Chamonix or Zell am See In Summer?

[Brycare]

Hi.
We are planning our family holiday for next summer now (two adults and two kids aged 6 & 8).
We’re planning on a week in a campsite first and then trying to decide where to go for the second week.
Thinking of a mixture of relaxation and things to do (can’t plan for a full on activity week as the two kids won’t be able for that :-)).
I thought of Switzerland at first but it seems to be very expensive and maybe a bit too full on for the kids.
Anyhow, the two places that have caught my eye are Chamonix in France and Zell am See in Austria.
wondering if anybody here has been to both and could recommend one over the other?
Looking at Hotel Stadt Wien in ZAM - no accommodation picked yet for Chamonix.
The plan would be to chill out, swim, eat nice food but also do some activities (luge, cable cars, boat trip, maybe a day trip
or two etc).
Have never been to the Alps before so totally green!
Really appreciate any advice.

Chamonix is very lovely but I would say a little 'grown up' for your kids, lots of nice but expensive bars and restaurants. Also I think you'd struggle to fill a week there unless you have a car and travel to nearby resorts for days out. You can do a day trip to Italy from there. Having said that the luge is great fun and there's a nice old funicular which takes you to the glacier. Cannot comment on Zell as haven't been there in summer but would possibly have more to do because of the lake. Had you thought about Annecy area as that is very lovely in summer too?

If you do decide on Chamonix, Heliopic hotel is very child friendly (sweets and board games in reception area, virtual reality headsets, included bike hire) but might be pricey for a week unless you have very healthy budget.

Thanks for the reply. Yes definitely if we stayed in Chamonix I would hire a care and do a few trips from there to Annecy etc.
I’m kind of veering towards Chamonix and Zell because there seems to be a few accommodation options with outdoor pools suitable for kids. I think that would be important in terms of balancing doing things with chill out time.

Zell is stunning in the summer. We have been twice and it's been some of my most favourite holidays.

Zell is amazing, loads to do up mountains and on the lake, interesting towns around and about. Couldn’t recommend it more

If you’re willing to consider other areas then Morzine and Les Gets would fit the bill nicely

I haven't been to Chamonix but have visited Zell am See with kids of different ages. Plenty of activities in Zell am See, also easy to get to by public transport (and get around) if you are not hiring a car. Pm me if you have any specific questions. The water in the lake can be on the colder side (+21/23 in the hight of summer). Stunning mountains and a very well run resort.

I was going to suggest Annecy as well (or one of the villages around the lake). You can swim in the lake, cycle around it , go parascending, hire boats, Chamonix for the day (and other day trips), go for walks, drive up mountains etc. You won’t be bored.

Plus it’s beautiful.

We are just on holiday in the Alps and did 6 nights in Morzine and 4 nights at a campsite on lake Annecy.

Morzine was awesome!! There is so much stuff to do and you can get all around the port du soleil (Morzine, Les Get, Avoriaz) by bus, ski lifts, walking, with various activities and bars / restaurants on the way. Really active fun family holiday. Various swimming options too in various lakes and swimming pools. Only down side I would say is weather was pretty grim first couple of days and it does end up being quite pricey day to day with all the activities and mountain restaurants are as pricey and crap as in the main ski season. When the sun came out it was just glorious.

We met with some friends here in Annecy who had come from Chamonix and they said that was really fun too.

Lovely here in Annecy too, stunning scenery, more of a campsite, beach vibe. Has been very hot!

Anywhere in the alps I'm sure you would have a great time. If you want to be really active I'd say do one of the ski resorts but if you want more of a traditional holiday, hot weather etc. then Lake Annecy a great options. The town is also stunning.

We have been to zell and lake annecy both are fabulous choices!

Went to a Eurocamp in Zell am See in summer a few years ago. Was BRILLIANT. Around the lake you can pay to get to a beach for the day with a lifeguarded pool at the side of the lake, so the kids could play in there with one parent while the other swam in the lake. So clear and cold and delicious. Then we ate burgers and chips in a restaurant overlooking the lake as a thunderstorm rolled in over the mountains. One of my best memories ever.

