💦 Lac d’Annecy is a super place to head from 🗻 the Pays du Mont-Blanc for a stroll or a hike – perhaps for a bit of culture in the old town of Annecy, perhaps to escape the winter snow of the mountains, or perhaps for a FLAT stroll along the lakeside with a buggy. You’ll find lots of flat walks around the lake, perfect … Continue reading 10 family strolls & easy hikes around LAC d’ANNECY
What is Piste X Code ? Piste X Code is a new, and long overdue, 🗻 on-piste safety campaign! We all know that 🏂 skiing and ⛷ snowboarding and other downhill mountain sports carry risk. Perhaps we’ve had an accident on the pistes or we know someone that has been injured. The nature of 🗻 winter piste sports ie downhill, slippery and varied terrain (some … Continue reading Piste X Code – let’s be safe on the pistes !
Yvoire is a 14th century medieval fishing village, located on the southern shores of the French coast of Lac Léman. Known as « la perle du Léman » and classified as one of the « plus beaux villages de la France » (see here), with its narrow streets filled with pretty stone buildings, their wooden balconies overflowing with flowers, Yvoire attracts a fair number of tourists, especially over the summer months. Yvoire: a little geography & history Lac Léman – this Swiss – French … Continue reading YVOIRE – a lakeside family day out ! (Lac Léman)
A couple of years ago in November, MBFF headed to Le Bettex (Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc), to walk the family-designed « Sur la piste de Charlotte la Marmotte ». This family walk is 🗺 an annotated trail, and it can be done all year round ( in winter with snowboots or raquettes), with a baby carrier if needed! The path leaves from Le Bettex (1400m) and heads to … Continue reading FAMILY HIKES: « Sur la piste de Charlotte la Marmotte » (Le Bettex, Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc)
Having already re-opened under the L’Oréal Paris label, 💦 Les Thermes de Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc underwent a huge renovation project a couple of years ago . . . These 💦 thermal baths are nestled in a verdant and bucolic spot at the bottom of 🌳 the Parc Thermal in Le Fayet : 💦 in the gorge du Bonnant and next to the Cascade des Thermes. … Continue reading Les Thermes de Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc en famille (LE FAYET)
🐠🐊 AQUATIS aquarium-vivarium opened just over 4 years ago, and I had been wanting to take the boys ever since! And so MBFF was delighted to be invited just before the Christmas holidays. I kept it a secret from the boys until we arrived, just to add to the excitement; both boys being huge animal lovers (yes, including 🐊 reptiles and 🐸 amphibians!), I knew … Continue reading AQUATIS aquarium-vivarium en famille (LAUSANNE)
We are lucky to have some 🖼 wonderful museums 🏔 au Pays du Mont-Blanc, many housed in architectural gems (old, renovated and new) . . . and as well as their permanent collections, they also offer 🖼 temporary exhibitions and 🎨 workshops for children and families over the school holidays! We are also lucky if we live in (or are visiting!) the 🏔 Pays du Mont-Blanc, as we … Continue reading MUSEUMS & EXHIBITIONS in nearby SWITZERLAND
We are lucky to have some 🖼 wonderful museums 🏔 au Pays du Mont-Blanc, many housed in architectural gems (old, renovated and new), and as well as their permanent collections, many also offer 🖼 temporary exhibitions and 🎨 workshops for children and families over the school holidays! [ ⇒ see MBFF article about 🖼 MUSEUMS & EXHIBITIONS au Pays du Mont-Blanc here and 🖼 OUTDOOR ART EXHIBITIONS & EPHEMERAL OUTDOOR … Continue reading MUSEUMS & EXHIBITIONS in nearby FRANCE
We are lucky to have some 🖼 wonderful museums 🏔 au Pays du Mont-Blanc and in the Chamonix Valley, many housed in architectural gems (old, renovated and new). . . and as well as their permanent collections, they also offer 🎨 temporary exhibitions and workshops for children and families over the school holidays! ⇒ see also MBFF articles: 🖼 OUTDOOR ART EXHIBITIONS & EPHEMERAL OUTDOOR ART au Pays du … Continue reading MUSEUMS & EXHIBITIONS au Pays du Mont-Blanc
