Les Houches offers several ways to plan your trip: a historic house in the village center, a church with a Baroque façade, a former alpine pasture with animals living in semi-freedom, and seasonal winter sports. When planning a stay, it helps to first decide what matters most to you: culture, nature, or activity.
Museum, Church, and Art
The Musée Montagnard is housed in a historic building in the center of the village of Les Houches. Its ethnographic collection includes objects formerly used in the Chamonix Valley. Both the building and the objects’ former uses are therefore central to the experience. Those interested in culture can consider the architecture alongside the history of objects used in the region.
During school holidays, the Musée Montagnard offers guided tours, workshops, and activities for children and adults. These programs are only available during the holidays. If you would like to plan around one of them, schedule your visit according to the relevant holiday program.
The Church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste in Les Houches was consecrated in 1766; its façade features typical elements of the Baroque style. The “Passage Chagall” footpath runs alongside the church. It is named in honor of the artist and serves as an exhibition space. The museum, church façade, and footpath offer different cultural highlights: historic objects, architecture, and an exhibition along a path.
Nature and Trails
The Parc de Merlet is a former alpine pasture on the southern slope of Les Houches, at an altitude of 1,500 meters. The park covers 21 hectares and is home to numerous animal species living in semi-freedom.
The Les Houches–Les Chavants orienteering course is 2 kilometers long and marked with 18 checkpoints. By contrast, “Le chemin des villages” focuses on walking or cycling through the village: this route avoids the main road. Weather and maintenance can affect conditions on the Chemin; check them before setting out.
Winter Sports and Leisure Activities
The Les Houches / Saint-Gervais ski area extends from an altitude of 1,000 to 1,900 meters. Activities available there include alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding, telemark skiing, and ski jumping. The range therefore goes beyond alpine skiing; activities are seasonal. If you are planning your stay around winter sports, you can use this list of disciplines to decide which ones are important to your plans.
The Base de Loisirs des Chavants, by Lac des Chavants in Les Houches, offers walking opportunities and also includes a climbing area, children’s play equipment, and water games. The availability of these facilities may vary seasonally. Alongside winter sports, walks and other leisure activities therefore offer different options for what to focus on.
Practical Planning Information
At the Les Houches Tourist Office, two ticket services operate from separate counters. A Compagnie du Mont Blanc counter sells summer and winter season passes, as well as return tickets for Bellevue and Prarion. A Chamonix Mobilité counter sells bus tickets and passes. Before making your plans, check which of these tickets are relevant to you.
This distinction helps you plan around your own interests rather than treating all the options as a single program.
Discover more destinations: Villy-Le-Pelloux, Saint-Julien-En-Genevois, Chatel, Le Petit-Bornand-Les-Glières, Leschaux, Cruseilles, Épagny, Ayse.
For the broader travel overview: Haute-Savoie.
