In the mountains with the family

First times that count

The mountains of the Ain are the gentle version of adventure. In winter, you can enjoy stress-free skiing, tobogganing and an avalanche of snowballs. Sled dogs race through the powder, skates crunch on the ice, and snowmen take shape under gloved hands. In summer, the scenery changes but the fun remains: tobogganing on rails, zip-lining, via ferrata, downhill karting… and that memorable swim in a lake surrounded by fir trees. You don’t have to go far – just a stone’s throw from Lyon or Geneva!

First glides in the Ain mountains Fun without the crowds

No long lines at the lifts, no stress on the slopes. Just the snow crunching under your skis, the cold breath stinging your cheeks. Downhill skiing is gentle, Nordic skiing glides quietly along with the horizon in sight, and snowshoes make their way through the silence of the forest. For the more playful, biathlon adds an adrenalin rush – aiming at the target, holding your breath, feeling your heart race. The mountains of the Ain offer the simple pleasure of winter sports, without the crowds, with the whole family.

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Frozen family pleasures Fun on the mountain

The mountains of the Ain are the ideal playground for a return to childhood. The sled rolls down the slope, the air board adds a dose of speed and screams. Snowmen come to life under frozen hands, and snowball fights always end in a burst of laughter. And then there’s the skating: Lac Genin, Lac de Lalleyriat, the silence of the frost beneath the blades, the feeling of being alone in the world. The Ain mountains are a way of life: simple, accessible, joyfully regressive.

Live the experience

Animal complicity the mountain to the rhythm of hooves and paws

Share a unique moment with your children, up close to the animals. In winter, let a pack of sled dogs pull you through a postcard-perfect setting – thrills guaranteed! In summer, the cani-rando becomes a great way to bond: walk together, guided by the dog’s energy. For a gentler version, opt for a pony ride on the snow or a carriage ride with a Comtois horse – the simple pleasure of being together in the fresh air.

©Tobogganing at Monts Jura|BESTJOBERS_MAX COQUARD

Need more ideas for a family outing?

An easy outing that appeals to everyone, or a short stroll to get your legs going? Follow the trail, we’ve prepared the best for you.

As a family: the top activities to do with your children!

Short walks of less than 2 hours

Family sensations the mountain that takes your breath away

First the rail luge: a spin, a 37% gradient, hearts racing, children’s cries lost in the wind. Then the zip line: 905 meters of descent, the void beneath your feet, your breath taken away, the landscape passing by at 90 km/h. And finally the devalkart: a track, tight bends, wheels biting into the earth, nervous laughter after a narrowly controlled swerve. Pure, raw sensations – to be shared with the whole family, without restraint.

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Luge on railsIn Monts Jura

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©Giant zip line at the Monts Jura resort in Pays de Gex|Up Drone

Giant zip-lineIn Monts Jura

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DévalkartOn the Hauteville Plateau

Verticality as a family The Ain, the big thrill

A guide leads the way, harness tight, carabiner snapping on the cable. The via ferrata at Fort l’Écluse or Hostiaz is a controlled thrill: the children follow, concentrated, hands gripping the rock. The void is there, but the confidence grows with each hold. Then there’s the Bugey adventure course, with facilities never seen before: bikes, sledges, skis, single and double zip lines, and nervous laughter after a controlled swerve. Between adrenaline and challenge, the mountains become a balancing act – to be experienced together, above the void.

Slide, dive, splash! Waterfront mountains

A paddle in the water, the canoe glides gently down the River Ain or the Rhône, the current carrying, the sun playing on the surface. The children laugh, the water splashes, the rhythm sets in. Then comes the paddle: delicate balance, inevitable falls, guaranteed giggles. And finally, swimming: the lake at Nantua, Divonne or Genin, cool water that grips the skin, the body that abandons itself. That’s what the Ain mountains are all about: the freedom to be together, between rock and water.

Taste the mountains Ain® flavours

A piece of Bleu de Gex that melts slowly, the discovery of Comté cheese dairies, the raw taste of mountain milk. A quenelle with Nantua sauce, sweet and comforting. And then the “Au Rythme du Troupeau” sheepfold: the sound of hooves on the ground, ewes slowly making their way to pasture. The children follow, curious, their eyes turned towards the flock. Here, the mountains are experienced as much as they are tasted.

Enjoy the rest

When the mountain tells a story

First Dinoplagne: a 155-million-year-old dinosaur footprint set in rock, proof that the Jura has seen giants pass through. Then Fort l’Écluse: stone walls clinging to the mountain, a strategic passage between France and Savoy, the echo of battles still ringing out. And finally, the Château de Voltaire: elegant salons, sharp words, the memory of a free spirit. Three places, three eras in the same mountain.

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