With all of our wonderful 🧗♂️ rock climbing and Via-Ferrata routes 🏔 au Pays du Mont-Blanc, it is only natural that so many 🌳 accrobranches ® should also appear over recent years! We’ve tried out a few of them, and they are very popular with our 🐵 monkey climbing boys . . .
🌳 some tree climbing terminology:
🌳 accrobranches ® – it is a rope course in the trees, using the same technique of auto-safety used for 🧗♂️ Via-Ferrata / most UK kids know it as Go Ape !
🌳 grimpe d’arbre ® – well, this is just old fashioned tree climbing, but with a safety harness and rope! La « Grimpe d’Arbre » allows you to clamber up the tree trunk to the canopy, jumping across branches along the way! Once perched up in the canopy, many of the tree-climbing companies offer diverse options: a goûter, a lunch or dinner, even an overnight in a hamac!
🌳 tyroliennes – a zip-line, this allows you to zoom across a section of the course, or across a river or lake . . .
🌉 bungee jumping – jumping from a bridge (normally) into the abyss . . . except that you are attached to an elasticated cord, and so you spring up and down after the jump . . .
[ good to know: the opening hours of these facilities are subject to change in the event of bad weather, so always double check before heading there! ]
Colour code for listings
Pays du Mont-Blanc
Chamonix Valley (Chamonix, Les Houches, Servoz, Arentière and environs) and Vallorcine
Passy (Plateau d’Assy, Plaine-Joux, Marlioz, Chedde, Bay)
Sallanches, Combloux, Cordon & Domancy
Saint-Gervais, Le Fayet, Saint Nicolas de Véroce, Bionnassay and environs
Megeve & Praz-sur-Arly and environs
Les Contamines-Montjoie and environs
Further France
Chamonix Valley
Accro’Park Chamonix (Les Gaillands, Chamonix)
🐵 Accro’Park Chamonix is located in Les Gaillands (Chamonix) – from 3+ years (parcours pitchoun from 1m) / 6 parcours for all ages, giant 300m tyrolienne, Tarzan jump, monkey bridge, saut dans le vide / 🗓 springtime opening: weekends & jours fériés from 13h30 until 19h (last entrance 16h30) / 🗓 summer opening: every day (from mid-June) from 13h30 until 19h / 🗓 autumn opening: see website / price: from 9€ / see website or FB page for more details / email: info@cham’aventure.com;
🍏 eating options: in Les Gaillands, you will find picnic tables, BBQ facilities and 🥗 small buvette open during the summertime / nearby is the Crèmerie des Aiguilles, with a children’s play area;
➕ bonus: next to 🧗♂️ climbing rock and 💦 Arve river walk;
address: Les Gaillands, 74400, Chamonix / tel: 04 50 53 55 70 or 04 50 53 00 88;
La Fôret Magique (Les Tines)
🐵 La Forêt Magique (Tines) – for children 7+ years, 1m height and above / tyrolienne verticale, tyrolienne horizontale, pas de géant, toile d’araignées, pont de poutre en V, passerelles, a net to climb, a cabin in the trees for picnics / 🗓 opening: April, May, September & October (afternoons only) and June, July & August 10h to 18h every day / price: from 9€ / website ;
🍏 eating options: you’ll find the Excelsior hotel nearby, which has a restaurant (251 chemin de Saint-Roch, Les Tines, 74400, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc);
➕ bonus: near Paint-Ball Mont-Blanc and a walk away from the 💦 Paradis des Praz;
address: Les Liarets, Les Tines, 74400, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc / tel: 33(0)6 21 12 13 94;
PASSY & PLAINE-JOUX
Passy Accro-Lac (Lac de Passy)
7 parcours / 🐵 parcours Pitchounes from 2+ years / new giant air-bag and play area for tiny ones! / 🗓 opening hours: see website / FB page & website;
🍏 eating options: Buvette de la Plage right next door, Les Criques the other side of the lake and picnic tables and BBQ facilities at the lake (see MBFF Lac de Passy article for further eating options);
➕ bonus: next to lake with wibit and paddle boards & pedalos, mini golf & electric boats, bike park, trottinettes electriques, playgrounds, bouncy castles, and more;
