Alps in summer - any experts?

[Hettythechicken]

We’d like to drive to the Alps next summer with kids and dog for a fortnight of walking and admiring views as well as r&r in a nice gîte (or ground floor apartment). Can anyone recommend where would be a good area to stay in? Or even better can recommend a gite or booking agent? Any tips welcomed! We are thinking the French side because we speak the language but maybe I can be tempted to Switzerland or Italy? The key thing is that we can drive there with an overnight stop on the way.

I suppose what we want is a ski chalet but without the snow! Where do I start?

We stayed here in Seefeld, Austria. It was absolutely beautiful. Close to the town, loads of summer alpine activities close by.

abnb.me/xxMmhT9tTsb

@Eatglass that looks stunning! And a pool as well! Will look more into it.

Chamonix is great in swimmer. Rafting, mtn biking etc

My aunt has a ski flat in Bourg at Maurice below Les arcs. All the ski lifts are open in July-august and they have a lot of adventure stuff - mountain biking, parapenting, horse riding etc etc

Ask in chaletsdirect.com in the solutions room.

there’s loads of properties that fit the bill

We’ve done this area many times. Zee am see is lovely do a trip to Tauren spa if you do. you can Also do Salzburg from here.
Annecy is amazing very beautiful with the lake to swim in.
Italy lake Garda (dolomites not alps but still lovely)

Les deux alpes is nice, good walking. Summer cable cars, activities.

Agree, we have been there in summer a few times. Prices were reasonable ( well compared to ski season). We stayed at the Cortina apartments, were excellent but this was a good few years ago.

Chamonix, Interlaken, Grindelwald

We‘ve had a few summer hiking holidays around Chamonix, two in Ötztal in Austria, and have just returned from our second stay in the Slovenian Alps. I‘ve also done some walking in Austria near Salzburg and in South Tyrol (the hills above Bolzano and near Meran). They‘ve all (with the exception of South Tyrol, which is less developed) been wonderful with good hiking infrastructure, well marked routes, huts for multi-day walks, spas and swimming pools in town, a few non-hiking options for sore-muscle days, and activities like rafting/kayaking/canyoning. I would never go via a booking agent for accommodation, there’s usually something suitable on Airbnb or Booking - or is that what you mean by an agent?

We've got a family place in Switzerland (German speaking part) and often go in summer as well as for skiing, it's great in the summer! We rent it through airbnb. I'd have to say you probably won't go wrong in any of the nice ski resorts . Check if they have a decent website for summer sports & activities & decent tourist info. Where we are there is a mountain lake which is warm enough to swim in, all sorts of hiking trails either through the woods or up in the mountains. Check if the mountain railway / lifts are running. I know Chamonix is great with lots of family friendly activities as well as hiking etc as DC have been there with friends and had a great time.

Annecy

@ItsOnlyWordsInnit I don’t really know what I meant by an agent - I never use one usually! I suppose I’ve seen a few companies that own several ski chalets in a resort so I might enquire through them.

Thanks everyone for so many exciting suggestions! I’ve been to Chamonix and Val d’Isere before in winter but I love the sound of all these places in summer. Off to look up all your recommendations!

Once had a summer holiday at a place called La Clusaz in France. I don't remember much about the town itself but it is a ski resort so there was easy access to mountain walks. However, it was a great location for being able to get around to different places - we went to Annecy, Geneva, Chamonix. We stayed in a ski chalet.

We drove to Switzerland and had Eurocamp accommodation in Interlaken. Beautiful and highly recommended. Had to break down the driving by staying over in a hotel near Reims.

Les Arcs 1950 is gorgeous. The other levels are a bit tattier IMO.

If you drive on the toll roads through France (which, btw, can quickly add up in €€), there are loads of gorgeous, quiet, clean & modern 'service stations' which you can stop at

We go to the French Alps every summer / just come home today. We have a place in the southern Alps in Embrun which is at the top of a large reservoir. The town has loads of character and is a short drive from several ski resorts with zip wires, mountain biking, via ferrata. You can raft down the Durance or paddle board on the lake.

you will love it!

If you wanted to run around the mountains at Chamonix is it pretty easy with a Garmin to upload maps on to? I realised this is quite specific! I don't speak French though so would need to suss it out myself

I’d second Annecy - we had a fabulous summer holiday there in 2019. Beautiful places to visit.

You can often book direct via the tourist office. Interhome offers sc accommodation. Switzerland is not cheap, but the scenery rewarding. Park in Lauterbrunnen and head up to Wengen, or Grindelwald. Engelberg is easy to get to from the border at Basel. Engkish is widely spoken. If you prefer France Annecy is pretty but you will need to drive for mountain activities. Chamonix large and busy.

Multiple visits to Morzine here and think it's a great place for families. Lots of chalet companies hire in the summer. We have used Simply Morzine and Treeline Chalets as well as Reach for the Alps.

We went to Les Arcs 1950 earlier this summer, it's a great resort. The apartment blocks have swimming pools, there are some good restaurants and there's lots to do - take the ski lifts up the mountains and walk down, mountain biking, white water rafting in Bourg Saint Maurice, and there's stuff like archery in the resort you can do. We travelled there by train, and you don't really need a car once you're there (no cars in the resort itself).The weather was lovely, 27C and sunny every day. Would recommend!

Thanks all! Think we’re 100% now that the Alps will be our holiday next summer. We’re now wondering whether it’s sensible to bring the dog after all as all the outdoor adventure activities you’ve mentioned would be fun to do as a family rather than one of us have to wait behind with pooch…
Thanks everyone - excited!