Les Carroz Summer Sports

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In summer, there is so much to do around Les Carroz such as climbing, golf, hiking, mountain biking, mountaineering, paragliding, sightseeing, sports and leisure and water sports. Les Carroz summer holidays offers you a whole lot to get involved in. All our Les Carroz accommodation is centrally located to all activities. Please read on to find out about these activities.

Adventure Playground

Thirty minutes away in Chamonix, there is a large adventure playground. This has numerous bungees, small fairground type facilities, swing parks and most importantly a luge which is a downhill toboggan, again on a kind of go-cart. There large adventure playground also includes a fast descent on a pulley.

Ballooning

Why not try ballooning? Joe Roulet from the tourist office offers spectacular flights in Le Montgolfiere des Carroz. Joe’s Montgolfiere is the symbol of Les Carroz and is one of the most renowned in France.

Climbing

Climbing in the Mont Blanc massif and the Grand Massif means high mountains, superb granite and miles of limestone cliffs. Crags are usually equipped. Mountain routes may be partially equipped with, at least, abseil points in place. Guide books are essential and can be purchased from shops in the town centre. Climbing walls are also very popular to start off with - there are some located in the valley so visit the tourist office for further information. If you want to go high, be careful, read a guide book properly, take the necessary precautions or hire a guide.

Golf

Golf in the Alps is popular with holiday makers who want to take in the mountain air while enjoying a leisurely round of 9-18 holes. Chamonix has an excellent 18 hole course and there are also courses at Evian and Verbier.

Hiking

The valley is beautiful and the hiking season can start as early as April in Les Carroz. You will need lightweight boots and shorts, waterproofs, sunglasses, plus skin and lip protection. Always have a drink at hand as well. Walks are well sign posted. In the valley you can do one day walks from the cable car stations and further afield two day plus walks in surrounding French areas, Italy and Switzerland.

Mountain Biking

There are great mountain bike trails in the Grand Massif and surrounding areas, for all levels. You can rent a bike from a store in Les Carroz. There are excursion trails on the valley floor as well as more difficult ones using the cable car systems to access them. You can also start many of the rides directly from our Les Carroz apartments.

Mountaineering

There are lots of mountaineering routes to do in the summer from valley cragging to the ascent of Mont Blanc. You must be aware of mountain safety, if tackling anything very dangerous then hire a guide. Most shops in the town centre will have books covering the routes also visit the tourist office.

Parapenting

Parapenting is a very popular sport in Les Carroz due to the high mountains and great winds. There are many takeoff sites in Les Carroz. You can try with Eric Mathurin of Air Passion or Alain Barnier. www.airpassion.org

Sports Centre

Our apartments are ideally positioned less than 200 metres from the swimming pool centre recently completed by Les Carroz. In addition to the large heated pool, there is a child pool and paddling pool. Four slides/toboggans have an additional pool. In the complex are a bouncy castle, two trampolines and volleyball. There is a vast grassed area around for relaxing and picnics, with changing and shower facilities and a restaurant/bar. Archery, and indoor sports arena and multiple tennis courts are adjacent.

Trolls

Basically hurtling down grass ski-runs on a trays.

Water Sports

You can do all the white water sports listed below in the Grinds Massif. Early in the summer, in May and June, the rivers are usually high with snow melt from the mountains. During July, August and September the water levels are usually lower and the temperature warmer.

Canyoning

Vertical swimming with exciting water-slides into deep pools.

Hydro speed

White water swimming is offered by all the rafting companies and is great fun. Thick, reinforced wetsuits, crash hats and flippers are provided but you'll still feel vulnerable.

Kayaking

This is good around Les Carroz but not well publicised. The Giffre is good and grade three, the Dranse above Thonon offers a range of levels, The Dora Baltea features a range of difficulties including 15km of grade 6.

Rafting

This is a good white knuckle ride and the Arve (Chamonix) and the Giffre (at Samoens) are popular local rivers. Further afield are the excellent Dranse (between Morzine and Lake Leman) and, in Italy, the terrifying Dora Baltea.

Swimming, Sunbathing, Windsurfing and BBQs

The local lakes are excellent for these (Lake Passy is the best) but they do not really get warm until July. The outdoors is generally bug-free so sunbathing can be enjoyed in peace.