Summer Activities In St.Jean d'Aulps
You’re spoiled for choice regarding summer activities in St.Jean d’Aulps. The whole valley features many well-organised and professionally guided activities. Each one has options for every age and ability, so nobody is left out.
Many of the summer activities in St Jean d’Aulps and surrounding areas are discounted or free with the Multi Pass scheme. The Multi Pass is excellent value for money and is worth buying if you plan to do a lot of activities.
Here’s an overview of summer activities in St. Jean d’Aulps:
Climbing
St. Jean d’Aulps is an excellent spot for novice and advanced climbers alike. One of the most prominent faces to climb in the area is the “Elephant’s Head.” You’ll see where it gets its name from when you look at it from the Rod d’Enfer side of the valley.
The local Bureau des Guides offers guidance and tuition for climbers at all levels. Contact them for more details or visit the tourist office.
You can also experience Via Ferrata in St. Jean d’Aulps. Via Ferrata is similar to climbing, but you’re attached to a cable connected to the rock. There are several Via Ferrata routes in St.Jean d’Aulps, and you can hire the equipment from Intersport in Morzine.
Canyoning And Rafting
Canyoning involves climbing, abseiling, jumping off cliffs, and sliding down waterfalls. Your guide takes you on a suitable route through the various river canyons through the valley to ensure you’re as safe as possible while having fun. This activity is not for the faint-hearted but is undoubtedly fun and character-building.
White water rafting is also a popular activity in the area. This is thanks to the hydroelectric power station further down the valley. The operators periodically release water into the river for rafters and kayakers to enjoy.
We recommend Frogs Rafting for canyoning and rafting, but the Bureau des Guides can also recommend qualified instructors locally.
Hiking
There are unlimited hiking possibilities in the mountains surrounding St.Jean d’Aulps. Routes range from leisurely, relaxed strolls to more challenging alpine routes, but the scenery is always stunning. There are also some great family walks with lift assistance as the Grande Terche Telecabine operates throughout the summer.
You can also take on lift-assisted hiking routes throughout the Portes du Soleil from Morzine, Les Gets, and Avoriaz. The Tourist Office produces this walking guide highlighting some of the most popular routes.
For example, you may want to check out the famous Goat Village just below Lindarets Bowl, accessed by the Ardent telecabine. From here, there are several easy and challenging walks, finished off with a refreshing dip in the river. You can then ride a chairlift to explore Avoriaz or Chatel.
Lac Montriond
Lac Montriond is just a 10-minute drive up the valley from St.Jean d’Aulps. This stunning stretch of water is the ideal spot for relaxing, paddleboarding, kayaking, and swimming. You can rent paddle boards and kayaks at the lake and swim for free.
There’s also a shallow kid’s pool and a miniature golf course to entertain the little ones.
If you don’t fancy getting wet, you can take an easy and flat walk around the lake.
Alternatively, you can walk further up the river to the Ardent waterfall.
The lake also has a few restaurants on the banks, ideal for food and drink with a view. One of our favourites is the Hotel du Lac, where the food is excellent and served with a smile.
Horse Riding
As you drive up to the Roc d’Enfer ski station, you may pass Le Ranche Des Portes Du Soleil. This is our local riding school, where beginners and expert riders can go on excursions, have riding lessons and rent ponies for local treks.
The horses are chosen for their docile nature and allocated according to your skill. They even have donkeys to accompany you on walks and carry your children.
There’s now an option for overnight horseback adventures. This new-for-2025 activity is suitable for beginners and advanced riders. MorzineAvoriaz-Equitation have tailored and accompanied route ranging from 3 to 7 hours per day. More extended rides involve an overnight stay in a traditional Alpine pasture. This is only available in Spring and Autumn, so, you’ll have to time your stay accordingly.
Mountain Biking In St.Jean d'Aulps
Mountain biking from St.Jean is a great thing to do. But there are a few things you need to know before you set off into the mountains. Firstly, if the trails around Roc d’Enfer are incredibly steep.
The Grande Terche Telecabine carries bikes up the mountain, but you’ll have to continue your ride under your own steam. This means climbing and descending are tricky. The local trails on electric mountain bikes are more manageable, which are available for hire from Sport 2000 and Jaff VTT.
There are some fantastic electric mountain bike routes around Roc d’Enfer, and they are highlighted on the summer piste map. You can also enjoy routes on the other side of the valley, but you’ll need to research them in more detail.
