In the Camping family, I’d like… the baby!
You’re traveling with your little one, who marvels and crunches through life with two teeth. But naps and logistics don’t have to spoil your stay! At Les Fontaines and La Ravoire campsites, you can both relax and find stress-free activities to do with baby.
Perfect for a quiet, cool stay in May, June or September. Our campsite is located at an altitude of 500m, so the nights are cool and the days mild to warm. Outside school vacations, the campsite is not fully booked, but all services are open: store, swimming pools, bar and restaurant. Some models, like the TAOS or VISTA at Les Fontaines, or the RELAX and COMFORT at La Ravoire, are equipped with air conditioning. In the COSY range, we can easily fit a cot in the children’s bedroom.
Here are our recommendations of things to do while camping in Annecy, especially for you.
Short-stay program for a couple with a young child
Arrival on Friday afternoon from 3pm: discover Lake Annecy by walking from the campsite. Access to the lake is easy with a baby carriage by joining the voie verte. At the level of the Doussard rugby stadium, you’ll see the direction signposted to the beach, which you can reach safely via the pedestrian walkway. On the beach, you’ll find grass or sand, as you prefer, as well as a snack restaurant.
Saturday
Saturday morning: Walk to the Duingt reed bed.
This is an easy, flat, car-free walk. Park at the Saint Jorioz beach parking lot and walk along the lake on the right from the port. Access is possible with a baby carriage. Along the way, you’ll be able to admire the lake and the animals sheltering in the protected reed beds. The path leads all the way to Duingt and back (approx. 1h30 round trip).
Enjoy a dip in our heated pools at any time. All have paddling pools and water games.
Saturday afternoon: siesta and late afternoon farm visit at the Vesonne goat farm, open from 5pm to 7pm. A 10-minute drive from the campsite, you’ll easily find this small goat farm, which only opens its store on Wednesday and Saturday evenings from 5pm to 7pm. You can usually take a trip to the farm to feed the milking goats and the odd pig.
Sunday
Your little one gets up early! You can walk to the campsite store with him to pick up fresh bread and croissants. Everything is ready by 8 a.m. From 10 a.m., the playground is open with its many children’s games. Rentals must be vacated by 10am. You can then visit Annecy on your way out.
Annecy boasts a vast and charming pedestrian zone. On Sunday afternoons in May, June and September, you can stroll through the old town in a stroller without a care in the world. In summer, crowds are more of a problem in the middle of the day. But a number of well-stocked squares offer a welcome break. The city has several squares, often organized by age group, shaded and close to water points or public toilets: very practical!
Program for a week’s stay for a couple with a young child
Perfect for a quiet, cool stay in May, June or September. Our campsite is located at an altitude of 500m, so the nights are cool and the days mild to warm. Outside school vacations, the campsite is not fully booked, but all services are open: store, swimming pools, bar and restaurant.
We’ve put together a program that’s as close as possible to the best of the Alps, to avoid traffic jams and too many cars. Many of the walks mentioned above can be done in a stroller, but don’t forget to take a baby carrier with you to make hiking easier.
For bathing, there’s a heated sanitary block with a bathtub at the right height, so you can enjoy your bath without breaking your back. Cleaned daily with high-temperature Karsher, our sanitary facilities are clean and disinfected.
day 1: Quiet visit to Annecy
We advise you to visit Annecy’s old town on a day when there’s no market. Avoid Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays. On these days, the city is crowded in the morning and it’s difficult to walk around freely with a little one. To get to town, you can avoid traffic jams and paid parking by taking the Navibus boat from Doussard: it takes baby carriages and the cruise has a commentary.
You can also go cycling on the cycle path in the morning, which is beautiful and quieter. At the campsite, we rent bicycles with baby seats or buggies.
The pedestrianized old town is very pleasant for children: there are playgrounds everywhere, drinking water fountains and free toilets.
Day 2: Saint Jorioz beach and Criq’parc.
All lakeside beaches are safe and often supervised. But with toddlers, our preference is for the beach at Saint Jorioz. Fine sand is regularly imported for castles and pâtées. The rest of the beach is shady and grassy. The little bath goes down very gradually without too many stones for the feet. There’s even a paved paddling pool off the lake, no more than 30 cm deep! Admission is €2.50 per person over 10 for the whole day.
If your child is over 3 years old, don’t miss the small adventure playground “ Criq’parc”. Located in the heart of nature, close to the beach, children can climb, jump and play in complete freedom and safety. No need for harnesses or instructors. Nothing but fun!
Tip: Criq’parc offers organic aperitif baskets and boards to take away.
Special offer: discounts on presentation of your camping bracelet!
Day 3: Visit to the Seythenex caves and waterfalls
The site is a 15-minute drive from the campsite. In July and August, you can use the free shuttle bus that passes in front of the campsite. The Seythenexcaves are the only ones open to the public in Haute Savoie.
A bilingual guide will show you how the water works on the rock and accompany you through this cool maze. Strollers are not allowed, so don’t forget a baby carrier and a sweater: it’s always 10°C in the cave!
Numerous staircases then lead to the summit and foot of the waterfall. Allow around 2 hours on site.
Before or after, enjoy our large playground and swimming pools! They’re open from 10am to 7pm non-stop. La Ravoire has an indoor pool and Les Fontaines has a paddling pool under the glass roof. The play areas will delight the little ones with their colors and small elements to touch. The Trampolines and Tyrolean traverse at Les Fontaines or the bouncy castle at La Ravoire will be a favorite spot for your little one at any time of day.
Day 4: The Semnoz and return via the Parc des Biches
The Semnoz mountain (1700 m altitude) is about 45 minutes’ drive away. On the outward journey, go over the Col de Leschaux above Saint Jorioz. The road is very beautiful. At the summit, you’ll have a magnificent view of Lac du Bourget, Lac d’Annecy, the mountains and Mont Blanc.
There are a number of short, easy walks , and two mountain pasture farms where you can buy cheese and see goats and cows. As with any outing in the mountains, remember to bring jackets – it can be cold even in midsummer!
On the way back, head for Annecy to discover the Grande Jeanne wildlife park. Access to the park is free. Don’t expect to find a zoo here: it’s a wildlife park in the heart of the local forest. Take a stroll through the forest and spot deer, fallow deer, hinds and mouflons, with the city of Annecy in perspective.
Day 5: Full day in Manigod, followed by a restaurant or aperitif at La Forclaz at the end of the day.
It’s a typical mountain village made famous by hat chef Marc Veyrat and its ski resort.
From the campsite, head towards Albertville and leave the dual carriageway at Saint Ferréol. In the village, follow signs for Thônes via Col des Esserieux. Just before Thônes, follow signs for Manigod, then the Col de la Croix Fry. Numerous signposted walks take you to the Beauregard plateau. The views of Mont Blanc and the surrounding mountains are breathtaking.
On the way back, take in the small town of Thônes and then the Col de Bluffy.
We recommend dinner at La Ferme restaurant on the Col de la Forclaz. The view of the lake at sunset is breathtaking. There are several restaurants in the same area, but La Ferme is a favorite with children: a bay window separates you from the cows whose cheese you’re eating! The value for money is very good, and the atmosphere will delight young and old alike.
End of our suggestions!
We hope these will help you enjoy an unforgettable and relaxing vacation at Campings Annecy de La Ravoire and Les Fontaines!
As a reminder, our suggestions are offered for information purposes only and can under no circumstances be considered as part of an all-inclusive stay.
