You have perhaps heard that saying ☔️ “ there’s no such thing as bad weather; just badly dressed people “ ?
Well, I heard this several times on a couple of work trips to 🇮🇸 Iceland . . . and that may well be, but even the strongest of resolves can be broken by 🌧 DAYS and DAYS of rainy weather in the mountains (especially when you can no longer actually see those beautiful mounains!). Yes, certainly, we can all just put on our waterproofs, but I don’t know too many small children that are happy to play in heavy ☔️ RAIN for days on end, even if they do enjoy splashing in puddles!
Several 🌧 RAINY DAYS in a row can hit us during any season here in the mountains . . . mountains are notoriously unpredictable and fickle like that!
So, I have put together this article so that you may have a go-to list of options for 🌧 RAINY DAYS 🏔 au Pays du Mont-Blanc. I understand that a 🌦 slight summer drizzle is different to ⛈ summer thunderstorms & lightning or 🍁 cold, torrential autumn or winter rain, so there are lots of options on this list, to deal with different types of seasonal rain!
When ☔️ RAIN hits at the weekend, the MBFF family first checks to see what the weather is like through the Mont-Blanc tunnel in 🇮🇹 Courmayeur or over in 🇨🇭 Switzerland (Geneva or Martigny). The sun can often be shining there, while it is pouring 🏔 au Pays du Mont-Blanc! But sometimes it is 🌧 raining EVERYWHERE in the proximity, and there are limits to how far one can go to escape the rain for a day!!! And on those days, we need some INDOOR OPTIONS!
Colour code for listings:
Pays du Mont-Blanc
Chamonix Valley (Chamonix, Argentière, Les Houches, Servoz) & Vallorcine
Passy & environs
Sallanches, Combloux, Cordon & Domancy
St Gervais, Le Fayet, St Nicolas de Véroce & environs
Megève, Praz-sur-Arly & environs
Les Contamines & environs
🇫🇷 Further France
🇨🇭 Switzerland
🇮🇹 Italy
This article mainly suggests some indoor activities for rainy days :
- 🎾 sports centres;
- 💦 swimming pools;
- ⛸ ice-skating;
- 🧗♂️ indoor climbing;
- 📚 médiathèques;
- 🎬 cinemas;
- 🎳 bowling;
- 🌈 softplay, indoor play centres, virtual reality and laser games;
- 🖼 museums & 🏰 castles
When our boys were younger, their immediate idea for ☔️ a rainy day was “ let’s go to a softplay centre ” !
For ☔️ rainy days au Pays du Mont-Blanc, there is 🌈 Le Parc en Folie softplay in Sallanches’ industrial zone!
FB page address: 1431 avenue André Lasquin, 74700, Sallanches tel (Sabrina): +33 (0)6 37 16 47 32
Worth a big mention here also is 🇨🇭🎨 Maison de la Créativité (Conches, near Geneva) – a FABULOUS creative centre for under 8s. There are lovely grounds outside, but also rooms within the house for creative fun, and these are perfect on a rainy day. This very special place is open to public on Wednesdays AND Saturdays and over the Swiss school holidays (SHUT over the summer) . . .
