This boucle is one of my favourite Sallanches hikes. I’ve actually yet to do it en famille, but I’ve now hiked it a few times with friends, and I know that it would be the perfect family hike with older kids (even younger ones, if they are good hikers!). There is not a huge dénivelé on this hike (the steepest part is at the start), … Continue reading FAMILY HIKES: boucle from Lintre ⇒ la Pierre Fendue (SALLANCHES)
It will soon be ☀️ SUMMERTIME, and we have a rich calendar of 🚵♂️ sporting events to participate IN, or be a spectator AT, over ☀️ these late spring and summer months! 🏃♂️ trail running, marathons and half-marathons; 🚵♂️ road-biking and VTT events (and details about the Tour de France); 🏊 swimming events; 🏃♂️🏊 🚵♂️ summer biathlon and triathlon events; 🌈 fun runs and obstacle races; … Continue reading SPORTS EVENTS for families au Pays du Mont-Blanc (spring & summer 2022)
With the Télécabine du Jaillet (Megève, Portes du Mont-Blanc) , you can swiftly get up to ⛰ the altitude 1585m, while exerting minimal energy! And, at the arrival station, so much FUN awaits : the aire de jeux panoramique, a chill-out zone, a superb view of Mont-Blanc, picnic spots (and a restaurant option a short stroll away) and plenty of 🥾 hikes and 🚵♂️ VTT … Continue reading TÉLÉCABINE du JAILLET in summertime: aire de jeux panoramique, relaxation zone, hikes & activities (Megève)
Last summer, on ☀ a very hot day, I finally ventured to 💦 Arly-Plage for some river fun with the boys . . . We’d visited 🌈 the Base de Loisirs des Belles several times, and we’d been ⛷ skiing in Praz-sur-Arly, but we’d never gone for 💦 a paddle and a splash around in the shallow Arly river! Arly-Plage: splashing fun The 💦 Arly … Continue reading ARLY-PLAGE: the perfect spot for splashing & paddling ! (PRAZ-sur-ARLY)
[ autumn 2021 update: 🚠 the Téléphérique du Salève is now SHUT for a huge 2 year long renovation programme . . . but you can still visit the iconic ⛰ Salève mountain, either by driving up there or by hiking up / the 🚠 cable car is due to re-open in 2023 ! ] A couple of weekends back, MBFF was kindly invited by … Continue reading Téléphérique du Salève – a day out with superb views of Lac Léman & the Alps! (Etrembières)
A visit to a 💦 waterfall or gorge is often an awe-inspiring and sensory experience, allowing you to appreciate nature in its wildest, purest form. It can also be a great option for a family hike, or a chance to escape ☀️ the heat of summer, with a cool breeze and brume emanating from the cascade of water. We are lucky 🗻 au Pays du Mont-Blanc, as we … Continue reading WATERFALLS & GORGES au Pays du Mont-Blanc
Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval (Vallée du Giffre) is known as 💦 the land of 30 waterfalls, and 💦 la Cascade du Rouget figures prominently on that list; in 2009 was voted the most beautiful waterfall 🇫🇷 in France! It is affectionately referred to as 👑 « la reine des Alpes » (the Queen of the Alps). Located at an altitude of 960m, and with its +80m of height set across two … Continue reading La Cascade du Rouget (SIXT-FER-à-CHEVAL)
This Sallanches hike is ideal any time of year (except on an icy winter’s day!); in 🌸 early springtime, many of our 🗻 higher (and even mid-range) altitude mountain hikes are still snow-covered, but the paths on this trail should be snow-free; in autumn, the colours are just spectacular! The hike (which is also 🚵♂️ a bike trail) is ideal for families for several reasons: … Continue reading FAMILY HIKES: Lacs des Ilettes, la Cascade de l’Arpenaz & Luzier
