Summer in Les Houches and Chamonix is all about the great outdoors.

The two cable cars in Les Houches are open during the summer season to take you to the top where you can walk, mountain bike or just sit in the restaurants enjoying the spectacular views of the Mont-Blanc Massif. Many of the other cable cars in the valley are open including the Aiguille du Midi, one of the highest cable cars in the world. You arrive at an altitude of 3842m to be greeted by an incredible close-up view of Mont-Blanc and spectacular views of the whole valley.

		A multitude of walking and hiking routes leave from Les Houches village itself. Many more routes can be found in the valley which has over 330km of marked paths. Maps and guide books can be found in the tourist office and the local shops. Many of these guides describe the difficulty and distance of the walks so hopefully you won't receive any surprises while you are out walking.
		Mountain Biking trails can be found all over the valley. One of the trails leaves from the top of the Bellevue cable car. It is 14 km long and descends 820m to the bottom of the Prarion cable car. Bike rental is available from local shops and guides can be hired so that you make the most of your trips. A tree adventure park is situated on the edge of Les Houches. There are 50 tree-bound activities including rope ladders, swings, rope bridges and rope slides. Another park can be found in Chamonix which has a luge run within its grounds. There are Tennis courts available for hire, 200m from the apartment. Courts can be hired by the day and instruction is available.

Chamonix has an 18-hole golf course that lies at the foot of Mont-Blanc. The 72 par course is frequently described as one of the most beautiful in Europe. There is also a pro-shop and 26 stand driving range on site. The course is open from May to November.

There are two cog tramways in the valley. The Montenvers train takes you from Chamonix up to the famous Mer de Glace. This is the largest glacier in France. From the train station you have wonderful views of the glacier's meandering route down the valley. Close to the station is an Ice Grotto. Each year artists carve the ice, decorating it with furniture and curiosities. The Mont-Blanc Tramway leaves from Saint-Gervais. It has stops at the top of the Bellevue and Prarion cable cars which rise from Les Houches. The top station Nid d'Aigle offers fantastic views of a cascading glacier.

A large sports complex can be found in the centre of Chamonix. This offers an indoor ice rink, 19 tennis courts, squash courts, a swimming pool complex with water slides and a fitness centre.
		The Merlet Animal Park is close to Les Houches. Spread over 20 hectares the park offers a stroll of about 1½ hours among many of the mountain animals found wild in the area.
		A fishing lake is 200m from the apartment. Daily passes which have a 5 fish maximum are available. Many other fishing opportunities exist in the area; a fishing guide for the Haute Savoie region is available from the Tourist Office as are tourist permits.

Canyoning and rafting are other adventures to try. With the help of a qualified guide, you can abseil down waterfalls, slide down natural water gullies and jump into deep pools. White water rafting trips can be organized through the local guide companies. More information can be found on the local tourist office web sites. See the links page for access to these sites.