[ ⇒ see MBFF article about the 🇨🇭🎨 Maison de la Créativité ]
There are also some bigger indoor play centres further afield :
[ ⇒ for more ideas for 🌈 larger softplay centres, indoor play and trampoline parks a bit further afield, see MBFF article Softplay & Indoor Play Pays du Mont-Blanc ]
And for older children, who have outgrown the idea of SOFTPLAY, but still love to bounce around and show off their inner ninja, then you could try:
NEW for autumn 2022 : 🤸♀️ Just Jump (Marnaz) – just opened, this is a great time for ados to jump off steam, or to organise a birthday party ! / several trampolines and a parcours ninja / Sunday mornings reserved for little jumpers / 🗓 opening hours: see website / price: 14€ for one hour;
website & FB page address: 369 rue des Abeilles, Marnaz / tel : +33 6 31 02 97 28;
- 🎾 Centre Sportif Richard Bozon (Chamonix) – a huge complex with swimming, climbing, gym, and both indoor and outdoor tennis courts and squash courts available / see leaflet for more details;
- 🎾 Tennis Club de Passy – both indoor and outdoor courts / address: 410 rue du Stade, 74190, Passy (not far from Mountain Store) / tel: 04 50 78 10 93 / see website for more details;
- 🎾 Tennis & Squash Municipales & Tennis Club du Mont-Blanc (Sallanches) – outdoor courts and two indoor tennis and squash courts / address: 283 avenue Albert Gruffat, 74700, Sallanches / tel: 04 57 44 41 83 / website;
- 🏹 Indoor Pétanque (boulodrome) & Archery (Centre Lévaud, Sallanches) – see here;
- 🎾 Megève (Le Palais) – the largest indoor sports complex au Pays du Mont-Blanc, with: swimming & balnéo, spa, climbing, médiathèque . . . / tennis: with a terrain en Taraflex and ping-pong too / good to know: also, an indoor play centre, where you can leave the kids! / tel: 04 50 21 15 71 / see website for more details;
We have several 💦 public swimming pools au Pays du Mont-Blanc . . . you’ll find baby pools in Chamonix (and also an indoor slide), Sallanches, Saint-Gervais and Megève :
- 💦 Centre Sportif Richard Bozon (Chamonix) – see here;
- 💦 Piscine de Marlioz (Passy) – see here;
- 💦 Centre Aquatique de Sallanches – NEW centre aquatique opened this summer! /see here;
- 💦 Piscine de Saint-Gervais – enjoy the artwork of 2KM3 artists while there ! / see here;
- 💦 Piscine du Fayet (Parc Thermal) – newly renovated;
- 💦 Piscine de Megève (Le Palais) – see here;
- 💦 Piscine de Cluses – see here;
good to know – don’t forget swimming trunks (NO boxers!) for boys and men, else you’ll have to buy some!
[ ⇒ for more information about 💦 local pools a bit further away, see separate MBFF article here ]
There are also some 💦 bigger aquatic parks with slides and other fun features a bit further afield in nearby France and Switzerland, and thermal bath complexes in nearby Switzerland . . .
💦 💦 💦
A SPA DAY or THERMAL BATH day en famille
A 💦 thermal bath or spa day can be a lovely way to relax en famille, and you have superb (and larger) options in 🇨🇭 Switzerland, just past Martigny, where the whole family will be welcome. In a light drizzle, the outdoor baths would also be fine . . .
Here, 🏔 au Pays du Mont-Blanc, we have some smaller options for 💦 thermal springs and spas and children’s soins, including the rather fabulous Thermes de Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc, which has special family sessions, and the Balnéo in Megève, which also has family sessions.
[ ⇒ for more information about thermal baths, spas and massage in the Chamonix Valley, the Pays du Mont-Blanc and in 🇨🇭 nearby Switzerland, see separate MBFF article here ]
We have three ⛸ INDOOR ice-skating rinks au Pays du Mont-Blanc (also offering ice-hockey, curling and figure skating for clubs), and there are some openings for the public :
[ ⇒ see MBFF article ⛸ Ice-Skating rinks au Pays du Mont-Blanc for more information, opening hours and addresse ]
- ⛸ Chamonix patinoire;
- ⛸ Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc patinoire;
- ⛸ Megève patinoire (Le Palais);
We have some fabulous 🧗♂️ indoor climbing walls for RAINY DAY climbing 🏔 au Pays du Mont-Blanc:
- 🧗♂️ Chamonix – located within the Centre Sportif Richard Bozon / for children 6+ years (and children 6 to 14 years must be accompanied by an adult) / see here for details;
- 🧗♂️ Mont Blanc Escalade (Les Houches) – see here for more details;
- 🧗♂️ Saint-Gervais-Mont-Blanc – the indoor climbing wall in Saint-Gervais is located in one of the pillars of the Pile Pont / there is an outdoor bouldering wall too / open Tuesdays and Thursdays between 19h and 21h / you must bring all of your own equipment / tel: 04 50 47 73 40 / see here for more details;
- 🧗♂️ Le Palais (Megève) – Le Palais’ mur d’escalade / there are always stages, including Baby Grimpe, over the holidays / see here for more details;
- 🧗♂️ Passy Escalade – you have to be an adhérent here;
🧗♂️ various gyms are also available through climbing and alpinism clubs and the CAF (ENSA, Passy Club d’Escalade, Sallanches’ Gymnase du Rosay);
FURTHER AFIELD:
🧗♂️ Arkose Genevois (Vétraz-Monthoux, near Annemasse) – indoor climbing dedicated to BOULDERING! / 1800m² of luminous climbing space / also kids’ area, chill-out space, work zone, yoga classes and restaurant! / price & special classes: see website / opening hours: 8h until midnight ;
website & FB page address: 10 allée des Chênes, 74100, Vétraz-Monthou
🧗♂️ Vertic-Halle (Monthey, Valais, Switzerland) – 500m2 of bloc on one side of the paroi phonique, and a zone loisirs for children on the other side! / trampolines and café too!
