Hidden HIGHS

Thrills and spills for all the family await in the peaceful mountains of Haute Maurienne Vanoise, as Ben Moore discovers

- Ben Moore

From my clifftop vantage point, I can just make out the distant cry of “Oh my goodness!” from 15-year-old Ollie as he zips across a 150m-deep gorge, suspended on a cable strung high above the River Arc. Forget Go Ape, this is high ropes on steroids.

It is exactly what we hoped to find in Haute Maurienne Vanoise – a summer week of walking, mountain biking and general family entertainment. This valley – nestled along the Franco-Italian border and hidden beyond the headline-grabbing, mega mountain resorts of nearby Tignes and Val d’Isère – offers an abundance of family fun with a more authentic and relaxed feel.

Adrenaline highs

The five key resorts dotted along the imposing valley are Valfréjus, La Norma, Aussois, Val Cenis and Bonneval-sur-Arc. The high adrenaline, high ropes fun can be found between the towns of Modane and Val Cenis.

There are 230 different tree-top challenges including scramble nets to clamber across, giant suspended hoops to step through and wire bridges that you must build as you go. This is the place to come to tire out active children and teens – and with prices from just €23 per child, it is also terrific value. Initially, we were a little surprised by the slightly relaxed attitude to safety – the boys have their harnesses fitted at the start hut, but then they are off, clipping themselves onto the maze of cables that wrap around and through the trees. There are no instructors up in the treetops, checking at each start platform. It is a DIY approach, but the boys reassured us it was easy to clip on and everything felt very secure.