Active family recommendations in the French Alps

[Barchettaman]

Morning.

We have two boys and normally ‘borrow’ two other kids for a week in the summer. The four of them get on really well - their parents reciprocate by taking ours skiing in the winter.

The kids are 12, 12, 14 and 15.

We went to Vallon-Pont-d’Arc two years ago and loved it, but it’s a bit of a drive from Frankfurt with 4 growing lads in the car.

The French alps are an easier drive for us. Any recommendations for a base? Morzine?

As a group we would be into hiking, easy MTB trails, also canoeing/sailing course but particularly swimming. All the lads are water rats (three swim competitively). The two older boys want to bring their road bikes too.

Thanks in advance.

[Marcellus]

Morzine or Samoens would both offer loads to do, Samoens feels a bit more French than Morzine.

[NorthDave]

Morzine has everything to offer you need and you can pop down to Lake Geneva for a bit of swimming etc too. I'd recommend it!

[King David]

When I was 15 we went to Meribel for a summer holiday.

It's probably the best holiday we ever went on - certainly from my perspective.

Easy access to: canyoning, white water rafting (and other river based activities), paragliding, hiking, MTB, climbing etc.

In town their are nice restaurants plus a swimming pool.

To be honest I imagine any of the ski resorts will be much the same in summer.

[Barchettaman]

Grand, many thanks!

[BigRickus]

https://www.simply-morzine.co.uk/accommodation/sum...

Speak to Gareth or Ben.

It’s about the best family holiday you can get!

[Barchettaman]

Thanks Rick.

[Bill]

Consider Chamonix too. I haven't looked into it, and haven't been to Morzine for years, but get the impression Morzine is more downhill focussed whereas I know there's a massive variety in Cham.

Also, if travel time is an issue, you're driving past places like Lauterbrunnen/Grindelwald which are also epic family holiday spots.

[Barchettaman]

Thanks - I’ll look into those.

The lads are all German speaking so Tirol is a good option too, although I’d prefer la belle France.

[Bill]

Too many options! Cortina was fabulous too, but further away. We stopped overnight near At Anton and that warrants a closer look as well.

(Am I helping??)

We've also had a week in the Vosges, good MTBing, lakes to swim in etc but it was distinctly chilly compared to the Alps.

[Barchettaman]

The Vosges are an easy run for us from Frankfurt and are well worth a look. Easy MTB trails, a lake, some hiking - there’s got to be something there that will tick those boxes!

[Bill]

Definitely, but if it's there or Lauterbrunnen (say) the Alps win hands down. That said we had a good week near La Bresse just beside a downhill bike park. Rent the DH bikes and armour though, I cracked my lid and covered myself in grazes using an old hardtail on the green "family" route.

[Barchettaman]

Bloody hell! We’ll be careful!

[Bill]

It was just a case of crap pedals so I bounced off and over the handlebars. I hit a tree in the armour and barely noticed.

[Barchettaman]

Jeepers.

Anyway, we’re looking at Gérardmer in the Vosges at the moment.

[Bill]

I think we went to the market in Gerardmer, but I can't remember any specific. The lac de Longmer is stunning and the Bresse-Hohneck MTB good fun. They also had a Ringo slide over a massive jump into an airbag that was ace.

At the lac de Longmer there's a pier and boat/paddleboard hire at the north end and a lovely cafe on the beach in the SE corner.

[Barchettaman]

Cheers Bill - checking all that now.

Gérardmer seems ridiculously cheap and ticks all the boxes, but we’ve also been recommended to have a look at the Jura too

[Bill]

I suspect it's just very unfashionable, and obviously doesn't have the grandeur of the Alps. Not been to the Jura, but it's on the list!

[Barchettaman]

Belated update - we’ve booked a huge chalet in Corinmont, just outside Gerardmer.

The kids are booked into a sailing course Monday to Friday.

4 other families are coming too. It should be a good laugh! We go next week.

[The_Doc]

Barchettaman said:

Belated update - we’ve booked a huge chalet in Corinmont, just outside Gerardmer.

The kids are booked into a sailing course Monday to Friday.

4 other families are coming too. It should be a good laugh! We go next week.

Please report back on this after your trip. This sounds like exactly the thing I could get into.
I usually get tasked with organising a three family trip, and we the dads have group milestone birthdays coming up next year.
Most of us sail, and we all love Camembert and red wine.... !