Jardin des Cimes in Plateau d’Assy This is not a conventional playground – and neither is it free (as you have to pay an entrance fee to enter the gardens) . . . but I’ve included it in this Passy Playgrounds article, as you can’t find many playgrounds with such an incredible view of 🏔 the Mont-Blanc massif . . . These wooden structures at … Continue reading Passy Mont-Blanc PLAYGROUNDS
The MBFF team members are 🇮🇹 big fans of Italy for holidays! As a destination from the 💦 Arve Valley, it is easy to get there through the 🚇 Mont-Blanc Tunnel and we can also book hotels and apartments last minute! Italians simply LOVE children (and not just well-behaving children; ALL children!), the food is very family-friendly (and delicious!), and there is endless nature, history and culture to … Continue reading Forte di Bard (ITALY)
🖼 La Fondation Pierre Gianadda in 🇨🇭 Martigny (Switzerland) is one of my all time favourite museums! The building itself is an architectural gem, 🖼 the exhibitions are varied and ambitious, and the 🐑🍏 sculpture garden is a real treasure trove. La Fondation Pierre Gianadda : three museums in one (and a sculpture garden) The 🖼 Fondation Pierre Gianadda (indoors) is three museums in one: 🖼 there is the space … Continue reading La Fondation Pierre Gianadda (Martigny, SWITZERLAND)
We are lucky to have 💦 two large thermal baths on offer 🏔 au Pays du Mont-Blanc : 💦 QC Termes in Chamonix; 💦 Les Thermes de Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc in the Parc Thermal; In addition, several hotels in the Chamonix Valley (and au Pays du Mont-Blanc) offer 💦 access to their spa centre and pool to non-hotel guest, for an entrance fee or with the … Continue reading THERMAL BATHS, SPAS & MASSAGES in the Chamonix Valley (and beyond)
Just behind the hospital and the Collège de Verney, and next to the autoroute, Sallanches has its own 🛴 pumptrack and 🛹🛴skatepark. It’s a popular spot for youngsters to head, either en famille or – as they get older – on their own. Sallanches pumptrack Sallanches is the latest commune to get its very own 🛴 PUMPTRACK! Sallanches skatepark The 🛹🛴 skatepark is just next door … Continue reading Sallanches PUMPTRACK & SKATEPARK
We discovered La Base de Loisirs des Belles in Praz-sur-Arly on a 🍁 sunny autumn day a few years ago now . . . our boys were delighted to be able to play in the vast open space surrounding the playgrounds, and we were able to lift our faces to the sun and relax. The leisure space is also much more than just playgrounds, so head … Continue reading Base de Loisirs des Belles (PRAZ-sur-ARLY)
The 🏔 Musée Montagnard is housed in one of the oldest 18th century houses in the centre of Les Houches. Permanent collection The museum has been arranged to show three typical rooms of such a house: the pèle (bedroom & living room), the outa (kitchen) and the sarte (pantry). The museum houses a rich collection of traditional furniture and objects, largely provided by M. Albert Laprade, the eminent architect-urbanist, who was … Continue reading Le Musée Montagnard (LES HOUCHES)
🏔 Chamonix, while boasting many terrific hiking routes and skiing opportunities, can also lay claim to some 🌲 beautiful parks, gardens and woodland. This could be of particular interest if you have small children or babies in buggies! Parc Couttet (centre of Chamonix) A relative newcomer to Chamonix, inaugurated in the summer of 2015, the 🌳 Parc Couttet is a little gem of a park, right in the centre … Continue reading CHAMONIX parks, woods & gardens
Set in 🏰 a historic 14th century château seigneurial (noble stronghold), located just behind ⛪️ the Eglise Saint-Jacques and next to the entrance to 💦 the Gorges du Lévaud in Sallanches, the 🏰 Château des Rubins – Observatoire des Alpes is a museum dedicated to 🏔 the Alps (and mountains in general)! The museum recently re-opened to the public, after an extensive 2 year renovation programme ! … Continue reading Château des Rubins – Observatoire des Alpes (SALLANCHES)
The 🌳 Parc Thermal in Le Fayet is by far one our favourite haunts 🏔 au Pays du Mont-Blanc in the summertime, where we go to escape the ☀️ heat of the valley, to find shade and to appreciate the refreshing breeze from the 💦 Bonnant river! The 🌳 Parc Thermal has an elegant entrance, with a pretty fountain, and there is a main path through the … Continue reading Le Parc Thermal (LE FAYET)
One of MBFF’s 🖼 favourite museums in Geneva is the MEG (Musée d’Ethnographie de Genève) . . . we watched as it was being built and we were excited when it opened its shiny new doors to the public! The adventure starts before you even enter the museum – the architecture is modern and audacious (designed by Graber Pulver Architekten AG) and there is a 🌷 pretty landscaped garden (Hager … Continue reading MEG – Musée d’Ethnographie de Genève (GENEVA)
Newly renovated and opened in December 2017, Megève’s Le Palais is all at once a : 🏀 sports centre; 💦 spa & wellness centre; 🎭 conference & events centre; 📚 médiathèque and kids club; 🎨 cultural centre hosting temporary exhibitions and workshops & classes for children and adults alike; good to know: be sure to enquire about discounts available with the Formule Liberté and the Carte d’Hôtes; [ ⇒ for more information, Le Palais … Continue reading Le Palais (MEGÈVE)
One of the largest museums in 🇨🇭 Switzerland, the 🖼 MAH – Musée d’Art et d’Histoire, displays over 650 000 sculptures, 🏺 objects and 🖼 paintings across 5 floors. Built in 1910 by the architect Marc Camoletti, the museum is located in the old town, and so is a short walk from plenty of other family delights. Espace #mahfamily & restaurant We thoroughly enjoyed our last visit to … Continue reading MAH – Musée d’Art et d’Histoire (GENEVA)
