SCIENCE ACTIVITIES & MUSEUMS for families au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and beyond)
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)
AUTUMN PARKS & GARDENS au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and beyond)
🍁 Autumn is a lovely season to visit 🌳 parks and gardens: on the trees, a sharp palette rich in shades of gold, brown red, orange and yellow . . . underfoot, 🍂 a blanket of leaves crunching and sent fluttering when the children find a mound and run through them . . . a crisp, and often sunny day to accompany your exploits: playing and running, tree-climbing, LandArt, … Continue reading AUTUMN PARKS & GARDENS au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and beyond)
La Petite Université (Chamonix Valley)
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)
LES MERCREDIS – creative activities, sport and relaxation for children au Pays du Mont-Blanc
🗓 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
AUTUMN ACTIVITIES au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and beyond)
🍁 AUTUMN is my favourite time of year . . . all of a sudden, one notices that there are some 🍁 shades of orange, brown and gold on the otherwise green palette of trees . . . the odd brown leaf falls to the ground, and soon there is a crunchy carpet underfoot . . . autumn is the perfect season to explore our wondrous nature, the … Continue reading AUTUMN ACTIVITIES au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and beyond)
« ANNECY PAYSAGES » en famille (Annecy)
I had been wanting to see and experience « Annecy Paysages » ever since its conception last summer . . . « Annecy Paysages » is a festival that was imagined as an itinerary through an urban centre, for spectators to wander and view the works of art that have been conceived to juxtapose and highlight the fragile balance between nature and urban life, in this beautiful … Continue reading « ANNECY PAYSAGES » en famille (Annecy)
FAMILY HIKES: Chalet du Glacier des Bossons (+ télésiège)
The hike to the ☕️ Chalet du Glacier des Bossons is such a popular hike for families . . . but somehow it had eluded us until this summer! My elder son studied glaciers last year at school and his class’ sortie fin de l’année scolaire was a hike on the other side of the Glacier des Bossons, to the ☕️ Cabane du Cerro. He returned from this … Continue reading FAMILY HIKES: Chalet du Glacier des Bossons (+ télésiège)
FAMILY HIKES: Les Gorges Mystérieuses de la Tête-Noire (Switzerland)
The MBFF tribe had driven past the starting point to the 💦 Gorges Mystérieuses de la Tête-Noire on numerous occasions, on our way to the 🇨🇭 Bisse du Trient family hike, or en-route to 🇨🇭 Martigny or the Bains de Saillons . . . but until last month, I hadn’t ventured any closer to this “ mysterious gorge ” . . . but I had certainly wondered what was so mysterious! And … Continue reading FAMILY HIKES: Les Gorges Mystérieuses de la Tête-Noire (Switzerland)
Geneva’s Botanical Gardens (CJBG)
We made our first visit en famille to Geneva’s 🌷 Botanical Gardens (CJBG – Le Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques de la Ville de Genève) on a crisp and sunny 🍁 autumn’s day a few years back . . . and we loved it so much that we couldn’t wait to head back there in early spring! Just how had this magical garden eluded us for so long? (We have … Continue reading Geneva’s Botanical Gardens (CJBG)
Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle (Geneva)
🐧 Geneva’s Natural History Museum (Muséum Genève) has been our go-to museum on ☔️ rainy days for the last 7 years! We have – over the years – pushed a 💤 sleeping baby around the exhibits here, watched our toddlers crawl, run and topple over here, and we have spent plenty of time running after them too! What a wonderful museum this is! Set across 4 floors, the permanent exhibitions … Continue reading Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle (Geneva)
Festival « Les Enfants d’Abord » (Sallanches)
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)
FAMILY HIKES: Jardin des Cimes to Refuge de Varan (Passy)
For a family hike, MBFF finds it a good idea to have a clear point of interest along the way: 💦 a waterfall, a glimpse of a glacier, a ride in 🚡 a télécabine or on a télésiège, 🦌 wildlife along the way . . . The hike that I am about to outline has VARIOUS points of interest – something for the whole family! I did a recce … Continue reading FAMILY HIKES: Jardin des Cimes to Refuge de Varan (Passy)
Barryland – Musée et Chiens du Saint-Bernard (Martigny)
We first visited 🐶 Barryland – Musée et Chiens du Saint-Bernard with a dog-loving and inquisitive 3 year old and a sleeping (mostly!) newborn baby in a pram . . . this visit coincided with the arrival of Saint-Bernard puppies! A year later we visited again and this visit coincided with another litter of cute puppies, but also with the most wonderful 🐣 Easter egg hunt in the … Continue reading Barryland – Musée et Chiens du Saint-Bernard (Martigny)