address: route des Lacs, Passy (parking plage) / tel: 06 02 66 09 88;
Accro-Cimes (Plaine-Joux)
Our older boy tried out the mini parcours here aged 4 years, while his baby brother slept in his buggy (this was a few years ago!). This accrobranches has changed hands a couple of times since we were last there, now it is called Accro-Cimes! / 6 parcours, accessible from 3+ years / special nocturnes until 22h / see here for more details / 🗓 opening hours: summer holidays: 10h until 17h;
🍏 eating options: La Bergerie (a firm MBFF favourite), other restaurants and Lac de Passy and Lac Vert and picnic tables (see MBFF Plaine Joux article for further eating options);
➕ bonus: you can watch the parapentes taking off at Plaine-Joux and you are a short walk from Lac Vert / also nearby, the Passerelle Himalayenne and the Jardin des Cimes (open May until October);
address: 300 chemin des Parchets, Plaine-Joux, 74190, Passy (by the car park) / tel: 06 10 77 73 72;
SAINT-GERVAIS & LE FAYET
Mont-Blanc Parc Aventure (Parc Thermal, Le Fayet)
Located in the fabulous 🌳 Parc Thermal in Le Fayet, this was the very first 🐵 accrobranches® that our older boy tried out with his grandparents, aged 3, and he was promptly hooked! It is now run by guides from Compagnie des Guides / from 90cm height;
🗓 opening hours: summer, every day from 10h30 until 18h30 and see website for spring and autumn opening;
price: from 10€ to 22€;
bungee jumping information here;
🍏 eating options: picnic tables and plenty of green, green grass in Le Parc Thermal, and La Caborna now runs the restaurant in the park;
➕ bonus: in Le Parc Thermal, there are lots of activities available (located next to 🧗♂️ rock climbing, 🧗♂️ Via Ferrata, hiking routes, 💦 waterfall, playground, le petit train and duck pond);
MEGEVE & PRAZ-sur-ARLY
Côte 2000 Aventure (Megève)
This 🐵 accrobranches ® is located at 1500m and next to the altiport in Côte 2000, Megève / the parcours enfant is suitable for children from 5+ years and 1,15m (with an adult) and there are several parcours only 2m from ground, as well as parcours high in trees / CLIT-IT security system, meaning a permanent attachment throughout the parcours;
🗓 opening hours: from mid-July until August open every day 10h until 17h;
🍏 eating options: nearby, you’ll find the 🛩 Coucou Café, Restaurant du Lay, and Restaurant du Côte 2000;
➕ bonus: 🛩 the altiport is next door for plane spotting, and Côte 2000 is the starting point for hiking and VTT routes, 💦 Lac de Javen is nearby, and there is paint-balling next door.
website
address: route de la Côte 2000, Megève (next to altiport) / tel: 06 76 29 71 04;
LES CONTAMINES-MONTJOIE
🌳 Parcours Aventure 4 saisons is located within the Parc de Loisirs du Pontet leisure park in Les Contamines-Montjoie.
🍏 eating options: the Chalet du Lac restaurant is located by the small pedalo and fishing lake and there are picnic tables in the park . . . and this summer, you will find Yann and his mini eco-mobile Repaire des Curioos selling ice creams and bio drinks at Notre Dame de la Gorge;
➕ bonus: there are lots of leisure activities in park (swimming lake, water games, chiens de traineau, sports), a playground, donkey walks, this is the starting point for hikes, there is ⛪️ the pretty church at Notre Dame de la Gorge and the Sainte-Chapelle / the Parc de Loisirs du Pontet is also located next to the🚡 Télécabine de la Gorge, for access to the 💦 Lac de l’Etape;
website address: Parc de Loisirs du Pontet, 74170, Les Contamines-Montjoie tel: 06 21 83 52 39
FURTHER AFIELD
If you head a little further afield – to Filenvol (near Annemasse), Lac d’Annecy, Morzine, to Châtel – then you’ll find even more wacky and adrenaline-reaching affairs: filets in the trees, tyroliennes extremes . . .
I am working on this article for you, filled with adventurous options a bit further afield!
Mont Blanc Family Fun 