby Switzerland

Across the border in Switzerland, but not too far away, you will find some thermal baths with larger swimming pools and fun features for kids, some accepting babies and young children . . .

The two big favourites for families with younger children, not too far from the Chamonix Valley, are :

• Les Bains de Saillons – accepting babies, and with summer features ! / website;
• Les Bains de Lavey – accepting children 4+ years / website;

[ ⇒ for more information about these Swiss thermal baths, see separate MBFF article here ]

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Here are some suggestions for campsites we have been to (and loved), or ones recommended to me by friends, not too far from the 🏔 Pays du Mont-Blanc (up to 2 hours away). . .

Lac d’Annecy

Camping Europa (Saint-Jorioz,)

This campsite I hit upon quite by chance a few years ago . . . I was desperately trying to wean my 16 month old and I needed extreme action! So, I decided to use the occasion in a positive way, and headed off for the weekend with my then four year old, for some quality one-on-one time with him, leaving his little brother to have fun with his daddy (and forget about the milk machine!).

🏕 Camping Europa in Saint-Jorioz, though a little more expensive than some of the other ones around Lac d’Annecy, won me over on that visit by the 💦 swimming pool complex: a paddling pool, pentagliss slides, a lagoon, waterfall, a river feature (and a separate pool for people wanting to just swim lengths!). When we arrived at the campsite, I can honestly say that my little boy had never looked so excited! And at the end of the weekend, I even managed to get the “pop-up tent” packed up and back in its bag without too much fuss!

🏕 on-site at this campsite: bouncy castle, playground, restaurant, access to piste cyclable & bike rental !

[ ⇒ to read about some of the other activities on offer around this campsite, head over to MBFF article 🌾  FAMILY STROLLS with BUGGIES: sentier thématiques des roselières  ]

website & FB page

address: 1444 route d'Albertville, Saint-Jorioz;

Camping La Ravoire (Doussard) 

🏕 Camping La Ravoire is located in Doussard, au bout du Lac d’Annecy, another campsite with the Alps as a backdrop.

The 💦 swimming complex is 200 m², with both indoor and outdoor pools (for those rainy days!) and a paddling pool with slides for little ones;

🏕 also on-site: snack bar (evenings), playground, terrain de sport and bouncy castle;

website & FB page

address: route de la Ravoire, Doussard; 

Camping Les Fontaines (Lathuile, near Doussard) 

🏕 Camping Les Fontaines‘ swimming complex consists of: two pools, one 400 m², the other specifically for little ones, with a paddling pool and pentagliss;

💦 new features – Space Hole water slide (this was tried and tested by the MBFF tribe and we can confirm that it is INSANE, and so much FUN!) and inflatable water games! ]

website & FB page

address: 1295 route de Chaparon, Lathuile;

Camping du Lac Bleu (Doussard)

The 💦 swimming complex at 🏕 Camping du Lac Bleu consists of: a river, paddling pool and geysers, and jacuzzis.

The campsite is also right next to the lake, with all the watersports it has to offer, and has a great playground, a green lawn for ball games, multi-sport terrain, bouncy castle and restaurant on-site and shop nearby!

The MBFF tribe have enjoyed our visits here !

website & FB page

address: route de la Plage, Doussard;

Le Vercors 

YELLOH Camping des 4 Montagnes (Antrans, Le Vercors)

We went to this lovely little campsite in ⛰ Le Vercors a few years ago, with some friends who were testing out their new campervan!

We decided to rent one of the on-site semi-tents (Sweet Cocoon), as we were arriving late and there were storms threatening . . . Another friend came with his fancy trailer, another with a pop-up tent (we were certainly seen as a motley crew!).

We loved the campsite – family run, the perfect size (for me – not too big !), right next to a summer luge, a little restaurant on-site;

The boys enjoyed the 💦 outdoor pool with slides and there is also an indoor pool (for rainy days) and paddling pool;

other campsite activities: bouncy castle, multi–sport terrain, BBQ facilities;