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.

We stayed here pre-pandemic and it was lovely. We booked it via the VRBO website and had a wonderful summer holiday there. A highlight was sitting in the hot tub watching people parapenting off the mountains. We parapented, drove to Annecy, visited Chamonix and went up The Aguille du Midi.

We've had 2 fantastic summer holidays in Chamonix - absolutely love it.

Another Morzine fan here, been many times for biking and walking. Actually prefer Les Gets as it’s a bit quieter but that’s a minor detail. Always booked through the main tourist agency, forget the name but it’s linked to from the official web sites. Really love the variety of things on offer, lift system is massive so you can cover a lot of ground if you want.

Chamonix is also stunning, the town is pretty expensive though. Amazing views, probably the best for this, but as the valley is incredibly steep sided, walking up or down is gruelling, so you have to use the lifts unless you stay to the valley floor.

Les Arc area is also worth mentioning, as is Meribel and the three valleys. These a bit harder to get to, but are a fair bit quieter in summer than the first too. Both large, sprawling areas, great for hiking.

In all honesty I wouldn’t take the dog I love doggy holidays but I think this area there is a lot of things that aren’t doggy suitable. Also we’ve walked loads over there and I know mine would be very over stimulated with the environment and the alps.

Italian dolomites also a wonderful summer destination

Annecy is gorgeous. Austria and Germany also amazing. We have done both many times with the kids. Every town seems to have an amazing swimming pool with loads of fun slides and outdoor areas. Our holidays were made up of visits to several of these pools, interspersed with walking down mountains, summer tobogganing and lots of parks. They were our favourite holidays by a long shot.

All sounds lovely! We are thinking of doing the same. Wouldn't take the dog though as lots of places don't like them being left alone in the accommodation

I’m also looking at this kind of holiday for next year, it sounds lovely.

Does anyone know of a mountain holiday where our DC would be likely to meet other DC of similar age - upper primary, not teens? Thinking of a chalethotel or similar. Or organised group activities we can join in with sometimes (but not the whole time…)

Also any views on whether it is worth driving down ie is it very useful to have a car, or not really.

Thanks!

Morzine, St Jean D'Aulps, Chamonix, Argentiers, Let Gets

A lot of the ski stations are set up for active summer holidays too. I've been to Annecy in the summer for day trips/passing through. Always looks to have good stuff going on on the lake.

We always did Eurocamp at this age and our kids met lots of kids the same age, many English families but also a lovely mix from across Europe

I would leave the car at home. Lots of mountain areas where I live now don’t allow dogs at all even on lease between May-Sept. Mainly due to ‘some’ people letting dogs loose and disturbing the cows up there. It’s not everywhere, but I know friends with dogs say they have less and less mountain paths to the huts accessible now with dog.

Definitely need a car in most areas unless planning on staying just on campsite, or town or on lake. Public transport can be rather infrequent Especially on weekends or after say 6pm.

• not car, leave the DOG at home

@Caspianberg that’s really useful to know - think doggy will be staying behind! It also means we are more accommodation options.

Thanks Billybagpuss DH runs screaming from anything camping related but might be persuaded if I can find one that has nice lodges! Didn’t realise there were mountain euro camps

We’ve stayed in them in Annecy and Zell am See the zell am see one we were definitely in a caravan type home. Our particular site in annecy was just tents but there were many other sites along the shore so I’m sure you’d find something

www.sportcamp.at/sportcamp-woferlgut/camping-p68.html

we stayed here @minipie it actually sounds like you’d have the perfect mix for your DH.

Thank you!

I think one thing to be aware of is the driving time if you are staying in a resort that’s high in the mountains. The roads in the Alps are generally really good, but you will spend A LOT of time winding up and down them!
How are your kids in terms of potential car sickness? My DD used to KNIT in the back of the car going up mountain passes, but DS would be pea green after the first five minutes.
Annecy or Chamonix both have good road comms, though. Also look at the area around Lake Aigueblette - worth a mention as it’s a bit quieter than Annecy and the water is much warmer!

I’ve never felt the need to have a car on any of the Alps trips I’ve made. Often the resorts are large and well equipped not to need one, found the buses in Morzine and Chamonix fine. Took the coach down to Thonon Les Bains from Morzine for a day trip one time too. No doubt they can be handy if camping as you can take a lot more creature comforts, but have always managed ok flying out, even with mtb’s. Just my 2p.

@Lonelycrab - I think public transport is fine if your basically staying in ski resorts in summer, as the infrastructure is there.
From my house for example we aren’t directly in resort, so most summer routes are actually a drive in the local area. Or a 20 min drive to ski gondola ( which would take 2.5hrs by public transport)

"The roads in the Alps are generally really good, but you will spend A LOT of time winding up and down them!"

In France maybe, but not in Austria, where the villages are built along the valleys and there are few high mountain roads apart from the high-level passes.

Many places in Austria also offer free cable car tickets in the summer, or combi-tickets that cover local transport and places like the local museum, open-air pool etc. For example, Saalbach has a Joker Card that covers all of this for free. Zell am See has something similar. The qualifier is that you have to book accommodation at a hotel/B&B/apartment/campsite that is participating in the scheme, but that is almost all accommodation providers.

Sorry to jump on the thread - I’m also looking at this having had a fab May half term in the Austrian alps ( on a semi organised holiday).

i don’t have a car though ( and 2DC 8 and 10). Is there anywhere people would particularly recommend for a no car holiday? Happy to largely stay in the resort, with some walks mainly and guess could take a taxi if necessary. Good swimming pools would be great ( despite doing loads of stuff that was my kids favourite bit from the Austrian holiday!)

@Ridingladybugs

Saalbach-Hinterglemm is ideal for a car-free holiday in the Alps. We've spent lots of family time there, winter and summer. It is easily reached by public transport from Salzburg Airport (train or bus via Zell am See, then bus or taxi up the valley for the last 10 miles). It is a 90-minute transfer from the airport - easily arranged yourself, or by transfer coach if on a package holiday.

Saalbach has loads of activities - hiking from the top of several cable cars, playgrounds at the top of all lift stations, a tree-top trail, Europe's biggest "Go Ape"-style climbing park, zip-wires, mountain biking (including a beginners' trail), an outdoor swimming pool (and most hotels have pools) and much more. The Joker Card (available only from participating accommodation providers, which is almost all of them) gives free travel on the cable cars and public transport - including the buses and local trains. Zell am See is just down the road where there is swimming in the beautiful lake at the lido, and snow on the glacier at Kitzsteinhorn. www.saalbach.com/en

Thanks so much @Havanananana . We were actually at Zel am see in May and would love to go back. I love the Alps

@Ridingladybugs who was your semi organised holiday with please?