FAMILY HIKES: « Forest Discovery Trail » / « Sentier Découverte de la Forêt » (Cordon)

A few times now, MBFF has headed to Cordon, to walk the « Sentier Découverte de la Forêt à Cordon » (« Forest Discovery Trail »). We first discovered this trail about 8 years ago, when we had a baby in a backpack and a little boy in tow, 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 … Continue reading FAMILY HIKES: « Forest Discovery Trail » / « Sentier Découverte de la Forêt » (Cordon)

BUGGY WALKS : a springtime stroll in Sallanches

🌸 Springtime has arrived . . . and while I dream of one day being in Japan for its famous 🌸 springtime cherry blossoms, for now I am excited to share this little 🏛 Sallanches town stroll with you. While there is still snow on the higher altitude walks, why not take a leisurely amble through the streets of Sallanches, enjoy the 🌸 spring blossoms, and discover a little history as … Continue reading BUGGY WALKS : a springtime stroll in Sallanches

ANIMAL PARKS & AQUARIUMS further afield

We are 🐯 HUGE ANIMAL LOVERS here at MBFF . . . And so we are lucky to have some 🦌 fabulous animal parks, farms and kennels 🗻 au Pays du Mont-Blanc, [ ⇒ for more information about 🗻 animal parks au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and a little beyond), see separate article here ] As we are at the crossroads with 🇫🇷 Further France, 🇨🇭 Switzerland and … Continue reading ANIMAL PARKS & AQUARIUMS further afield

MUSEUMS & EXHIBITIONS au Pays du Mont-Blanc

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

CHRISTMASTIME chez vous au Pays du Mont-Blanc

This is a whole article dedicated to 🎄 Christmastime chez vous au Pays du Mont-Blanc, and here you’ll find information about : 🎄 where to buy your own Christmas tree locally; ✨ where to buy your Christmas decorations locally; ✉️🎅 where to post your letters to Santa; 📦 Les Boites de Noël – Secours Populaire; 🎨 some ideas for Christmas craft chez vous; Head over … Continue reading CHRISTMASTIME chez vous au Pays du Mont-Blanc

FAMILY HIKES: Lacs des Ilettes, la Cascade de l’Arpenaz & Luzier

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

FAMILY HIKES: Les Golettes, La Vigne & La Fley (SALLANCHES)

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)

FAMILY HIKES: Boucle de la Chapelle d’Ormaret (Combloux ⇒ Ormaret)

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)

FAMILY HIKES: « Sur les traces des Graniteurs » (COMBLOUX)

MBFF has now hiked the short themed walk ⚒ « Sur les traces des Graniteurs » in Combloux a couple of times . . . Every autumn, a group of volunteers goes to tidy up the paths for you! So what exactly is the themed walk ⚒ « Sur les traces des Graniteurs » ?  It is a short hike with explanatory panels, which explains … Continue reading FAMILY HIKES: « Sur les traces des Graniteurs » (COMBLOUX)

SPORTS EVENTS for families au Pays du Mont-Blanc ( autumn 2023 )

So, the UTMB has come and gone, so now we can focus on September and 🍁 later autumn sports events . . .  September kicks off every year with the Fêtes du Sport of our local communes au Pays du Mont-Blanc and in the Chamonix Valley, a chance to try out new sports and possibly sign up to a club for the coming year. You’ll find lots … Continue reading SPORTS EVENTS for families au Pays du Mont-Blanc ( autumn 2023 )

Where to observe TADPOLES & FROGS au Pays du Mont-Blanc

A couple of years ago in late May, MBFF went for 🍏 a picnic with friends up at 🎣 Lac de Javen in Megève – it was a mild May that year! 🎣 Lac de Javen is a popular picnic spot for families in the summertime, as it is just a short hike to get there and there are plenty of activities on offer: ☕️ buvette … Continue reading Where to observe TADPOLES & FROGS au Pays du Mont-Blanc

FAMILY HIKES: Bois de Fessy & les Blocs de La Pesse (Sallanches)

During confinement, we all had to find 🏡 walks within a 1km radius from home . . . though perhaps I was not able to go quite as far as I desired, this did encourage me to try out some of the 🏔 very local hikes, and one that we did en famille (though with much whining and shoulder support at times!) was this one: 🌳 … Continue reading FAMILY HIKES: Bois de Fessy & les Blocs de La Pesse (Sallanches)

SPRING & SUMMER BLOSSOMS and FLOWERS au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and beyond)

It’s official in Geneva: 🌺 SPRINGTIME has ARRIVED ! The 🌳 Marronnier de la Treille’s first leaf appeared last week, on the 3rd March 2024 – and this is seen in the Helvetian city as the first official day of 🌺 spring! (see below for further explanations). And here are the 🌺 first buds on our Sallanches co-property tree too: 🌷 Springtime: when 🌱 crocuses & snowdrops … Continue reading SPRING & SUMMER BLOSSOMS and FLOWERS au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and beyond)

WINTER BUGGY STROLLS: Lac de Passy & Lacs des Ilettes

If you live at altitude 🗻 au Pays du Mont-Blanc, it can be a challenge to find a suitable path for buggy walks in nature over the ❄️ winter months: snow, ice, muddy ground underfoot . . . Luckily, if you head down to the Arve Valley, then you’ll descend about 500m in altitude . . . and here you will find our 💦 two … Continue reading WINTER BUGGY STROLLS: Lac de Passy & Lacs des Ilettes

BIENVENUE à La Ferme Les Montagnards (Ormaret, COMBLOUX)

