I can’t quite remember how we first heard about 🎄« Noël au Château de Coppet » – a delightful Christmas market, located between 🇨🇭 Geneva and Nyon, on 💦 Lac Léman in Switzerland. But I’m so glad that we did, as we had a lovely experience there four years ago! We’ve been meaning to head back ever since, but we’ve not yet managed it! What makes … Continue reading « Noël au Château de Coppet » (Switzerland)
During the school holidays, MBFF was invited to test out the ⛷ new indoor ski centre in Passy: Ski Indoor 4810! The boys were really excited to dig out their 🎿 ski boots, helmets and gloves ahead of the official ski season, and to try out something so novel! Being a pretty mediocre skier myself, I was somewhat more apprehensive, but I was certainly intrigued to … Continue reading SKI INDOOR 4810 – perfect your skiing INDOORS! (Passy)
🇫🇷 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 cadet, … Continue reading BIENVENUE à La Ferme Les Montagnards (Ormaret, COMBLOUX)
The 18th edition of 🎭 Les Petits Asticots – the annual children’s festival 🏔 au Pays du Mont-Blanc, taking place during the 🍁 Toussaint school holidays – will be yet again offering families seven inspirational days of theatre, music, dance, circus and workshops from 19th > 25th October 2019! The MBFF family absolutely LOVE 🎭 Les Petits Asticots – not only are the shows of high quality, the festival is local and its … Continue reading Festival « Les Petits Asticots » 19th > 25th October 2019 (Pays du Mont-Blanc)
There are two 🧬 BIG SCIENCE EVENTS coming up 🏔 au Pays du Mont-Blanc and beyond : 🧪 CERN Open Days – this weekend 14th & 15th September; 🧪 La Fête de la Science – from 5th until 13th October 2019; And this got me thinking about all of the 🧬 science events, activities, workshops, and museums that surround us 🏔 au Pays du Mont-Blanc! What really put this little corner of … Continue reading SCIENCE ACTIVITIES & MUSEUMS for families au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and beyond)
Did you know that there was a 📚 university in the Chamonix Valley? It’s called La Petite Université – Chamonix Mont-Blanc and it is now entering its 3rd year! Subjects on offer include: glaciology, permaculture, photography, life drawing, French & English lessons and much, much more! What is La Petite Université? 📚 La Petite Université is an association offering cultural courses and complementary talks, events, outings and 🎨 workshops to … Continue reading La Petite Université (Chamonix Valley)
🗓 WEDNESDAYS are in many of the 🏔 Pays du Mont-Blanc communes, a day free from scholastic duties (for young children, at least!). A day to perhaps explore a new ⚽️ sport or 🎨 leisure activity, to relax at home or to head to garderie . . . Colour code for listings: Chamonix Valley (Chamonix, Argentière, Les Houches, Servoz & environs) and Vallorcine Passy & environs Sallanches, Combloux, Cordon & Domancy St Gervais, … Continue reading LES MERCREDIS – creative activities, sport and relaxation for children au Pays du Mont-Blanc
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 24 years!). Over 4 days – this year from Tuesday 6th to Friday 9th August 2019 – every afternoon and evening (15h30 until 18h30) the pedestrian streets of Sallanches, as well as the quais, the Pré de Foire, the Place de … Continue reading Festival « Les Enfants d’Abord » (Sallanches)
A visit to 🌳 La Maison du Salève makes for a wonderful family day out . . . originally an 18th century farm from the Chartreuse de Pomier (La Ferme de Mikerne – see here for more history), the building has been renovated to host a cultural centre recounting the history of the ⛰ Salève mountain and its environs (a permanent interactive exhibition and temporary exhibitions) . . . … Continue reading La Maison du Salève (Présilly)
Nearly a year ago now, the MBFF tribe headed to the 🎪 Les Grandes Médiévales d’Andilly with some friends and their children. We had a fabulous day (the whole family concurred and all of the friends too!). It really was a memorable day . . . and the 2019 edition is nearly here! So, what do you need to know about this extraordinary family event? What are Les … Continue reading Les Grandes Médiévales d’Andilly
You have perhaps heard that saying ☔️ “ there’s no such thing as bad weather; just badly dressed people “ ? (I heard this several times on a couple of work trips to 🇮🇸 Iceland!) . . . 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 can no longer actually see … Continue reading RAINY DAYS 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)