I went to Morzine this summer with my 4 year old and it is brilliant, I would choose Morzine over Chamonix. Its very picturesque, theres an outdoor pool, tree climbing activity (parcabout), go karts, big playground, activities in the square for kids (building blocks, performances), beautiful lake with crazy golf, pony trekking. So beautiful and so much to do.

Second also morzine. Amazing in the summer and a water park up in avoriaz

Just come back from the alps. We stayed just outside Les Houches which is just outside Chamonix. We took the train in to Chamonix a couple of tiens. Was great. Loads to do which didn’t all involve walking up mountains (although we did do a bit of that). And cheaper than Chamonix itself. We self catered but I’m sure there’s some nice small hotels there.

We've just been in Zell am See with kids aged 11 and 8. It's absolutely stunning. The lake was really warm for swimming and the kids spent lots of time paddle boarding and just floating around in the lake. They also went tobogganing on the Kitzsteinhorn! Fab time had by all.

We have stayed in Stadt Wien 4 times for ski holidays ! It’s an amazing hotel . Absolutely spotless , beautiful food and fantastic staff ! You will not get better . Our favourite hotel !!

Thanks very much for the replies so far.
It sounds like Zell am See comes highly recommended!
Just to throw one more place into the mix - anyone stayed in Merano in Italy?
Zell am See is the front runner but looks to be awkward to get to from Union Lido campsite unless you already have a car hired (which we won’t have).
Appreciate all the responses

Great - I was a bit hesitant to book as I’m
not usually mad on having food included in the hotel (other than breakfast) as I like to try the local restaurants & it’s hard to see sample menus online but that is good to hear.

We went to Annecy recently and did a day trip to Chamonix. Tbh I was really underwhelmed. The cable car to the aiguille du midi was extortionately expensive and it just all felt really “exclusive” and IMO soulless.

Annecy area was just lovely. I have previously been to Morzine and Les gets and loved them too.

can’t comment on Austrian alps

Thank you for the reply.
I originally did consider Annecy (it looks beautiful) but the only thing that has put me off is it's difficult to find accommodation with an onsite pool.
I have it earmarked for a future trip though definitely.
Annecy is somewhere I have always fancied going to.
If we go there I think I'd stay in Les Fontaines campsite in Lathuile for the pool, do a few trips on public transport into Annecy itself and drive around the lake. On this trip we are going to Union Lido campsite for the first week & I don't think I could face another campsite the second week :-)

Can I ask a random question - what is the food like in Annecy?
Have been to France both this year and last year and the food has been a letdown. It just felt very samey everywhere we went - all the restaurants had chalkboards with 5 or 6 options but pretty much all the same - a steak, burger and fish option. Every restaurant had practically the same menu.

We stayed in Les fontaines! Would recommend. There are 5-6 decent campsites in that area. The restaurants didn’t have massive menus but they were child friendly and we liked the food. But our kids are fussy and generally if they are happy we are. If you’re a foody family you might be disappointed.

Plenty of choice in Annecy itself but that’s a bit of a trek- 30m plus drive depending on traffic. Not much nightlife that end of the lake, people stick to the campsite bars and that’s about it. We loved it but it’s probably not for everyone.

Zell is probably more traditionally pretty alpine, flower meadows, walks accessible by cable car and trains, lake bathing, glacier at Kaprun, Chamonix is more of a town, busy resort, dramatic scenery attracting climbers and mountain hikers.

We stayed in Hotel Stadt Wien a few years ago. It is a wonderful hotel, absolutely lovely.

Thank you. I definitely have my eye on that campsite for future - just this time I'd rather spend the second week at another campsite.
Do you remember if the outdoor pool is heated - their website indicates that it is but I have read reviews that said it wasn't?

Well we were there in May. There were signs up confirming the pool was heated- to something in the low 20s. A digital sign confirming the current temperature. Plenty of kids were in the pool but my youngest and I thought it was a tad chilly. I imagine in July/August it would be fine.