website & FB page address: Vertic-Halle, route du Triboulet 10, 1870, Monthey, Switzerland
⛷ INDOOR SKI CENTRES
There are ⛷ TWO INDOOR SKI CENTRES in the Vallée de l’Arve: the first opened in Cluses, and Passy’s centre opens its door to the public a couple of years ago now . . . these ski centres are not at all the same concept as those artificial ski slopes found in the 1980s in the UK to prepare British teens for their first ski trip abroad – these tapis are constantly moving and can be tilted to the steepness required and slowed down or the speed can be be increased; you learn to perfect your technique!
- ⛷ Ski Indoor 4810 (Passy) – MBFF was invited to try out a session en famille over the Toussaint holidays – we had heaps of fun, though it was very clear that the boys had way better ski technique than their mama / there are stages over the holidays!
[ ⇒ to read about MBFF’s ski lesson at ⛷ Ski Indoor 4810, see separate article here ]
website & FB page address: 545 route des Outards, Passy
- ⛷ TDVC Indoor Ski Lab (Cluses) – with a lounge area and bar;
FB page
address: 7 rue du dr Gallet, Cluses;
CROSSFIT CENTRES
You could try one of the new crossfit centres in Sallanches or Passy, where there are sessions for children . . .
- CrossFit Mont-Blanc (Passy) – children’s and teen sessions on a Saturday morning / see website;
- CrossFit Vallée (Sallanches) – with children’s sessions on a Wednesday / see here;
If it is ☔️ raining or you have very small children to entertain, why not visit one of our 📚 médiathèques au Pays du Mont-Blanc? There are three big ones, with superb children’s areas (and sometimes storytelling sessions and ludothèques too) in:
- 📚 Chamonix – see here;
- 📚 Sallanches – the Médiathèque Ange Abrate, see here;
- 📚 Megève – located within Le Palais complex; see here;
- 📚 and there are smaller bibliothèques in the other towns and villages au Pays du Mont-Blanc, offering wonderful storytelling, workshops spectacles and films over the school holidays;
[ 📚 note: do check opening hours before planning a visit, as these vary from day to day! ]
L’HEURE du CONTE at the Médiathèque Ange Abrate in Sallanches
📚 Storytime for children takes place on certain Wednesdays or Saturdays in the Salle de l’Heure du Conte :
- one Wednesday per month at 10h30 – for 3 to 4 year olds;
- one Wednesday per month at 15h30 – for children 5+ years;
- one Saturday per month at 10h30 – for tiny ones (18 months to 3 years);
The Espace Jeunesse, furnished with beanbags and rugs, and 📚 the Salle de l’Heure du Conte are located upstairs (with WC located nearby, very practical!).
There are also sometimes spectacles organised / ⇒ see current programme here;
agenda
address: Médiathèque Ange Abrate, 81 place du Commissaire Chesney, 74700, Sallanches
Les Histoires de Charlotte (Bibliothèque Fernand Braudel, Saint-Gervais)
Storytime in Saint-Gervais on the first Wednesday of the month at 16h30! / for 4+ years / FREE!
address: Bibliothèque Fernand Braudel, 450 avenue du Mont d’Arbois, 74170, Saint-Gervais-les-Bains
And NEW: Les Histoires de Bébé Charlotte . . . on the first Saturday of the month !
