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Hello All,
I'm after some advice, please, on similar resorts to Chamonix for summer hols with two (early)teenage kids.
Chamonix is a lovely place, lots to do and keep us all entertained. ( we have been before)
Does anybody have any similar alpine locations, preferrably france or italy, with the same feel and range of activities/entertainment.
Help and thoughts would be appreciated.
THANKS!!
Sniff.
Tricky one that as Chamonix is kind of unique in that it feels just as busy during the summer as the winter, well, less so but you know what I mean. It also has all the convieiences of a big resort still open and most (other) big resorts feel very quiet. Went to Alpes D'Huez last year to visit friends and had a great time but still quiet.
My folks lived in La Clussaz for 13 yrs and this was great, not Chamonix great but as a smaller resort it was still great fun in the Summer. I would look at similar but have to admit I've only done Chamonix and a few small ones myself so not much more to offer. I think Verbiere is very good and I'm sure some on here can comment on the more MTB orientated resorts from their experiences.
Saalbach, Salzberg, Austria, just came back from a long weekend MTB holiday there-simply fantatsic and an under used by the Brits gem of an area. We stayed with James Hinsby at www.austrian-alps.com in Altenmarkt Im Pongau which is an hour away from Saalbach but only twenty minutes for Wagrain Bike Park and Planiai Park amongst others. All sorts of other stuff to do too.
Switzerland Saas Fee or Zermatt.
You could do Chamonix but rent a car as you can do day trips from Chamonix to Verbier or Morzine in an hour or less to try out other places if you're getting bored
i go to La Clusaz 3 times a year skiing or summer activities which i think is great,
why dont you go to Annecy and get the best of everything, close enough to do Canyoning, go Karting, tree walking, via ferreta,m-biking swimming in La clusaz or straight into lake annecy from one of the restaurants on the edge, and as you know in La Clusaz you have the zip line and the super long metal slide
Lester,
(im trying to get out there before the uplifts close if i can get time off)
Morzine, less big mountains but plenty going on
Bourg/Les Arcs area lots of stuff around in lots of resorts
really depends on what you like? Bikes/Walking/Rafting/Mountaineering?
Give us the must have activities and go from there
Megeve, not far from Chamonix, offers a summer package where you buy a lift pass, which also entitles you to use the excellent municipal swimming pool and the summer luge. So you can use the lifts for walking and cycling and swim and luge. I bet most resorts offer similar deals.
Currently sat by lake Annecy. Very pretty,good for swimming, lots of grass beaches, pretty town. Lots of cycle paths and seems to be lots for kids although i'm not sure to the same extent that chamonix offers... La Clusaz is a 30-40 mins drive away but have found lots of good riding locally too using a map.
Lake Garda would have been my other recommendation as we loved it there but I cant comment on activities for kids as I wasn't paying much attention to anything other than food, coffee and hitting trails
the Dolomites saw us happy this Summer.
+1 or Wagrain / Saalbach, spent a week in Wagrain at the start of August - great area, loved it. As Suggsey says plenty to do outside when not riding, we saw the Werfen ice caves which were pretty cool (excuse the pun), and only an hour from Salzburg. Longer drive from the UK than Cham but easy to break it up (we stopped in Germany on the way down/back). Good times 🙂
Lauterbrunenn/ Grindlewald in Switzerland. Less of that town feel but loads to do and going on. The Lauterbrunnen valley is a bit Yosemite like. Base jumpers appear from all directions. I found it an exciting place to be
Verbier? Great place, loads to do, stunning surroundings, cheaper than people think - www.bikeverbier.com are THE people to speak to if your trip involves biking.
Thanks Everybody!
Only just getting back to reply, as out riding last night! Why wouldn't you... it was perfect! Something right about watching combines in the dark with sweat running down your face! My favourite time of year to ride off road!
Anyway, thanks for all the info.
If we all take bikes it will be Off-road-lite! if i only take a bike it will be off or On road , i can't decide yet, but as we are likely to then go down to villefranche sur mer or somewher similar, it is more like to be road. In truth i am sure we have only explored the tip of chamonix so far, but the thougths provided will help discussions with the Boss, back at home.
Thanks for all the tips!
SNIFF