MEGEVE PLAYGROUNDS MEGEVE town centre has a couple of playgrounds to keep your little ones entertained . . . In addition, a short walk during the summer months will take you take you to another play area located in the middle of 💦 nature . . . AND there is now an aire de jeux panoramique at the top of the 🚡 Télécabine du Jaillet! … Continue reading Megève & Praz-sur-Arly PLAYGROUNDS
Chamonix’s sports centre, the 🧗♂️ Centre Sportif Richard Bozon, is located just off the main road heading out to Argentière and its facilities include: 💦 swimming pools (a 25m indoor pool, a baby pool and outdoor swimming pool); sauna and hammam; ⛸ ice-skating rink; 🧗♀️ climbing wall; 🎾 tennis courts; 🏃♀️ running track and basketball nets (becoming a winter ice-skating rink!); [ good to know: with a carte d’hôte (available from your hotel, lodging … Continue reading Centre Sportif Richard Bozon (CHAMONIX)
Les Contamines-Montjoie has a great selection of 🌈 playgrounds, all in the most beautiful mountain settings! Espace de Loisirs des Loyers Both a summer and winter destination (an outdoor ice-skating rink is constructed for the winter season here), the recently renovated 🌈 Espace de Loisirs des Loyers (1600m2) is located close the centre of town. In addition to the playground, in the warmer months you … Continue reading Les Contamines-Montjoie PLAYGROUNDS
Sallanches has 🌈 four fantastic playgrounds, and we used to visit them regularly when the boys were small (less these days!). In addition, there is also a softplay centre in the industrial zone of Sallanches, called 🌈 Le Parc en Folie. Domancy has a 🌈 small playground next to the town hall. Sallanches playgrounds There are 🌈 TWO playgrounds in the centre of Sallanches: Aire de Jeux des … Continue reading Sallanches & Domancy PLAYGROUNDS
📚 Megève’s médiathèque is found within the Le Palais, which makes it a fabulous ☔️ RAINY DAY destination, as you can hop from 📚 books, 🎲 games, 🎨 workshops and 📖 storytelling, to the 🧗♀️ sports centre (swimming, climbing, ice-skating and more). It comprises : L’Espace Jeunesse (children’s section) Located up on the first floor, this is a great place for children (from babies to teenagers) to … Continue reading Megève MÉDIATHÈQUE
As well as housing many works pertaining to the 🏔 Chamonix Valley, Haute-Savoie, the Alps, skiing and mountaineering, the 📚 Médiathèque de Chamonix makes for a ☔️ great RAINY afternoon visit for families ! There is a large children’s section (with comfortable chairs), and a fantastic 🎲 ludothèque (toy library), with games and toys that you can play with on-site and also games to borrow (you need to be registered for this … Continue reading Chamonix MÉDIATHÈQUE
A trip by 🚠 cable-car up to the 🏔 Aiguille du Midi is a highlight for most tourists on a trip to Chamonix, whether they are planning ⛷ to ski the Vallée Blanche with a guide, or simply want to head up to the dizzying height of 3842m (2 cable cars and a lift), for magnificent views of the 🏔 majestic Mont-Blanc and surrounding peaks! The experience keeps getting better … Continue reading Aiguille du Midi (CHAMONIX)
As frequent visitors to the 🏔 Chamonix Valley, I think we can lay claim to having tested most of its playgrounds! Some are in town and fairly obvious, others are a little hidden in bucolic spots . . . Here is the list . . . Chamonix Chamonix centre Just across the road from 🍏 Chamonix’s Saturday market, and next to the MJC, we have spent … Continue reading Chamonix Valley PLAYGROUNDS
There are 🌈 several playgrounds in Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc (and its environs) to keep your little ones entertained . . . Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc centre Le Jardin du Mont-Blanc Saint-Gervais-les-Bains town centre has a delightful playground to keep your little ones active and happy. Located in the 🌳 Jardin du Mont-Blanc, the landscaping around the playground is in itself lovely, with lots of grassy slopes, an old well and … Continue reading Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc PLAYGROUNDS
In Vallorcine, you have access to fabulous skiing (via the bubble lifts) at ⛷ Le Domaine Balme-Vallorcine / Le Tour and at the small family-run ski area of ⛷ La Poya in the hamlet of Le Buet. Beginner & Nursery Skiing at La Poya ⛷ La Poya is a family-run ski area in the small hamlet of Le Buet, near to Vallorcine. [ ⇒ for more … Continue reading Vallorcine SKIING
Though Chamonix isn’t the most obvious ski destination for families with small children, due to extensive ski options for advanced skiers and the lack of ski-in/ski-out accommodation, there are still two main areas dedicated to beginners and small children near the centre of town, and the variety of ski stations and graded pistes available is huge! Beginner and Nursery Skiing ⛷ Le Savoy – this slope is very centrally … Continue reading Chamonix SKIING
Close to Argentière village are two popular and excellent ski stations: ⛷ Balme-Vallorcine / Le Tour; ⛷ Grands Montets . . . Balme-Vallorcine / Le Tour ⛷ Balme-Vallorcine / Le Tour is especially family-friendly, with wide, open pistes and a great number of blue runs, and ⛷ La Vormaine is the splendid Beginner’s area, nestled in the village of Le Tour. Beginner & Nursery Skiing at La Vormaine … Continue reading Argentière & Le Tour SKIING
Mont Blanc Family Fun 