L’Heure du Conte at the Médiathèque Le Palais Megève
There is a regular 📚 storytelling session organised at the Médiathèque in Megève (located within Le Palais):
- 📚 L’Heure du Conte – every Wednesday (or alternate Wednesday out of season) for children 3+ years (as well as a session one Saturday per month for bébés lecteurs, for little ones from 0 to 3 years) / for children 3+ years – 11h – FREE! – no reservations required / ⇒ see here;
- 📚 L’Heure du Conte (bébés lecteurs) one Saturday per month at 10h30 – for children 0 to 3 years – FREE! – no reservations needed / ⇒ see here;
address: Espace Jeunesse à la Médiathèque, 247 route du Palais des Sports, 74120, Megève / tel: +33 (0)4 50 91 57 70
[ good to know – the 📚 médiathèques throughout the 🏔 Pays du Mont-Blanc have regular spectacles, ateliers, films for children throughout the year! / check their websites and FB pages to keep up-to-date ]
We have plenty of fabulous 🖼 local museums au Pays du Mont-Blanc, some offering temporary exhibitions and family and children’s guided visits and workshops over the school holidays . . . here are some ideas:
- 🖼🏔 Musée Alpin (Chamonix) – SHUT for a 4 year renovation programme! / see here;
- 💎🏔 Musée des Cristaux (Chamonix) – newly opened, fabulous for crystal lovers! / see here;
- 📷🏔 Maison de la Mémoire et la Patrimoine Janny Couttet (Chamonix) – see here;
- 🖼🏔 Musée Montagnard (Les Houches) – see here;
- 🦌 Château des Rubins – Observatoire des Alpes (Sallanches) – this museum underwent a huge renovation programe and has JUST opened / MBFF visited over the summer and LOVED it! / more information here;
- 🖼🏔 Maison Forte de Hautetour (Saint-Gervais) – alpinism and art / see here;
[ ⇒ for more ideas for 🖼 museums or temporary exhibitions au Pays du Mont-Blanc, see separate MBFF article here ]
FURTHER AFIELD in 🇫🇷 France, you have more fabulous museums (again, many with workshops for children) in:
- 🇫🇷 Cluses – Musée de l’Horlogerie et du Décolletage;
- 🇫🇷 Annecy – Le Château d’Annecy, Le Palais d’Ile, Le Musée de Film d’Animation, La Turbine;
- 🇫🇷 Evian – Le Palais Lumière;
[ ⇒ for more ideas about what to go and see in 🇫🇷 further France, see separate MBFF article Museums & Exhibitions in Further France ]
Worth a mention in 🇫🇷 neighbouring France . . .
🌎 La Turbine in Cran-Gévrier (near Annecy) – Le Centre de Culture Scientifique Technique et Industrielle de Haute-Savoie is an innovative pedagogic centre equipped for families to learn about science in an interactive way / 🗓 opening hours: from Tuesday to Sunday, 14h to 18h / FREE entry on first Sunday of month!
website address: place Chorus, Cran-Gevrier, 74960, Annecy / tel: 04 50 08 17 00
And in 🇨🇭 neighbouring Switzerland:
- 🇨🇭 Geneva – Muséum Genève (Natural History Museum) / MAH (Musée d’Art et Histoire) / 🖼 MAMCO (Musée d’Art Moderne et Contemporain) / MEG (Musée d’Ethnographie de Genève) / 🔭 Le Musée d’Histoire des Sciences . . .
- 🇨🇭 Martigny – Fondation Pierre Gianadda / 🐶 Barryland – Musée et Chiens Saint-Bernard;
[ ⇒ for more ideas about what to go and see in 🇨🇭 neighbouring Switzerland, see separate MBFF article🇨🇭 Museums & Exhibitions in nearby Switzerland ]
And in 🇮🇹 neighbouring Italy:
- 🇮🇹 Aosta Valley (Italy) – the FABULOUS Forte di Bard in Bard;
[ ⇒ for more ideas about what to go and see in 🇮🇹 neighbouring Italy, see separate MBFF article 🇨🇭🇮🇹 Museums & Exhibitions in the Aosta Valley (Italy) ]
There are some 🏰 wonderful castles to visit not too far from the Pays du Mont-Blanc . . .
Many of these castles boast lovely gardens, which won’t be so welcoming on a rainy day, but if the castle is open (note: mostly SHUT over the winter season!), then the indoors is fascinating !