🏞 La Réserve Naturelle du Bout-du-Lac in Doussard is a tranquil 🐸 wetland area, with marshes, 💦 rivers and 🌾 unique flora and 🦆 fauna, offering superb views of 💦 Lac d’Annecy and 🏔 the surrounding mountains. For 👨👩👧👦 families, it is ideal: wide wooden walkways perfect for buggies or wheelchairs, 🗺 explanatory panels along the way . . . children will remain engaged and you’ll all learn … Continue reading BUGGY WALKS & FAMILY STROLLS: La Réserve Naturelle du Bout-du-Lac (Doussard, Lac d’Annecy)
You LOVE the beautiful ❄️ SNOW, but you’re beginning to feel frustrated as it is restricting your movements with a buggy? You’re tired of heading to 💦 Lac de Passy (lovely as it is!), to do loop after loop with a buggy, because you are in need of some ground without ❄️ SNOW ? I’m sure you’re not alone! ❄️ Wintertime can feel ever so LONG … Continue reading BUGGY WALKS: 10 winter ones au Pays du Mont-Blanc
In March 2020, the week before life was to change across the world due to Covid-19, a friend and I had a super morning in Chamonix: we had been invited to try out the 🛷 snooc au ❄ Domaine des Planards! At the time, the ❄ Domaine des Planards was the only ski station 🗻 au Pays du Mont-Blanc set up to use it safely. … Continue reading BAPTÊME SNOOC au DOMAINE des PLANARDS (Chamonix)
Over the last few years, 🥗 FOOD TRUCKS & FOOD HUTS have multiplied 🏔 au Pays du Mont-Blanc, and have become welcome additions to our mountain playground. You may have spotted them over the years – in ❄️ wintertime, on the ⛄️ fronts de neige and on the ⛷ ski pistes, by 🚡 télécabines and télésièges departure and arrival points, along main roads in designated spots, or perhaps a slot at … Continue reading FOODTRUCKS & FOOD HUTS au Pays du Mont-Blanc (2021)
It’s that time of year when the ⛸ seasonal ice-skating rinks begin to appear in town centres throughout the 🏔 Pays du Mont-Blanc (and beyond) . . . a lovely way to spend some time en famille . . . Sometimes, next to the ice-skating rink, you might find yourself rewarded with 🥃 a vin chaud stand or a small 🎄 Christmas market! [ ⇒ for more information about … Continue reading SEASONAL ICE-SKATING au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and beyond)
Here 🗻 au Pays du Mont-Blanc, we live on the border with 🇨🇭 Switzerland, one of the most famous chocolate producing nations in the world! Those 🐄 happy alpine cows produce 🥛 a rich creamy milk, perfect to mix with cacao, to form delicious chocolate . . . But here 🗻 au Pays du Mont-Blanc, we also have a rich tradition of artisan chocolate-making, which … Continue reading CHOCOLATIERS ARTISANAUX au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and a bit beyond)
A 1km confinement radius is a different surface area for each family . . . some will have access to 💦 a waterfall, others 💦 a river walk, hopefully all can find some 🌿 green space or 🌳🌲 woodland . . . I realised during confinement that I had never written a full article about the 🌳🌲 Bois du Bouchet in Chamonix, which is certainly … Continue reading BOIS du BOUCHET – strolls, bike rides, a parcours d’orientation, snowy options & MORE !
