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 )
VERTICALP EMOSSON – a vertiginous day out en famille! (SWITZERLAND)
Currently SHUT ! A couple of 🍁 autumns ago now, MBFF had a super adventure: we were invited to test out 🚃 VerticAlp Emosson ! We had the most gloriously ☀️ sunny day to experience this phenomenal feat of engineering, which also has a rich history. I would say that 🍂 autumn – before closure for the season at the end of October – is the … Continue reading VERTICALP EMOSSON – a vertiginous day out en famille! (SWITZERLAND)
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)
AUTUMN PARKS & GARDENS au Pays du Mont-Blanc (and beyond)
🍁 A U T U M N is a lovely season to visit 🌳 parks and gardens: on the trees, a rich palette of gold, rust, brown, red, orange and yellow . . . underfoot, 🍂 a blanket of leaves crunching and sent fluttering when the children find a mound to run through . . . a crisp, and often ☀️ sunny day to accompany your exploits: playing and running, … 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 ! What is La Petite Université ? 📚 La Petite Université is an association offering cultural courses and complementary talks, events, outings and 🎨 workshops to people in their leisure time. The aim is to make learning accessible to everyone, and to create a social … Continue reading La Petite Université (CHAMONIX VALLEY)
« ANNECY PAYSAGES » en famille (ANNECY)
I had been wanting to see and experience 🖼 « Annecy Paysages » ever since its conception in the summer of 2018 . . . and a few summers ago, on ☀️ a beautiful sunny day, we finally found a window for a visit en famille. Despite it still being ☀️ summer holiday season, and BUSY, we still had a fabulous time. 🖼 « Annecy Paysages » is a … Continue reading « ANNECY PAYSAGES » en famille (ANNECY)
FAMILY HIKES: Chalet du Glacier des Bossons + télésiège (LES HOUCHES)
The hike to the ☕️ Chalet du Glacier des Bossons is such a popular hike for families . . . but somehow it had eluded us until a couple of summer ago! My elder son studied glaciers at school, and that year his class sortie fin de l’année scolaire was a hike on the other side of the ❄️ Glacier des Bossons, to the ☕️ Cabane du … Continue reading FAMILY HIKES: Chalet du Glacier des Bossons + télésiège (LES HOUCHES)
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 a few summers ago, I hadn’t ventured any closer to this “ mysterious gorge ” . . . but I had certainly wondered what … Continue reading FAMILY HIKES: les Gorges Mystérieuses de la Tête-Noire (Switzerland)
Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques de la Ville de Genève (CJBG) – Geneva’s botanical gardens
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 … Continue reading Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques de la Ville de Genève (CJBG) – Geneva’s botanical gardens
MUSÉUM GENÈVE – Natural History Museum (Geneva)
[ from January 2024 : SHUT for renovation ! ] The 🐧 Muséum Genève, Geneva’s natural history museum, was our go-to museum for ☔️ rainy days when our boys were small! We have – over the years – pushed 💤 sleeping babies around the exhibits there, watched our toddlers crawl, run and topple over there, and we have spent plenty of time running after them … Continue reading MUSÉUM GENÈVE – Natural History Museum (Geneva)
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
FAMILY HIKES: Jardin des Cimes ⇒ Refuge de Varan (PLATEAU d’ASSY)
[ note 2023: ☕️ Refuge de Varan is SHUT for the 2023 summer season for renovation, but there is lots of gorgeous alpine pasture surrounding it for picnics! ] 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 … Continue reading FAMILY HIKES: Jardin des Cimes ⇒ Refuge de Varan (PLATEAU d’ASSY)
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 snoozing (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 … Continue reading BARRYLAND – Musée et Chiens du Saint-Bernard (Martigny)
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 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)
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
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 … Continue reading Montenvers Mer de Glace & Train (CHAMONIX)
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) . . . and … Continue reading Maison du Salève (PRÉSILLY)
Lac des Chavants (LES HOUCHES)
💦 Lac des Chavants in Les Houches is a lovely destination for families throughout the year. [ ⚠ note – 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. You can: 🌲 there are walking paths through the woods (suitable for buggies and … Continue reading 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 … Continue reading Lacs des Ilettes (SALLANCHES)
Paradis des Praz (Les Praz-de-Chamonix)
The 🌲 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 … Continue reading Paradis des Praz (Les Praz-de-Chamonix)
Parc de Loisirs du Pontet (Les Contamines-Montjoie)
The MBFF tribe is a huge fan of the ⛳️ 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 … Continue reading Parc de Loisirs du Pontet (Les Contamines-Montjoie)
Le Grand Parc d’Andilly (ANDILLY)
I first went to the 🌈 Grand Parc d’Andilly (back then known as the 🌈 Parc des Épouvantails) a few years ago, when I accompanied my elder son’s school class on his sortie de fin de l’année scolaire. 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 … Continue reading Le Grand Parc d’Andilly (ANDILLY)
Mont Blanc Family Fun 