Here are some of the more well-known castles, which offer plenty of children’s activities:
🏰 Château de Montrottier (Lovagny, near Annecy) – children can get dressed up in medieval costumes during their visit to this castle, and there are lots of family activities organised over the school holidays!
website
address: Domaine et Château de Montrottier, 60 allée du Château, 74330, Lovagny
🏰 Château de Menthon Saint-Bernard (near Annecy) – a fairytale 12th century turreted castle, with an imposing position above Lac d’Annecy!
website
🏰 Château & Domaine de Ripaille – good to know: ask for the le parcours spécial enfant;
website
🏰 Château de Voltaire – one of France’s Monuments Nationaux, this castle is open all year-round, with beautiful gardens! Here you’ll get up close and personal with Voltaire . . .
website
And in the neighbouring 🇮🇹 Aosta Valley in Italy there are also several 🏰 castles in strategic positions along the valley (most of these are open throughout the year) . . .
The MBFF tribe has visited a handful of these Aosta valley castles and the guided visits have been superb.
[ ⇒ see Valle d’Aosta Tourism website for a complete list of the castles open to the public and opening hours (mostly, you will visit as part of a guided tour) ]
Here are some of the 🏰 castles in the 🇮🇹 Aosta Valley:
- 🏰 Sarre Castle – once the hunting & holiday residence of the House of Savoy;
- 🏰 Sarriod de la Tour Castle – set among orchards, looking out over the Dora Baltea river;
- 🏰 Fénis Castle – towers, crenellated walls and fairy-tale charm make this castle a popular visit;
- 🏰 Forte di Bard – once a near-impregnable fortress . . . now a complex of museums, art exhibitions & events, restaurant and hotel / the MBFF tribe LOVE this fortress and its exhibitions; ⇒ see here for MBFF article);
- 🏰 Aymavilles castle – recently opened to the public;
There are 🎬 TWO big cinemas au Pays du Mont Blanc:
- 🎬 Cinéma Vox Chamonix – see website/ there are a selection of films in VO;
- 🎬 Ciné Mont-Blanc in Sallanches – see website / occasional films in VO / Cinékids at 11h on Sundays – special screenings adapted for wee ones! / lots of séances avant-première !
🎬 and there are also lots of smaller screens with a good selection of films (some foreign language films in VO with subtitles) :
- 🎬 Le Grand Soir Cinébus (Les Houches) – every other Wednesday at the Espace Animation at 17h;
- 🎬 Cinéma du Plateau (Plateau d’Assy) – website Cinéma du Plateau d’Assy;
- 🎬 Théâtre Montjoie from MJC (Saint Gervais) – MJC cinema;
- 🎬 Panoramic (Megève) – holiday film screenings;
[ ⇒ see separate MBFF article here for more information about Cinemas au Pays du Mont-Blanc ]
Visit an indoor KARTING TRACK
Summer 2018 saw the opening of an 🏎 indoor karting centre – Urban Kart’in – in La Roche-sur-Foron!
We’ve not yet been to test it out, but it gets rave reviews! A 🏎 karting piste “Made in Italy“, with a bridge and tunnel for driving indoor karts ” Made in France 100% électrique “ (unique in Haute-Savoie and Savoie) / for 7+ years! / 24 karts (18 for adults and 6 for children);
website tel: 04 50 03 66 78 (best to reserve)
Spend an afternoon or evening BOWLING
Though we no longer have 🎳 a large bowling alley in the area, you have TWO options for 🎳 bowling, one in Chamonix, and one in Megève :
- 🎳 Le Plan B – you’ll find one bowling alley here, along with the other indoor games!
- 🎳 Cosa Papa – a new pizza restaurant in Megève, with a bowling alley!
[ ⇒ for more information about 🎳 bowling, see separate MBFF article here ]
Further down the Arve Valley, in Annemasse, is (currently) the nearest full-sized bowling alley to the Pays du Mont-Blanc: Bowling de l’Aérodrome.
website & FB page
address: 1, rue de l'Industrie, Annemasse
Visit a spacious hotel or restaurant with family activities
There are some spacious hotels and restaurants that offer plenty of activities for children au Pays du Mont-Blanc – the perfect spot to catch up with friends and let the kids play! Here are some ideas:
- Plan B (Chamonix) – where the old bowling alley used to be, this concept hotel has many features to attract families on rainy days: a play area, a bowling alley, pool tables, babyfoot . . .
