French Alps in Summer

[Acunningruse]

We (DH, DS 12DD8 and I) are looking at going to the French Alps in 2026. Reasons are:—
-We love France but I haven’t done this area since I was a child
-DS wants to practice his French (hence not choosing Austria)
-We don’t do well in the heat and are limited to July/August
-we don’t want self-catering and all the ski resorts offer half board

Ive done some research and the resort of Avoriaz looks good. My only concerns are:
-We are just a normal family, not super fit. At weekends we are more likely to be ambling round a National Trust place than biking up a mountain. DCs don’t even have bikes which fit them at the moment di we need to be super fit to get the most out of a holiday like this?
-i understand the resort is car free. Online forums mention getting around by sledge/horse and carriage but is this still sn option in summer? Worried about how we will get to hotel with luggage otherwise.
-ive never been skiing and am really anxious about getting the cable car to get around. Is it easy/self-explanatory?

We would be coming from NE England so best route seems to be to fly into Geneva but any travel advice welcomed.

Any tips greatly appreciated.

Another one for Morzine - we were there last July / August and it was pleasant (maybe about 25) rather than unbearable. We went through Alpine Elements and did high ropes, white water rafting, paddle boarding, swimming in the big outdoor pool and a nearby lake. Also took bikes up on the ski lifts to do a zip line, and cycled down. It’s definitely not a lazy holiday, but there are options that don’t require super fitness.

I take your point but just because you can do lots of sports doesn’t mean you have to. The scenery is stunning wherever you look - you can sit in a deck chair, reading etc and there is no need to be active. My elderly dad loves coming out in the summer. We do very short walks, play a game of crazy golf and he sits under a tree when we go swimming. He likes looking at white water rafting but leaves others to get wet in the Durance.

Another vote for Morzine. Have a look at Alpine Elements hotels in Morzine, plenty of activities available including kids club, but you can also just sit by the pool and read a book and enjoy the scenery 😊

Yet another Morzine vote, or Les Gets if you fancied somewhere a little quieter and more village like. Avoriaz isn’t the most interesting resort, it’s a bit barren and modern iirc compared to the other two mentioned which have a lot more character and charm. It’s also built on a slope which means you’re walking up or down to explore it.

The bus network as well as the chairlifts are a good way to get around, there’s easy cycling from Morzine too, along the river if you don’t fancy full on MTB.

You won’t get altitude sickness at any of the resorts, that generally doesn’t start to be a problem until around 3,000m but you will feel short of breath. And beware of the strength of the sun, it is so much more powerful at altitude, my DF had sunstroke after insisting he didn’t need a hat on one high alpine walk.

Thanks so much for all the responses. I completely agree Morzine looks absolutely beautiful and apparently has the feel of a typical Alpine village rather than a purpose-built ski resort. However, I’m struggling with accommodation. I really don’t want to go self-catering as it’s meant to be a holiday- I know we can eat out but the cost of this would be huge for 4 of us for a week. There are hotels In Morzine but most seem to offer the 4 of us in one room.
The reason for looking at Avoriaz was theese places:
https://www.belambra.com/locations/auvergne-rhone-alpes/club-avoriaz-les-cimes-du-soleil-summer
and
https://www.pierreetvacances.com/gb-en/fp_AVP_self-catering-premium-residence-l-amara?gclsrc=aw.ds&adlgid=m%7Cx%7C%7C%7C&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22555378459&gbraid=0AAAAADkCsp3o2eC5tyTJkJzvGST6gJpwu&gclid=CjwKCAjwruXBBhArEiwACBRtHdcTJ1cgzXVZrbis1ef3csFp9r0nS66a54fIYCdC4psqz89vXfgmIRoCMFgQAvD_BwE

as both offer 2 bedroom apartments but with restaurant/food delivery service as well. Plus kids clubs 🤣

Regarding activity levels we would hope to do walking, exploring, swimming in lakes etc.

Lots of food for thought.

No idea on where is good to stay for that sort of thing, but a bit of info about travelling through Geneva airport - it has a French side and a Swiss side, and you can exit either, though it’s more complicated coming in and out of the French side as most of the signposting is for the Swiss exit / entrance.
The main reason this matters is car hire - if you’re hiring a car, it’s quite a lot less expensive to hire one from the French side. We did this, and it was much better price etc, a bit of a fiddle finding out way out of the airport to the French car hire, but fine really. It was a bit harder getting back into the airport from the French side - again, we just needed to ask people. Don’t let it put you off but be prepared to ask!

If you want catered, have a look at Simply Morzine’s catered chalet and Alpine Elements catered chalets and hotels. I think they offer family suites where you and kids are in connected but separate bedrooms. Alpine Elements has a kids club too I believe.

Or you can go self catered but use services like Huski food (bit like Cook) to make life easier. When we were in Morzine we did s/c for breakfast and a simple lunch or dinner (bread cheese salad) and then ate out or had takeaway for the main meal.

The places you have found, bear in mind the kids club will be 99% French kids and will be run in French.

ETA: for some other catered options, check out Chilly Powder (Morzine) Beyond Beach (Vaujany, also v pretty, smaller than Morzine), Mountain Action Holidays (Chamonix). And Club Med though this will also be mostly French!

With transport from Geneva, we’ve always booked a transport company to Morzine and just used the public transport when there rather than hiring a car. I really don’t feel that once you’re in eg Morzine you need a car at all, the transport network is really pretty good, buses are free I think.

Have you thought about the massif centrale instead? Lots of lakes and mountains, plenty to do but less 'SPORT' and more 'sport optional' if you see what I mean? Very French, not many British tourists. We go every year and love it.

How have you found the weather in the Massif Centrale @TheMousePipes ? I had a very rainy summer holiday there as a child and I think statistically it’s wetter than the Alps but would be interested in your more recent experience.

I hesitate to say this as I don't want to jinx this year, but it's been glorious the last three!

Thanks! July or August?

Late July

If you want catered you could look at Club Med as they have lots of alpine resorts and my two loved the teen club. However one of the main included activities they offer is mountain biking. There are also the cheaper all inclusive chains like Belambra and MMV but they are a big step down from club med.

We spent last July in the German and Swiss alps (I speak German) and had an amazing time. High ropes, swimming, rafting , walking for active days and lounging by lakes or wandering through beautiful towns for quieter days. We spent a week in a ski resort full board and a week in an Airbnb self catering. It was the perfect balance and I think your plans sound great. We actually got the train - Eurostar to Brussels then a sleeper train to Munich and a hire car the other end. It was a great adventure and train travel through Europe is definitely worth considering even if not all the way as it’s a lovely way to see lots of countryside.