🗓 December and🎄the advent period for me are synonymous with 🍪 BAKING: that wonderful smell emanating from the kitchen (the MBFF family lives in an open plan abode, so sweet smells do drift . . . ) . . . Such a cosy feeling does baking bring me: the aim being to share a sweet treat with loved ones . . . an activity rendered … Continue reading MBFF CHRISTMAS BAKING (and some beautiful memories)
🌲 Le Paradis des Praz is a natural playground, a hidden jewel cocooned in the woods, well-known to families living in the region, but perhaps not to those visiting. As well as being a popular spot in the ☀️ summertime, over the winter school holidays the buvette is also often open – so you can have a magical walk through the ❄️ snowy forest and then warm up with … Continue reading Le Paradis des Praz (Les Praz-de-Chamonix)
The ❄️ SNOW falls and drapes our 🗻 mountain peaks with dazzling white blankets . . . some ❄️ snowflakes fall to the ground and form sparkling white forest carpets, some snowflakes cling to the 🌲sapins, before fluttering slowly to the ground . . . 🌟 magical, féerique, ❄️ winter wonderland Narnias everywhere you look 🗻 au Pays du Mont-Blanc! This article gives you some ideas for ❄️ winter wonderland spots ❄️ to head with … Continue reading FAMILY STROLLS: winter wonderlands au Pays du Mont-Blanc
When I had my first baby 8 years ago, I had just moved to a new town 🏔 au Pays du Mont-Blanc . . . I was quite lonely and keen to find baby activities and playgroups in order to get out and about and to socialise a bit! Progressively, I discovered the 🌈 playgroups that were available locally for parents and babies . . . but … Continue reading BABY & TODDLER activities au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and beyond)
🏔 Praz-sur-Arly is another of our local ski resorts 🏔 au Pays du Mont-Blanc that ticks all of the boxes for family skiing: a mixture of gentle and more difficult pistes (60% of the pistes are GREEN and BLUE!), the Opoualand & Waouland pistes reserved for children (adults are only permitted here if they accompany a child!), an outdoor softplay games area called the 🐉Dragon Tirecorde, 🛷 a sledging … Continue reading PRAZ-sur-ARLY Skiing
Whether you live 🏔 au Pays du Mont-Blanc or you are visiting at this ❄️ WINTER WONDERLAND time of year, then this is the article for you! We all need FRESH IDEAS for family days out (and ideas that don’t only involve ❄️ winter sports!) and – lucky for us – the 🏔Pays du Mont-Blanc is located at the crossroads with 🇨🇭 Switzerland and 🇮🇹 Italy and close to other parts of 🇫🇷 Haute-Savoie and Savoie, with plenty … Continue reading WINTER ACTIVITIES for families au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and beyond)
The MBFF family members are regular visitors to 💦 Le Lac Vert in Plaine-Joux (Passy), and a visit last 🍂 autumn reminded me that I should write an article exclusively about this lovely alpine lake! A visit here is a great family day out: a short walk, with fun wooden walkways and some scrambling too, boulders to climb,🌲trees and 🏔 snowy mountain peaks reflected in the green waters of the lake, and … Continue reading Le Lac Vert (PLAINE-JOUX)
A couple of years ago for 🎄Christmas, I offered the MBFF family a 🐺 husky dog-sledding outing with 3D Nordic in Praz-sur-Arly. I had noticed that this was to be 3D Nordic‘s last ❄️ winter season in Praz-sur-Arly, before they headed off to new adventures in 🇸🇪 Lapland . . . so I seized the opportunity and booked us a baptême chiens de traîneau! What a treat … Continue reading 3D Nordic – husky sledding in Praz-sur-Arly
⛷ Domaine Skiable des Planards, a two minute walk from the centre of town, and with its own FREE parking, is one of Chamonix’s two Beginner ski areas (the other being at the Savoy slopes, connected to ⛷ Domaine Skiable de Brévent). In addition, it is the site of the year-round 🛷 Chamonix-Luge Alpine Coaster, set within the 🌈 Parc des Attractions de Chamonix (re-opens in April). The ski area … Continue reading Domaine des Planards (Chamonix Centre)
⛷ La Poya is a small family-run ski area in the hamlet of Le Buet (not far from the 🚞 train station), near to Vallorcine. It comprises: two drag lifts, a rope tow for Beginners and a pulley lift for small children, with 2km of pistes, including green, blue, red and even a black piste. You can opt for a 🗺 half-day ski pass, at a very reasonable … Continue reading La Poya Ski Area (Le Buet, Vallorcine)
⛷ La Vormaine, “ the biggest of the small ski slopes “, is the splendid Beginner & Nursery ski area, nestled in the village of 🏔 Le Tour (1432m), next to 🚡 the Charamillon bubble lift. Ski pass options at La Vormaine La Vormaine is a good value ski area, as it allows families to opt for 2h30, 4 hours (often enough with toddlers to entertain!), a day or more, … Continue reading La Vormaine Beginner & Nursery Skiing (Le Tour)
❄️ NOVEMBER SNOWFALL au Pays du Mont-Blanc . . . when the ❄ first snow arrives, the delight and excitement is catching: walks knee-deep (or shoulder-deep for the little ones!) in the white fluffy stuff, ❄ snowball fights, ⛄️ making a snowman (or perhaps a snowcat or other snow animal) . . . and 🛷 SLEDGING FUN! With the first ❄️ snowfall of the season, the MBFF team regularly head up … Continue reading PISTES de LUGE au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and beyond)
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. It comprises: 2 drag lifts; 2 rope lifts; two green, … 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 located … 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 La Vormaine is “the biggest … Continue reading Argentière & Le Tour Skiing