FB page
- La Folie Douce (Chamonix) – an industrial chic establishment settled into the old Hotel Savoie, and made a hotel complex well thought-out and alluring for families: several restaurants on-site, with food huts on a large terrace . . . As well as a huge outdoor area, it has a spacious indoor lounge, with separate and cosy areas equipped with board games! / indoor events are frequently organised here, or you can simply have a drink at the bar and hang out in the lounge, which has board games / MBFF has spent a lovely rainy afternoon lounging here! see here for more information;
FB page & website address: 823 allée Recteur Payot, 74400, Chamonix / tel: 04 50 55 10 00
- Héliopic Hotel & Spa (Chamonix) – you can head for a drink at this hotel with small children, and then can use the small play area in reception;
FB page
- Le Rocky Pop (Les Houches) – Chamonix Valley residents are generally familiar with this quirky hotel in Les Houches! Met at the door by R2D2 and CP3O, you hand your kids over to these Star Wars stalwart babysitters as you enter the hotel and restaurant, and then collect your kids at the end of the evening, as you go home . . . only kidding (if only!). I’m not far from the truth here, though, as there are so many activities for kids, that you can quite easily chat to your adult friends while they play. Indoor (or semi-indoor) activities on offer: babyfoot, 🎮 computer games . . . once when we were there, there was even a dance class put on for kids! Did my boys want to do this? Nope. Did they pester us all evening? Yep. / the food is family-friendly: burgers, pizzas and some great vegetarian options too! / good to know – a new Rocky Pop has opened in Flaine!
FB page & website address: 1476 avenue des Alpages, 74310, Les Houches / tel: 04 85 30 00 00
- NEW ! Wanderlust Motel (Les Bossons) – a new hotel in Les Bossons (the old Mercure);
FB page address: 59 route de vers le Nant, Chamonix
Visit a VIRTUAL REALITY centre, LASER GAMES or ESCAPE ROOM
For teenagers and older children, then perhaps a visit to a 🎮 virtual reality centre or 🔑 escape room (where you work as a team to solve puzzles against the clock, in order to be “let out” of the room!) will offer up some amusement on a ☔️🌧 RAINY DAY? Or the more active 🔱 ?
- 🔱 Escape room & Laser Games at the Bowling du Mont-Blanc in Sallanches – SHUT !
- 🔑 Challenge the Room escape game (Ville-la-Grand) – website;
- 🔱 Laser Game Evolution (Ville-la-Grand) – website / address: 14 rue de Deux Montagne, 74100, Ville-la-Grand;
- 🔱 La Funky Factory laser games (Thonon-les-Bains) – set in an old factory! / website / address: 14 avenue de la Dranse, Thonon-les-Bains;
- 🎮 Cortex Virtual (Annemasse) – website / address: 12 rue Germain Sommeiller, Annemasse;
- 🎮 E.Réel (near Annecy) – website / address: 486 route des Prés Rollier, 74330, Sillingy);
And for something a bit different . . .
👩🏫🌈 CrazySchool (Cranves-Sales) – CrazySchool is a unique concept for a salle de jeux: a school of illusion, with parcours full of original games: lasers, climbing, puzzles . . . / price: from 15€;
website & FB page address: 1065 route des Tattes de Borly, 74380, Cranves-Sales (near Annemasse)
📟 Ecole Robots Algora (Annemasse) – learn to programme and build robots!
FB page
On a rainy day you probably won’t much feel like visiting an animal park outdoors !
🦎 Aquariums and vivariums, however, are INDOORS – so a perfect fit!
There are no 🦎 aquariums, tropicariums or vivariums to visit au Pays du Mont-Blanc, but there are a few options around 🇨🇭 Lac Léman . . .
- 🦎 Elapsoïdea Vivarium de Meyrin (Geneva);
- 🦎 Musée du Léman et Aquarium (Nyon);
- 🦎 AQUATIS aquarium & vivarium (Lausanne);
- 🦎 Tropicarium de Servion (near Lausanne);
[ ⇒ for more information about these 🦎 aquariums, tropicariums or vivariums, see separate MBFF article ANIMAL PARKS & AQUARIUMS au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and beyond) ]
One way to escape ⛈ the rain, and yet to remain immersed in mother nature, is to head underground . . . Not too far from the 🏔 Pays du Mont-Blanc, you have 🦇 several underground options for ☔️ rainy days.
