Can some one tell me about the alps in summer?

[hellothere247]

I really want to go to the Alps this summer, I think it looks so much fun and will be so beautiful.

I'm a bit overwhelmed where to go! We normally go skiing in France.. is France a good place to go in the summer? Austria looks quite good too?

Would quite like a lake but also mountain / ski lift type activities.. would we be better somewhere like Morzine or somewhere like Lake Annacy? Any other recommendations?

Has anyone been to both?

Highly recommend Austria. Extremely child-friendly - all the mountain area gasthofs (mountain hut restaurants) have outdoor kids' play areas.

You can go hiking, swimming (pools and lakes), water parks (lots of these), visit castles and fortresses and sweet little villages if the weather is bad (which it can be in summer). If your kids are more adventurous you can do canyoning, climbing (via ferrata), white water rafting, etc.

Food is pretty kid-friendly too - although parents might fid the lack of fresh vegetables a bit off-putting!

Ok I think we are gonna do... 5 nights in Morzine and 5 nights at lake Annacy. Austria did look fab but I think the accommodation is a big better suited to us in France.

Thanks all really helpful! 😃

https://www.alpineelements.co.uk/. Have a look here for their Summer hols, although I don’t recommend them, the ideas are there!

just hanging around as we are hoping to go to chamoix (probably!) this summer. I remember amazing summer holidays in sass fee as a kid :-). I think we definitely want France (french but not German speakers in the family): any other hints and tips (going with older teens)

I’m going to look at Morzine!

I realise I've made the kids club look like ages 3-8, it was 3-8 pm.

Older DC but we did a morzine / annecy combination last summer and had a great time ☺️

Not been yet but we are heading to lake Annecy this summer with kids same age. There are a few nice looking campsites on the south end of the lake. We’re driving; looks like it could be limiting without either driving or hiring one.

Oh and a friend has been to morzine in summer with kids and loves it so if you do both you’ll have a great time I’m sure !

Thank you @Clearinguptheclutter we will hire a car, like to be able to get around.

I'm not sure if we should stay in an air bnb in annacy or if we'd be better in a van on a park.. might look into that. x

We are heading to Salbaach this summer with three kids 3/8/11. I think we are staying in the same apartments at you did

Do you have any tips?

Wrote out a reply and lost it!

Tips:
sunscreen- the sun is fierce on top of the mountains, also, it was hotter than I expected the usual 24 degrees being 30 last summer…

There are several cable cars very close which have activities for children at the top and there’s always a restaurant selling salty fries.

There are relatively good SPAR shops in the villages about a 20 minute walk away if you’re self-catering, a couple of mornings we asked at the restaurant if we could have breakfast which was a good buffet style one.

My children really enjoyed the kids club including my 4 year old who is autistic, they were very good with him. You don’t need to pre book.

Are you flying to Saltzburg?

thanks so much!

Yes, flying in to Salzburg though we haven’t quite worked out our transfer plans yet. Staying at the Resi apartments as we liked the idea of being able to access the hotel facilities and the kids club (if ours will go, I think the 11 yr old may take some convincing!) but also wanted to try and keep costs down a bit.

I like the idea of a buffet breakfast so will ask the hotel if we are able to eat there on a couple of mornings - maybe as a birthday treat for me as it will be my birthday whilst we are there.

We’ve never been to Austria or done an Alpine holiday and have struggled to find anyone else who has done anything similar too - so it’s great to stumble across you recommending it on here :)

@psychokoala As there are 5 of you, the easiest transfer from Salzburg Airport to Saalbach-Hinterglemm is by private taxi, booked in advance from any of the Saalbach taxi companies. The hotel should be able to help with the booking. Cost will be around €180 each way.

Alternatives:

If you don't have too much luggage, the public bus is an excellent option. Postbus 260 between Salzburg and Zell am See stops directly outside the Arrivals Hall at the airport (cross the car park/taxi rank to the road by the car rental offices). You change to the 680 Postbus at the crossroads at Maishofen, just outside of Zell am See - ask the driver for the correct stop. Luggage goes in the compartment under the 260 bus, so remember to collect it when you change. On the 680, you take the luggage on to the bus. You can buy a through ticket and there are savings for a family travelling together (it should cost about €40 each way for the family). The 680 stops directly outside the Resi, just before you reach Hinterglemm.