Le Plan d’Eau de Flumet (Val d’Arly)
Have you ever been to 💦 Flumet’s Plan d’Eau? If not, then MBFF highly recommends a visit! The little swimming lake is located within the Base de Loisirs de l’Arrondine . . . which means that, as well as the lake, you’ll find a playground, skatepark and a terrain multi-sports on-site. Swimming lake The lake is just lovely! It is surrounded by plenty of grass to … Continue reading Le Plan d’Eau de Flumet (Val d’Arly)
FAMILY HIKES: Le Bisse du Trient (Switzerland)
The hike along the 💦 Bisse du Trient is perfect for families with young children or older relatives who are searching for a short and easy (and relatively flat) hike at slightly higher altitude than the valley floor! The path starts from the 🇨🇭 Col de la Forclaz (Vallée du Trient, Switzerland) and meanders through the shade of a 🌲 pine and mélèzes (larch) forest, to reach the ☕️ Buvette … Continue reading FAMILY HIKES: Le Bisse du Trient (Switzerland)
MBFF’s recommended family hikes au Pays du Mont-Blanc
With a now eight year old and a five year old in tow, the MBFF family is beginning to find its 🏔 hiking mojo (we hope). Here, below, you will find some of MBFF’s favourite (and tried and tested!) family hikes 🏔 au Pays du Mont-Blanc, with suggestions for buvettes and refuges: For general tips on hiking with small children see MBFF post . . . FAMILY HIKES – … Continue reading MBFF’s recommended family hikes au Pays du Mont-Blanc
Montenvers Mer de Glace & Train (Chamonix)
Another great attraction in 🏔 Chamonix on many families’ list is the 🚂 Montenvers cog rail journey up to the ❄️ Mer de Glace glacier (France’s largest glacier, at around 7km long). The iconic red train will take you on a relaxing 20 minute journey (around 5km) up the mountainside, through 🌲 forests, viaducts and tunnels cut through the rock, and up to the glacier at 1,913m (an ascent … Continue reading Montenvers Mer de Glace & Train (Chamonix)
La Maison du Salève (Présilly)
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)
10 of MBFF’s FAVOURITE PLAYGROUNDS au Pays du Mont-Blanc
MBFF has now spent 9 years discovering and testing 🌈 playgrounds 🏔 au Pays du Mont-Blanc. We are fairly confident that we have tested most of them (please let us know of any treasures we may have missed along the way!). The following list highlights our personal favourites (this is clearly subjective!). At certain points on our journey of discovery, we had to avoid certain playgrounds, as with two energetic … Continue reading 10 of MBFF’s FAVOURITE PLAYGROUNDS au Pays du Mont-Blanc
Le Lac des Chavants (Les Houches)
The 💦 Lac des Chavants in Les Houches is a relaxating destination for families throughout the year (NB -please note that Lac des Chavants is NOT a swimming lake!) These days, the lake is referred to as a Base de Loisirs, as there are so many activities available there: you can 🎣 fish (with a permit) and you will find: 🍏 picnic tables and BBQ facilities, 🌲 walking paths through … Continue reading Le Lac des Chavants (Les Houches)
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 the 3rd lake for windsurfers. 🎣 Le Lac … Continue reading Lacs des Ilettes (Sallanches)
Le Paradis des Praz (Les Praz-de-Chamonix)
🌲 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)
Le Parc de Loisirs du Pontet (Les Contamines-Montjoie)
The MBFF tribe is a huge fan of the ⛳️ Le Parc de Loisirs du Pontet, the largest parc de loisirs 🏔 au Pays du Mont-Blanc. This giant leisure park in the beautiful Les Contamines-Montjoie, offers more than 20 sports and leisure activities and also has a small swimming lake and boating lake. Being located next to Notre Dame de la Gorge, opposite the 🚡Téléphérique de la Gorge, it … Continue reading Le Parc de Loisirs du Pontet (Les Contamines-Montjoie)
Le Parc des Épouvantails (Andilly)
I first went to the Parc des Épouvantails a couple of years ago, when I accompanied my elder son’s school class on his sortie de fin d’année. I’ll admit that I hadn’t heard much about it until that point and when I heard that it was a fun park ” inhabited by resident scarecrows “, I was expecting something a little spooky! I could not … Continue reading Le Parc des Épouvantails (Andilly)
Lac de l’Étape (Les Contamines-Montjoie)
We had our first ☀️ summer visit to the 💦 Lac de l’Etape in Les Contamines-Montjoie back in 2015, with a four and a half year old and an 18 month old . . . I remember that it was the last August weekend of the holidays before La Rentrée, and I wanted to spend a special time en famille . . . and as there is a hotel and … Continue reading Lac de l’Étape (Les Contamines-Montjoie)