Living in the 🏔 Pays du Mont-Blanc, we always have some 🌳 woodland or green space nearby, so here are some ideas for 🌳 nature-inspired activities for your next outing! 1. Build a CABANE We don’t all live near 🌳 woodland with copious branches available to make a solid cabane, but if you do . . . this activity will keep your brood amused for a … Continue reading 10 ideas for NATURE GAMES & CREATIVITY en famille
During the 🏡 second confinement last year, we all (apart from those lucky mountain leaders and other sporting folk!) had to find 🏡 walks within a 1km radius from home . . . I was lucky to find one 🏔 local hike that adhered to the distance and time authorised (if I ran part of it, which iwas a major challenge for someone not keen on … Continue reading FAMILY HIKES: Les Golettes, La Vigne & La Fley (SALLANCHES)
Last autumn, MBFF headed to Cordon, to walk the « Sentier Découverte de la Forêt à Cordon » (« Forest Discovery Trail »). We first discovered this trail about 5 years ago, and I had been meaning to write a full article about it every since! The 🌲 « Forest Discovery Trail » is an annotated trail through the 🌲 forest (a predominantly spruce forest, with a … Continue reading FAMILY HIKES: « Forest Discovery Trail » / « Sentier Découverte de la Forêt » (Cordon)
This is a lovely bucolic family hike, a boucle leaving from ⛪️ the baroque church of Combloux, and heading to ⛪️ the little chapel in the hamlet of Ormaret. It’s an easy stroll, with 🌿 wide open spaces for running, little bridges to cross, 🐄 farm animals to see (and the possibility of visiting a farm along the way), and ⛪️ a small chapel to … Continue reading FAMILY HIKES: Boucle de la Chapelle d’Ormaret (Combloux ⇒ Ormaret)
This is the follow-up article for 10 ideas for 🍁 autumn stroll with young children 🏔 au Pays du Mont-Blanc (see here). Autumn is certainly arriving, and I love this season of 🍁 burnt seasonal colours adorning the trees and covering the ground accompanied by early ❄️ snow powdered on the nearby 🏔 summits! And so, here are some ideas to head out and enjoy those 🍁 dazzling colours … Continue reading 10 MORE ideas for AUTUMN FAMILY HIKES & STROLLS with small children (beyond le Pays du Mont-Blanc)
🍁 Autumn, before ❄️ the snow arrives (and even when ❄️ the snow arrives!), is a lovely time for a family stroll or hike here 🏔 au Pays du Mont-Blanc . . . the temperatures are (usually) fresher than the ☀️ summertime, and 🍁 the burnt seasonal colours adorning the trees and scattered on the ground are just beautiful. Next to a lake, you’ll perhaps see 🍂 autumn … Continue reading 10 ideas for AUTUMN FAMILY HIKES & STROLLS with small children au Pays du Mont-Blanc
I have now been on this hike a few times en famille, and with friends. I can assure you that each time, friends are wowed by the 🌉 Himalayan suspension bridge, 🏔 the fabulous views of 🗻 Mont-Blanc, and the ethereal 💦 Lac Vert. The altitude gain (dénivelé) on this hike is fairly minimal, making it a great short hike for families with young children or older … Continue reading FAMILY HIKES: La Passerelle Himalayenne ⇒ Lac Vert (Passy)
MBFF tried out another of Cluse Arve & Montagne’s jeux last autumn! This time we chose another jeu d’aventure: ⏱ Le Mystère de la Montre, in ⛰ Mont-Saxonnex! After having had so much fun doing the previous two jeux, ⚔️ Le Chevalier Maudit (in Châtillon-sur-Cluses; read about our experience here) and 🥚 L’Œuf de Plume la Gypaète (in Le Reposoir; read about our experience here), … Continue reading « Le Mystère de la Montre » : a treasure hunt in Mont-Saxonnex!
In February this year, we headed to ⛰ Le Reposoir to do one of the Cluses Arves & Montagnes 🗺 jeux d’orientation (we’ve also done the jeux L’Œuf de Plume la Gypaète – see here for MBFF article), and we really enjoyed it! As well as the fun of the orienteering game, we really delighted in getting to know a new mountain village and the … Continue reading « Le Chevalier Maudit »: medieval knightly fun and Geocaching® en famille! (Châtillon-sur-Cluses)
I don’t know about you, but I like to stay off 🏔 the busy mountain paths in ☀️ the summertime, social-distancing regulations in place or not! Last summer, my boys were at their 🎨 Art & Nature workshop with local artist Cat Kartal in Argentière, and so I took the opportunity to have a day out by myself, hiking and then reading my book in nature. I decided … Continue reading FAMILY HIKES: la Gorge du Glacier (Argentière)
Mont Blanc Family Fun 