[ note: the caves will be SHUT over the winter season, so this is more of a summer rain option! Also, with huge quantities of rain, many caves are likely to shut for security reasons! ]
You can book to visit the 🦇 Grotte de Balme (near Magland) with a guide through Sallanches Tourisme! / a great spéléologie visit!
[ ⇒ read more about this cave, popular as a tourist destination in days gone by, here ]
And a bit FURTHER AFIELD, there are some other 🦇 magnificent caves to visit (perfect for a rainy day or a very hot day, as caves stay at a very constant temperature!) . . . Remember to take baby carriers, as buggies are not permitted;
🐻 Musée de l’Ours des Cavernes (near Chambéry) – a museum (decorated to make you feel like you are in a cave!) exploring the world of cave-dwelling bears! / 🗓 opening hours: from October until April, during the school holidays, 14h to 18h (SHUT Saturdays);
website address: Musée des Ours et des Cavernes, Epernay, 73670, Entremont-le-Vieux (in Parc Naturel Régional de Chartreuse) tel: 04 79 26 29 87
🦇 Les Grottes de la Balme (Isère) – the caves are located 40mins drive to the east of Lyon, 2 hours from Chamonix / the temperature in the caves is between 12° et 15°C all year round (bring jumper) / no dogs allowed, no camera flash / picnic spot at entrance to village, with rain shelter, WC and playground / holiday workshops / note: when there is too much water running through the cave system, then you cannot visit the lake!
website
address: rue des Grottes, 38390, La Balme-les-Grottes / tel: +33 (0)4 74 96 95 00!
🦇 Les Grottes Cerdon (l’Ain) – located one hour from Lyon, Grenoble and Annecy and 40 minutes from Bourg-en-Bresse, in the Jura mountains / visiting time 1h30 / visit follows path of ancient underground river, shaped by glaciers / the temperature in the caves is between 14° and 4°C (bring jumper) / wear suitable shoes / there is a little train for beginning of visit / guided visit or independent visit with audioguide / parc préhistorique: (this part is for a NOT rainy day) – there are lots of workshops on offer during the school holidays like les ateliers de la préhistoire, holiday visits for children 4 to 7 years, caving for children and more . . .
website
address: Grottes du Cerdon, 01450, Cerdon / tel: +33 (0)4 74 37 36 79
🇨🇭 Bex salt mines (Salines de Bex) – located between Martigny and Montreux in Switerland, are another great underground option – here you discover the origin of the Sel des Alpes (salt was once as precious as gold!) in the vast underground labyrinth (several kilometres open to the public) and learn about the excavation techniques used from the first gallery of 1684, up to modern times / 18°C: all year round! / small train / 🗓 opening dates: from March until December;
website address: route de Gryon 31, Bex, Vaud, Switerland / tel: +41 24 463 03 20
🇨🇭💦 Lac Soutterain St-Léonard – not too far from the Pays du Mont-Blanc is the 💦 Lac Soutterain St-Léonard – located between Sion and Serre in the Valais, Switzerland, this is the largest underground lake in Europe (300m long x 20m wide w 10m deep) / ambient temperature all year of 15° / 3D animations, guided tours by boat / 🗓 opening dates: from March until November;
website address: rue du Lac 21, 1958, St-Léonard / tel: +41 (0)27 203 22 66
Children generally love 🚂 trains and train journeys . . . and once in the train, you are out of the 🌧 rain! Luckily, there are some memorable 🚂 train journeys (big and small!) 🏔 au Pays du Mont-Blanc:
- 🚂 Montenvers cobble train & Mer de Glace – the iconic cobble train departs from Chamonix (behind SNCF train station) and heads up to the Montenvers glacier and ice grotto! / ⇒ see here for MBFF article;
- 🚈 Mont-Blanc Express from Le Fayet to Martigny – with a carte d’hôte, you can take this train for FREE between Servoz and Vallorcine . . . and it goes as far as 🇨🇭 Martigny in Switzerland! / a lovely excursion, with views of the snowy peaks throught the upper windows . . . / ⇒ see here for more details;
- 🚃 Le Tramway du Mont-Blanc – is the highest-reaching cobble train in France, leaving from Le Fayet or Saint-Gervais and reaching up to the Nid d’Aigle (2372 m) / journey up through forests and fields of ❄️ SNOW / ⇒ see here for more details;
Mont Blanc Family Fun 
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