Chamonix for Families & Kids

Chamonix markets its image as an extreme sports destination, however, this doesn't make it unsuitable for families with children to visit. Obviously the main activity in winter is skiing and snowboarding and there are a number of ski schools who offer kids' lessons and may also arrange child-minding, pick-up services, and other activities.

There are a number of other activities geared towards kids and here are a few ideas: ... see "Chamonix Activities - Families & Kids" for more

There aren’t many restaurants in France where children are not welcome; it is a much more common sight to see children dining out with their parents than in the UK.

Most restaurants in Chamonix offer a children’s menu; they tend to be in the region of 7-10€ and usually consist of omelette/ham/burger/chicken with chips/salad or a pasta option such as spaghetti bolognaise. Those that don’t are usually happy to rustle up a smaller portion, or simplified version, of something that is on the main menu. You could try one of the regional dishes that the whole table shares such as raclette or fondue – the children can then eat as much or as little as they like. Alpine food is not particularly fussy or strongly flavoured and most children would love the idea of dipping bread into a fondue or grilling their own meat on a pierrade!

Our top child-friendly recommendations in Chamonix are:

• Casa Valerio – no children’s menu as such but you can’t go wrong with pizza and pasta and the bustling atmosphere means that you don’t have to worry about your children being a bit noisy!
• Bartavel – another pizza/pasta joint right in the centre of town with an informal ambience and friendly staff; small children’s menu. Valentino’s, just a couple of doors along is also a good option along the same lines.
• La Calèche – a reasonable children’s menu priced at €10.50 and if you go on a Tuesday night folk singers and accordion players will add to the fun!
• Avenue Aiguille du Midi – if you head to the bridge that crosses over the river at the bottom end of town you will find a row of four restaurants along a raised deck on the Avenue Aiguille du Midi. They all serve a variety of omelettes, crêpes, salads, pastas and local dishes and are very informal and friendly. They all offer a children’s menu.
• La Carlina – the staff are very friendly and make a fuss over the children. As well as offering a children’s menu they are usually happy to prepare something special on request. If you sit outside you can keep an eye on the children while they play on the statue of Dr Michel-Gabriel Paccard (not an official climbing frame but all the other kids seem to do it...!)
• Satsuki – even if the idea of sushi has your kids wrinkling their noses in disgust they can still enjoy the children’s special of grilled chicken skewers, prawns, rice, salad and dessert (€12) while you tuck into some traditional Japanese cuisine (and the high-tech toilets will have them enthralled!).

Although they don’t have specific children’s menus we have taken little ones into both Alan Peru and Munchies and were well-looked after in both restaurants. The staff were happy to make up a special dish for them and we were not made to feel like it was any trouble. We recommend that you let staff know in advance though, just in case you arrive on a night when they are super-busy and deviations from the menu are the last thing they need!

Details of all these restaurants can be found on our Restaurants listings page.

Children are welcome in Chamonix, and there are a number of creches and childcare services available. They do tend to be popular and so you should make sure you book well in advance. Children's clubs are also popular during summer and winter, and offer a range of activities for children of all ages. ... see "Chamonix Childcare" for more

Most ski teachers wouldn’t recommend starting skiing before the age of three or four at the earliest. The right age will vary from child to child, and depends upon the child’s strength, co-ordination and attitude. For this age group skiing should remain a play activity, so don't expect a young child to ski all day - a couple of hours is ample. ... see "Chamonix Skiing for Children" for more

France divides its school holidays into a regional timetable to ensure that the entire country doesn't go on holiday at once - however this staggered system can mean that some months (particularly February) can be busy from beginning to end as one region after another arrives in resort! Planning ahead can help you avoid the crowds...

• Zone A - Caen, Clermont-Ferrand, Grenoble, Lyon, Montpellier, Nancy-Metz, Nantes, Rennes & Toulouse
• Zone B - Aix-Marseille, Amiens, Besançon, Dijon, Lille, Limoges, Nice, Orléans-Tours, Poitiers, Reims, Rouen & Strasbourg
• Zone C - Bordeaux, Créteil, Paris & Versailles