The best ideas for walks with children in Les Menuires

Published on July 24, 2024 at 4:00 pm

In summer, hiking is an essential part of a mountain holiday. In Les Menuires, there are many routes suitable for families with young children. Whether they're in an all-terrain pushchair or a physiological baby carrier, the little ones will be amazed by this natural environment. They'll have the chance to observe birds, marmots, ibex, plants and flowers they may never have seen before. It's also a good opportunity for their parents to explain to them the impact of our actions on the environment**, and to encourage them to pick up litter so as not to disturb the flora and fauna. To discover the natural areas, there are walks starting from Les Menuires, but also from the surrounding villages such as Saint-Martin-de-Belleville and** Villarenger**, and for spectacular views, some hikes leave from the gondolas so you can enjoy the summits without having to walk up. And if you don't have a pushchair or baby carrier, you can hire one in the resort.

Excursions with children

Summary

Hiking, an activity for all the family
Find a family hike in Les Ménuires
Hire hiking equipment for children in Les Ménuires
Which hotel to choose for a holiday with children?

Hiking, an activity for all the family

Why hike with your children?

Hiking with children is a great activity for many reasons. First and foremost, it allows the family to spend time together outdoors, away from screens. It also promotes a healthy, active lifestyle and strengthens family ties. Walking also reduces the risk of obesity, and with children becoming increasingly sedentary, walking is a good habit to get into as early as possible.

How do you get them to enjoy this activity?

To get children to enjoy walking, it's important to choose routes that are suited to their level of ability and interest. These could be walks in the woods, hikes on mountain trails or strolls along a river. Children can also be involved in choosing the route by looking for interesting destinations or landscapes they would like to explore.

It's also important to make the experience fun and interesting. This can involve playing games to find their bearings, looking for natural elements such as leaves or stones, or inviting them to take pretty photos from different viewpoints.

The pleasure of hiking in the mountains with the family

How should you prepare for a hike with children?

It's important to prepare your children for the hike by explaining the safety rules and helping them to get properly equipped, in particular with suitable footwear, comfortable clothing, a cap or hat, water and sufficient provisions. Along the way, it may be useful to plan regular breaks for rest, refreshments and snacks.

Find a family hike in Les Ménuires

What walks to choose around Les Menuires with children

Plan de l'eau

This is an easy walk on a wide, flat path along the Doron stream, in a pleasant natural environment of water and greenery. It can be walked with an all-terrain pushchair or baby carrier. Public toilets with baby-changing facilities are available close to Le Setor restaurant. You can access the promenade from the Plan de l'Eau car park or by taking the free shuttle bus (A19 Plan d'Eau stop). The promenade is less than a kilometre long and can be walked in around 30 minutes.

Lac du Lou

For more experienced hikers, the walk to the natural Lac du Lou is a must. This adventure requires a baby carrier to carry toddlers and is not accessible by pushchair, even off-road. The hike can be done as a round trip or a loop, and offers breathtaking views of the lake. The nearby refuge offers refreshments and toilet facilities. To reach this destination, the starting point is at Plan de l'Eau. Allow around two hours to climb the 300 metres of ascent. The return distance is 7km.

Lac du Lou, one of the largest natural lakes in Savoie, in Les Ménuires, Alps, France.

The Châtelard loop

Passing by the valley's delightful villages, hikers can even make a diversion to visit them. To reach the starting point, drive to the Cochet car park in Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, then follow the signs to the Saint Marcel dam and turn right to Les Desserts, a small abandoned hamlet. Hikers should then follow the 4x4 track to Le Châtelard, then take the little-used road towards Saint-Martin. Finally, hikers should take the path on the right towards the Cochet car park. The walk, which lasts around 1 hour 15 minutes, is 5.2 kilometres long and has a positive and negative gradient of 110 metres each.

Les demoiselles coiffées

Villarenger is ideal for families looking for a shady walk beside a stream. This 3.5-kilometre walk is very popular with children. To get there, walkers should cross the bridge, turn right and follow the path to Pont Beraud before turning right again. Toddlers should be carried in a baby carrier to enjoy this 1.5-hour excursion.

Lac des Echauds

This is a great family hike, with an ascent in the Bruyère 1 gondola, followed by a short walk to Lac des Echauds. The lake is equipped with picnic tables for a relaxing break in the heart of nature. The descent can be made either by gondola or on foot in around an hour and a half, and is only accessible with a baby carrier. The cable car ascent takes around 10 minutes in total, and you can use a pushchair around the lake.

Lac des Allamands

To get to Lac des Allamands, take the Roc 1 gondola from La Croisette and follow the path slightly uphill to the lake for 20 minutes. You can walk back down with a baby carrier, which takes around 1? hours.