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)
🇨🇭🎄« Montreux-Noël » will open this year on 21st November 2019, and it will run until the 24th December 2019 (and this year is its 🎁 25th birthday, the first edition having been last century, in 1995!) . . . so let me to share with you MBFF’s experience at this fabulous Christmas event and market, and some astuces too . . . I had wanted to go … Continue reading « Montreux-Noël » (Switzerland)
🌻 Le Jardin des Cimes is a truly 🌷 magical garden at altitude, with breathtaking views of 🏔 the Mont Blanc Massif. 🌻 Le Jardin des Cimes (“ Garden of the Summits ”) has revitalised the area of Plateau d’Assy; not only are the gardens and ☕️ café a delight for locals and tourists alike, but jobs have been created and there are plenty of activities and 🌲workshops on offer for families and schools, … Continue reading Le Jardin des Cimes (Plateau d’Assy)
The 📚 Médiathèque «Ange Abrate» in Sallanches finally opened its doors to the public on a ☔️ rainy morning – Saturday 17th March 2018 – with a day of animations for the whole family . . . The new médiathèque is spacious, with a very open-plan, bright and modern style of architecture. The Section Adulte is located on the ground floor, where you will also find 15 mulitimedia spots, … Continue reading Médiathèque «Ange Abrate» in Sallanches
We are lucky to have some 🖼 wonderful museums 🏔 au Pays du Mont-Blanc, many housed in architectural gems (old, new and renovated). . . and as well as their permanent collections, they also offer 🎨 temporary exhibitions and workshops for children and families over the school holidays! And if we venture further than the 🏔 Pays du Mont-Blanc – 🇫🇷 to Cluses, to Annemasse, to la Maison du Salève, to … Continue reading MUSEUMS & EXHIBITIONS au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and beyond)
Throughout the year in 🇨🇭 Geneva, and from 🗓 October until May in 🇫🇷 Cluses & Annecy, several 🖼 museums & temporary exhibitions are FREE on the 🗓 FIRST Sunday of the month! In addition, the museums often put on some 🎨 wonderful workshops and guided tours for children and families (also FREE) on this day. The next FREE Sunday will be this 🗓 Sunday 2nd February 2020! (and then Sunday 1st March 2020); Cluses … Continue reading [ Geneva, Nyon, Cluses & Annecy ] – FREE museums on FIRST SUNDAY of the month!
While the children are young and learning how to ski, or if you have beginner skiers in your group, then ⛷ Plaine-Joux in Passy is the ideal ski station 🗻 au Pays du Mont-Blanc for multiple reasons: ⛷ it’s a small, family-oriented ski resort; ⛷ there are 12km of wide, gentle, sunny pistes (green, blue and red) with stunning views of the Mont Blanc Massif; ⛷ this is an affordable ski resort, … Continue reading Plaine-Joux Skiing (Passy)
The gypaète barbu celebrated two big birthdays in 2017: 30 years since its successful re-introduction into France (1987); and 20 years since the first gypaète was born in the Alps (1997); Some gypaète barbu facts: NAME – the gypaetus barbatus is what is known as an «Old World vulture»; ie it resides in Africa, Asia and Europe, as opposed to the Americas; SIZE – the gypaète barbu … Continue reading Bon Anniversaire, Gypaète Barbu! (© Antoine Rezer Photography)
The MBFF family visited 🎨 La Maison de la Créativité in 🇨🇭 Conches, on the outskirts of Geneva, on a crisp, sunny day in 2016 . . . what a magical discovery, for children and adults alike! A house (Villa Calandrini) set in copious grounds and surrounded by 🌳 woodland, with views of ⛰ the Salève mountain, and it even has its very own Faraway Tree ® (reference to Enid Blyton’s … Continue reading La Maison de la Créativité (Conches, Geneva)
🎨 Le Chalet des Créateurs in Saint-Gervais-les-Bains is a fabulous venture, bringing together: 🖼 a gallery showcasing local creative talent (45+ créateurs, with collections changing with each season); a boutique with unique hand-made, local goods and gifts to buy; 🎨 a centre providing workshops for children and adults throughout the year (and especially during the school holidays); a workshop for local artists; A little history Charlotte Paget is the protagonist in this artistic … Continue reading Le Chalet des Créateurs (Saint-Gervais-les-Bains)