A similar journey is possible using the train. You need to take the bus (or a taxi) into Salzburg main station, and from there a train to Zell am See. From Zell, you catch the 680 bus at the bus stop directly opposite the station, or take a taxi to S-H (the taxi will cost about €60).

The hotel should provide the Joker Card, which gives free transport on the cable cars and local buses, as well as free admission to the public pool in Saalbach.

@Havanananana how much luggage is too much luggage for public transport over there would you say? We will have one 20kg hold bag and then one 10kg Ryan Air cabin bag and we would have five small under seat/hand bag sized bags between us (so they would be easy to keep on our laps on train/bus). Possibly a collapsible pushchair too. So only two bags and the pushchair as bulky luggage. Public transport would be a lot cheaper and our flight times would allow us plenty of time for daytime transfers.

It sounds like you know the area very well? Do you happen to knkw on what the rules are with 3 year olds and car seats on buses/coaches? We went to Denmark last year and had to take a seat for our youngest and wouldn’t have been allowed to take her on without it. I’d much prefer for her to be strapped in safely but also don’t want to take a seat that then cannot be used 🤔

We took the train from Saltzburg as described above, annoyingly there was a fun run on and the bus was on diversion so we had to call a taxi! Which cost about 50 Euros. But the bus would have been fine and stops right outside the Resi. You can take loads of luggage on as the bus is long and has quite a bit of space. Alternatively, the hotel will organise.

The pool is lovely but there were these biting fly things in the shade which I hadn’t encountered before.

Feel free to ask more questions!

Oh, and we got the Joker card included.

It’s beautiful and so much activity as long as you stay at the right place.
we stayed here - both for skiing and a summer trip. https://www.arc1950direct.com/properties/605-auberge-jerome/

@psychokoala The #260 bus is a coach. There is plenty of room underneath for your two suitcases - in winter, people travel on this route with ski bags, boot bags and a whole lot more. Take your small bags inside with you - as the route passes through Germany you might be asked to show your passports at the border if random checks are being held.

The #680 is usually a long bendy bus. There is no compartment underneath for luggage, but plenty of room inside. There are indicator boards and announcements inside the bus to tell you the upcoming bus stops - for the Resi you want the "Hinterglemm Wiesenegg" stop. All stops are request stops.

I've never seen a child in a child seat on a bus in Austria.

When my kids where the same age as yours op ,we started going to Chamonix. We we t there for for several years in a row.
There is so much to do.
My boys liked white water rafting, ice climbing ( I think.you had to be 12 for that) going on the cable cars a d mountain hiking. They were used to hiking as we go to Scotland and Lake District for mountain walk days and overnight camps. They liked going rock climbing. You can hire an instructor and gear.
We used to take the mountain bikes. The bikes can go in the cable cars and there's lots of trails.
There is just so much to do.
Thinking about this I have just realised how much I miss Chamonix

@Havanananana thanks again - really helpful info.

And OP, sorry for jumping on your thread. I hope you have a fantastic alps trip too!

OP how did your trip go? Where did you stay in each location please?

Oh gosh yes, please give details! Have DH whose been v I’ll, we have both lost confidence, and 17 yr teen boy who likes climbing.
im beyond anxious looking at holidays so all tips very welcome! Thank you

As this thread has been revived, here is an update regarding Saalbach-Hinterglemm.

The public transport in Salzburgerland (i.e. the State of Salzburg) is FREE for tourists this summer if they request a Mobility Card from their accommodation providers. This can be sent to guests in advance by email or App, so it can be used for the journey by bus or train from Salzburg Airport to Saalbach-Hinterglemm (or to anywhere else in Salzburgerland). It can also be used for day trips to Zell am See, Krimml waterfalls and elsewhere.

There's another current thread about the Alps and Saalbach-Hinterglemm here > Austria summer walking | Mumsnet