One Saturday evening last January, MBFF walked through a sparkling enchanted forest, courtesy of Les Gets Tourisme! I’d been wanting to experience this night-time son & lumières parcours since its opening, and finally we managed to get there! The unique trail is located in the forest behind the Lac des Écoles in Les Gets . . . and it is just M A G I C … Continue reading ALTA LUMINA en famille (Les Gets)
[ note 2023 – this exhibition has been and gone, but I’ll leave the article on the website, as the photos are so magical ! Also, similar interactive exhibitions will come to the Beaulieu in Lausanne ! ] Just before the holidays MBFF had the great privilege of being invited to experience the world-famous sensory exhibition Van Gogh Alive – the experience in Lausanne . . … Continue reading « VAN GOGH ALIVE – the experience » en famille (LAUSANNE)
A while back (in those pre-pandemic days!), MBFF had the absolute pleasure to be invited to explore the 🖼 Musée des Confluences! I had heard so many great things about this museum, and was eager to go and explore en famille – and it truly lived up to all of my high expectations! Before our visit, I’d had a really friendly exchange with the museum’s … Continue reading Musée des Confluences (LYON)
A couple of 🍁 Novembers ago, MBFF set off on a short hike that I’d been wanting to do for a while: Le Sentier des Arpelières in Crest-Voland (or Les Saisies), Val d’Arly. I have hiked all over the world, but – hand on heart – 🍁 the autumn colours and 🍄 the magical nature of the terrain on this hike make this 🍂 one … Continue reading FAMILY STROLLS : Sentier des Arpelières (VAL d’ARLY)
🗺 Outdoor games can be a great way to keep youngsters entertained while on a hike en famille, or used as an educational approach to learning about one of our mountain villages or towns here 🏔 au Pays du Mont-Blanc. These 🗺 outdoor games take all sorts of different forms: 🦌 thematic trails to learn about the local patrimoine or nature & animals; 🗺 informative … Continue reading 10 ideas for JEUX de PISTE and CHASSES au TRÉSOR au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and beyond)
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 new foodtruck on-site and a restaurant option a short stroll away) and plenty of 🥾 … Continue reading TÉLÉCABINE du JAILLET in summertime : aire de jeux panoramique, relaxation zone, hikes & activities (Megève)
A couple of summers ago, 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 … Continue reading ARLY-PLAGE & BERGES d’ARLY: the perfect spot for splashing & paddling ! (PRAZ-sur-ARLY)
[ spring 2023 update : 🚠 the Téléphérique du Salève is still SHUT for its 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 … 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
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 sometimes you feel frustrated as it is restricts your movements with a buggy? You’re tired of heading to 💦 Lac de Passy (lovely as it is!), where you 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 & FAMILY STROLLS : 10 winter ones au Pays du Mont-Blanc
Aside from 🎿 alpine skiing and snowboarding, there are still a multitude of outdoor activities that are NOT 🎿 alpine skiing and snowboarding to enjoy en famille here🗻 au Pays du Mont-Blanc. In this article, I highlight some of the ❄️ alternative outdoor winter activities that you can indulge in 🗻 au Pays du Mont-Blanc over the winter months . . . Colour code for … Continue reading 10 OUTDOOR WINTERTIME ACTIVITES (apart from ski alpin!) 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)
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! Some of these ⛸ seasonal ice-skating … Continue reading SEASONAL ICE-SKATING au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and beyond)
The 🌲 Bois du Bouchet is a young forest, witness to the retreat of ❄️ ancient glaciers, and with vestiges of the granite-workers from Italy of the 19th and 20th century . . . And this 🌳🌲 woodland it is also a window from which to gaze upon the majestic 🏔 Mont-Blanc and the other peaks of Chamonix. The 🌲 Bois du Bouchet is located … Continue reading BOIS du BOUCHET – strolls, bike rides, a parcours d’orientation, snowy options & MORE !
Mont Blanc Family Fun 