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 of … 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 8 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 boys … 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)
La Cascade d’Arpenaz (Sallanches)
You have quite probably passed the 💦 Cascade d’Arpenaz on several occasions, on a trip between the 🏔 Pays du Mont-Blanc and 🇨🇭 Geneva or 🇫🇷 Annecy on the autoroute. The 💦 Cascade d’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 of Luzier … Continue reading La Cascade d’Arpenaz (Sallanches)
Les Grandes Médiévales d’Andilly
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
ANIMAL PARKS & AQUARIUMS au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and 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 & AQUARIUMS au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and beyond)
SPORTS EVENTS for families au Pays du Mont-Blanc (winter 2019 ⇒ 2020)
There are plenty of ⛷ SPORTS EVENTS for families and children au Pays du Mont-Blanc, and this article currently concentrates on those during the ❄️ winter 2019 & 2020 season: – 🏃♀️ winter trail running (sometimes on ❄️ snow!); ⛷ biathlon, ski rando & alpine ski and snowboard races and competitions; ❄️ fun runs and obstacle races in the snow; 🛷 sledging, paret & yooner events; … Continue reading SPORTS EVENTS for families au Pays du Mont-Blanc (winter 2019 ⇒ 2020)
SPRINGTIME ACTIVITIES au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and beyond)
The ❄️ snow on the ski pistes starts to soften under the golden state spring sunshine, and slowly disappears from alpine town and village centres . . . and then the ski stations shut . . . 🌷 spring flowers shoot up overnight . . . and 🌳 parks and 🌷 gardens re-open . . . and then it is the season once again for hiking . . . a season when we can sometimes … Continue reading SPRINGTIME ACTIVITIES au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and beyond)
BUGGY WALKS – La Braconne, the Pré Curral & the Bialle river path (Sallanches)
When you are living in the 🏔 ❄️ snowy mountains in WINTERTIME with a newborn or young baby, your quotidien can feel tough . . . getting out for a buggy walk is more challenging than usual, with icy pavements or snow impeding certain routes you would normally take. Of course, using a baby-carrier or baby-carrying scarf is one brilliant alternative (as baby keeps warm and you … Continue reading BUGGY WALKS – La Braconne, the Pré Curral & the Bialle river path (Sallanches)
FOOD TRUCKS & FOOD HUTS au Pays du Mont-Blanc
You may have spotted them this ❄️ wintertime, on the ⛄️ fronts de neige and on the ⛷ ski pistes, by 🚡 télécabines and télésièges departure and arrival points, along main roads in designated spots, or perhaps a slot at a 🍏 market . . . and come 🌷 springtime and ☀️ summertime, some of them will move to new locations: 💦 lakes or perhaps another 🏔 mountain location . . . FOOD TRUCKS & FOOD HUTS have multiplied 🏔 au Pays … Continue reading FOOD TRUCKS & FOOD HUTS au Pays du Mont-Blanc
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 “ ? (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
REFUGE du TORNIEUX: a 4km luge descent (Sallanches)
I had visited the Refuge du Tornieux (1450m) on a ☀️ summer hike a couple of years ago . . . but heading there last week on a ❄️ winter hike was an entirely different experience! I was on my own, which is a rare pleasure . . . but as I am always thinking ahead for fun family activities, as I stopped to take photos, I was … Continue reading REFUGE du TORNIEUX: a 4km luge descent (Sallanches)
FAMILY STROLLS: winter wonderlands au Pays du Mont-Blanc
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
« Wildlife Photographer of the Year » (Forte di Bard, ITALY)
It was quite by chance in the spring of 2014 that we discovered that we could enjoy the 📷 « Wildlife Photographer of the Year » exhibition fairly close to home, right near the 🏔 Pays du Mont-Blanc! I had always enjoyed visiting the London-based exhibition at the Natural History Museum (NB « Wildlife Photographer of the Year » competition / exhibition was developed and is produced by the Natural History Museum, London), … Continue reading « Wildlife Photographer of the Year » (Forte di Bard, ITALY)
LES HOUCHES – SAINT-GERVAIS Skiing
The ⛷ Domaine Skiable Les Houches – Saint-Gervais is one of MBFF’s favourite spots to ski in the Chamonix Valley. With plenty of gentle pistes to ski en famille, superb Beginner areas and authentic retaurants on the pistes, it’s a winner! Nestled in the heart of the Mont-Blanc massif, Les Houches – Saint-Gervais offers spectacular panoramic 360° views of 🏔 Mont-Blanc, Mont Joly, les Aravis, Les Fiz, and les Aiguilles Rouges . … Continue reading LES HOUCHES – SAINT-GERVAIS Skiing
WEEKLY PLANNER for babies & toddlers au Pays du Mont-Blanc
Here it is: the 🗓 WEEKLY PLANNER for babies & toddlers au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and beyond) . . . hopefully, this will be easy to use . . . ⌈ DISCLAIMER – please always confirm sessions before attending, as all are subject to change at the last minute! ⌋ ➡️ see also: MBFF articles BABY & TODDLER ACTIVITIES au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and beyond) AND BABY & TODDLER PLAYGROUPS … Continue reading WEEKLY PLANNER for babies & toddlers au Pays du Mont-Blanc