🇫🇷 Français – J’ai tout d’abord entendu parler de la ferme pédagogique 🐮  La Ferme Les Montagnards, située dans le petit village d’Ormaret à Combloux, grace à la crèche et à la garderie de mes fils – les deux y sont allées en excursion et sont rentrés avec des histoires sur leur “journée à la ferme”. . . J’ai ensuite découvert la ferme moi-même avec mon fils … Continue reading BIENVENUE à La Ferme Les Montagnards (Ormaret, COMBLOUX)

« Les Petits Asticots » children’s festival – 21st ⇒ 27th October 2023 ( Pays du Mont-Blanc & Chamonix Valley )

🎭 Les Petits Asticots – the fabulous annual children’s festival 🏔 au Pays du Mont-Blanc & in the Chamonix Valley, which takes place during the 🍁 Toussaint school holidays – will be yet again offering families seven inspirational days of theatre, music, dance, circus and workshops from 21st ⇒ 27th October 2023 ! This year is the 21st edition of the festival! The MBFF family have bsolutely … Continue reading « Les Petits Asticots » children’s festival – 21st ⇒ 27th October 2023 ( Pays du Mont-Blanc & Chamonix Valley )

MAGICAL MÉDONNET & LA PESSE: the ethereal woods & boulders

The MBFF tribe is a huge fan of 🌳 woodland and forest . . . for me personally, entering a forest immediately brings back memories of childhood visits en famille to 🌳Fontainebleau, and other magical worlds inhabited by 🧚‍♀️ fairies and 🧝‍♀️ elves – with 🧗‍♀️ bouldering, 🍏 picnics all year-round, and cabane-making on the agenda . . . We are so lucky 🏔 au Pays du Mont-Blanc to … Continue reading MAGICAL MÉDONNET & LA PESSE: the ethereal woods & boulders

SCIENCE MUSEUMS, EVENTS & ACTIVITIES for families au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and beyond)

There are several 🧬 BIG SCIENCE EVENTS that occur regularly 🏔 au Pays du Mont-Blanc and beyond, and we have the annual 🧪 La Fête de la Science in autumn ! 🧪 La Fête de la Science – in October (annual); 🧪 La Nuit des Sciences – every two years in Geneva; 🧪 CERN Open Days – every few years, the CERN opens to the public; This got me thinking … Continue reading SCIENCE MUSEUMS, EVENTS & ACTIVITIES for families au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and beyond)

Festival « Les Enfants d’Abord » (SALLANCES) – August 2024

As residents of Sallanches, we have watched the 🎭 children’s festival « Les Enfants d’Abord » get bigger and better each year! ( the festival has now been running for a quarter of a century, with a couple of years of absence due to Covid! ). Over 4 days, every afternoon and evening ( 15h30 until 18h30 ) the pedestrian streets of Sallanches, as well as the … Continue reading Festival « Les Enfants d’Abord » (SALLANCES) – August 2024

25 of MBFF’s FAVOURITE FAMILY HIKES au Pays du Mont-Blanc

With a now 12 year old and a 9 year old in tow, the MBFF family is beginning to find its 🏔 hiking mojo (mostly!). Here, below, you will find some of our favourite (and tried and tested!) family hikes 🏔 au Pays du Mont-Blanc, with suggestions for 🥤 buvettes and 🏚 refuges for a snack, lunch or overnight! [ ⇒ for 🏔 general tips on hiking with … Continue reading 25 of MBFF’s FAVOURITE FAMILY HIKES au Pays du Mont-Blanc

Lacs des Ilettes (SALLANCHES)

Officially known as the Base de Loisir des Ilettes, the 💦 Lacs des Ilettes actually consist of three lakes and this is a popular place year-round for locals to come for a stroll en famille, 🚵‍♀️ for a bike ride, 🐶 a dog-walk (permitted around the 3rd lake), 🎣 fishing, 🏃‍♂️ or a jog and workout. In ☀️ summertime, the middle lake is a popular choice for swimmers and … Continue reading Lacs des Ilettes (SALLANCHES)

La Cascade de l’Arpenaz (SALLANCHES)

You have quite probably passed the 💦 Cascade de l’Arpenaz on several occasions, on a trip between the 🏔 Pays du Mont-Blanc and 🇨🇭 Geneva or 🇫🇷 Annecy on the autoroute. The 💦 Cascade de l’Arpenaz is one of the most visible and iconic of our waterfalls in the region . . . but have you ever come off the motorway and headed onto the local road past the village … Continue reading La Cascade de l’Arpenaz (SALLANCHES)

ANIMAL PARKS & FARMS au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and a little beyond)

We are 🐯 HUGE ANIMAL LOVERS here at MBFF  . . . and we are lucky to share our home with a couple of affectionate (and fairly tolerant!) 🐱🐱 felines. But perhaps some of you don’t have the home set-up to accommodate animal friends, or perhaps allergies are preventing you from doing so . . . Luckily – whether you live 🗻 au Pays du Mont-Blanc or you are visiting – … Continue reading ANIMAL PARKS & FARMS au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and a little beyond)

RAINY DAYS au Pays du Mont-Blanc

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 … Continue reading RAINY DAYS au Pays du Mont-Blanc

REFUGE du TORNIEUX: a 4km luge descent (Sallanches)

You may know the ☕️ Refuge du Tornieux (1450m) as ☀️ a summer hike destination . . . but heading there on a ❄️ winter hike is an entirely different experience! The first time I hiked in ❄ winter, I was on my own, which is always a pleasure . . . but as I am always thinking ahead for fun family activities, as I stopped … Continue reading REFUGE du TORNIEUX: a 4km luge descent (Sallanches)