With kids · Chamonix · France
Chamonix with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Kristoferb, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Chamonix suits active families: rack railways and cable cars thrill children, the Parc de Merlet and Lac des Gaillands are easy outings, and Le Tour and Les Houches have gentle ski slopes. High-altitude trips need care, as children feel the cold and altitude quickly. Top picks: Montenvers railway and Mer de Glace, Parc de Merlet and Lac des Gaillands. Families usually base themselves in Les Houches.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 7
- Best area for families
- Les Houches
- Rainy-day options
- 0
- Busiest months
- February and July–August
Best things to do with kids
Nature · Chamonix centre
1.Montenvers railway and Mer de Glace
A red rack railway climbs from its own station beside the main SNCF station to Montenvers at 1,913 metres in about 20 minutes. From the terrace you look over the Mer de Glace, a 7-km glacier flowing from the Mont Blanc massif towards the Drus. The ice has thinned dramatically, so reaching the ice cave carved each year involves a long descent of stairs, marked with signs showing past glacier levels.
Allow time for the stairs to the ice cave and back, and look out for the signs that mark where the glacier surface stood in past decades.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Iconic
- Kids
- Nature
- Views
- History
Zoo · Les Houches
2.Parc de Merlet
A mountainside wildlife park above Les Houches where ibex, chamois, marmots, deer and mouflon roam large wooded enclosures, with paths and views across to Mont Blanc. It is open in the summer season and is a favourite with families.
Bring proper shoes; the paths through the park are steep in places.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Park · Chamonix Sud
3.Lac des Gaillands
A small lake on the southern edge of town with a reflection of the Mont Blanc massif, picnic lawns, a café and a granite crag where climbing schools teach beginners. It is a flat 30-minute walk from the centre along the Arve.
Come at sunset and watch climbers on the crag while the peaks turn pink above the lake.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Views
Viewpoint · Chamonix centre
4.Le Brévent
A gondola from the top of town to Planpraz and a cable car on to the summit at 2,525 metres face Mont Blanc head-on across the valley, so this is the best place to see the whole massif. Planpraz is also the main launch site for tandem paragliding flights and the start of balcony trails.
Go in the afternoon, when the sun lights up the Mont Blanc side of the valley.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Views
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
- Kids
Nature · Le Tour and Montroc
5.Domaine de Balme
At the head of the valley above Le Tour, this broad area of open slopes rises to the Col de Balme on the Swiss border. In winter it has the valley's gentlest and sunniest skiing; in summer the lifts serve easy walks across flower meadows with views down the length of the valley to Mont Blanc.
It is the best ski area for beginners and mixed-ability groups in the valley.
- Time needed
- Half a day or full day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Active
- Views
Nature · Les Bossons
6.Cascade du Dard and Glacier des Bossons
A forest path from the southern end of town climbs to the Cascade du Dard waterfall and continues towards the Bossons glacier, whose icefall descends lower than almost any other in the Alps. The Chalet du Glacier des Bossons, reached by a chairlift and a short walk, overlooks the ice.
The waterfall path is short and shaded, a good option for a hot afternoon with children.
- Time needed
- 1–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Kids
- Outdoors
Experience · Les Houches
7.Mont Blanc Tramway
France's highest rack railway climbs from Le Fayet near Saint-Gervais via Col de Voza to the Nid d'Aigle at about 2,380 metres, close to the Bionnassay glacier and the start of the classic climbing route up Mont Blanc. From Les Houches, the Bellevue cable car connects with the line part way up.
Combine the Bellevue cable car with the tramway to reach the Nid d'Aigle without driving round to Le Fayet.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Views
- History
Where families should stay
$$ · Best for families, budget and quiet stays
Les Houches
Les Houches lies about 8 km below Chamonix, with tree-lined ski runs that stay skiable in poor visibility and the Bellevue and Prarion lifts that serve the Mont Blanc Tramway and summer walks. The Parc de Merlet wildlife park is on the slope above. Accommodation is generally cheaper than in Chamonix itself.
- Good
- Lower prices; Sheltered, family-friendly ski area; Good chalets and apartments
- Watch out
- Bus or train needed to reach Chamonix's lifts; Quiet in the evenings
- Nearby
- Parc de Merlet, Bellevue cable car, Prarion gondola
Family travel tips
- The Aiguille du Midi is not recommended for very young children because of the rapid climb to 3,842 metres; check the operator's age advice.
- Pack hats, gloves and sun cream even in summer for any trip above 2,000 metres.
- Les Houches and Le Tour have the easiest beginner ski slopes and ski schools for children.
- The Richard Bozon sports centre in Chamonix Sud has indoor and outdoor pools for rainy days.
- Use the free valley buses with a guest card to avoid parking stress with car seats.
Day trips for families
- Annecy (About 1 hour 15 minutes by car) — Annecy's old town of canals, arcades and the Palais de l'Île sits at the end of one of Europe's cleanest lakes.
- Lac d'Emosson (About 45 minutes by car, longer by train and funicular) — Just over the Swiss border, a high dam lake at about 1,930 metres faces the Mont Blanc massif, and trails nearby lead to dinosaur footprints preserved in the rock.
- Saint-Gervais-les-Bains (About 30–40 minutes by train) — A spa and mountain town at the lower end of the valley, with thermal baths in a wooded park and the lower terminus of the Mont Blanc Tramway, which climbs towards the Bionnassay glacier.
- Megève (About 40 minutes by car) — An upmarket village resort with a medieval centre, horse-drawn sleighs in winter and wide, gentle ski slopes in the Évasion Mont-Blanc area.
When to go with children
The best months overall are January, March and July–September. February and July–August are the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Chamonix good for kids?
Chamonix suits active families: rack railways and cable cars thrill children, the Parc de Merlet and Lac des Gaillands are easy outings, and Le Tour and Les Houches have gentle ski slopes. High-altitude trips need care, as children feel the cold and altitude quickly.
+What can kids do in Chamonix?
Montenvers railway and Mer de Glace, Parc de Merlet, Lac des Gaillands, Le Brévent and Domaine de Balme.
+Where should families stay in Chamonix?
Les Houches: Family-friendly ski village at the lower, wooded end of the valley.