As Morzine is so close to St.Jean d’Aulps, you can experience all the mountain bike trails of the Portes du Soleil. You can ride to Morzine from St.Jean d’Aulps in about 45 minutes along the river path. Check out our blogs for more detailed information on Mountain biking in the Portes du Soleil.
St.Jean d’Aulps also has a pump track. In fact, there are two pump tracks to master according to your ability. They feature several bumps and berms to teach you bike handling skills. You can ride full-sized mountain bikes on the pump track, but smaller, more agile bikes such as a BMX are more suited to it as it is pretty tight
Swincar
The Swincar is an electric off-road tandem vehicle. It has massive suspension travel, allowing you to drive over pretty much anything you see on the mountain.
These unique vehicles are available for hire from the Roc d’Enfer tourist office, and the price is discounted with the Multi Pass scheme.
Mountain Kart
The Mountain Kart is a three-wheeled gravity-powered vehicle with big brakes and chunky tyres.
These are available from the top of the Grande Terche Telecabine and are then carried to the top of the mountain by chairlift. You then race back down to the bottom on a 4km designated track.
Off-Road Electric Scooters
Another great way to explore Roc d’Enfer in the summer is by electric scooter. These incredibly fun machines are fitted with grippy tyres, powerful brakes and an electric motor, making them an excellent way to take in the views, ride the trails, and have an alternative mountain experience.
La Monde de Jacquotte
La Monde de Jacquotte is on lof the best family-friendly activities in the area. Head up to Nyon in Morzine for a truly wholesome experience. Local shepherd, Jacqotte, introduces visitors to his summer lifestyle living in the mountains with his animals. All his animals are located on Nyon plateau, including goats and sheep, waiting for you to feed them. Jacquotte will demonstrate how his dogs round up the animals and deliver educational workshops.
You can also join local themed hikes or have fun in the children’s play area.
Trail Running
Trail running is one of the most popular summer activities in St. Jean d’Aulps, which is hardly surprising considering our views and terrain. There are several trail running routes around Roc d’Enfer and the village of St. Jean d’Aulps. Most are signposted and marked as hiking or running routes; you can often just pick a peak and run up to it.
Ask the tourist office for options if you need help finding a suitable route, or download the Portes Du Soleil or the Vallee Du Trail apps.
Paragliding
Paragliding is possible from Roc d’Enfer, but we recommend heading to Morzine’s paragliding school unless you know what you’re doing. The school offers lessons and tandem flight experiences, usually taking off from Avoriaz and landing in Morzine.
Paragliding is one of the best ways to see mountain landscapes, and it doesn’t have to be an extreme experience. In fact, unless you pay for the “sensation flight,” your tandem flight is quite a tranquil experience.
Swimming
Aside from swimming in Lac Montriond, there are a couple of other options. Morzine has a fantastic outdoor Olympic swimming pool with lush grassy sun lounger areas. It’s free to use with a Multi-Pass and has a poolside restaurant, making it ideal for a family day out.
If you want something a little more active, why not head up to Avoriaz to experience Aquariaz. This is an indoor tropical water park with slides and a lazy river. The best way to get to Aquariaz is by using the Prodains telecabine.
Tennis
Tennis fans can head to Morzine’s tennis club. The club is located in the centre of Morzine under the suspension bridge. It has 2 clay tennis courts, 6 hard courts, and 3 practice walls. The hard courts are free with the Multi-Pass, and the little restaurant is a great lunch spot.
Golf
You may not realise it, but there are a number of golf courses accessible from St.Jean d’Aulps. They are incredibly scenic and add to the numerous summer activities in St.Jean d’Aulps. There’s courses in Les Gets and Avoriaz that provide everything you need for a round of golf. We recommend hiring a golf cart, as you’ll be walking up and down what are normally ski slopes in the winter.
Tree-Top Adventure
There are two tree-top adventure areas in Morzine. Both feature courses high up in the trees made up of swings, zip lines, ropes, ladders, and walkways. Cascade Aventure, located near the Nyon waterfall, is suitable for adults and kids, while a more child-friendly version is operated by Indiana Adventures at the Parc Dereches.
You will find a new tree-top adventure experience in the Lil’ Stash in Avoriaz. This is another great option for a family day out. Here, you can zip line through the trees, bundle through the nets, and make your way around three different courses
Camping In The Lil'Stash
If you fancy a night out in the mountains, why not camp in the Lil’ Stash in Avoriaz? Here, the wigwam tents sleep up to 5 people each and have their own beds. There’s also a gas BBQ, a seating area and toilets. This is a great opportunity to spend a night under the stars in safety.
The Alpine Coaster In Les Gets
The Alpine Coaster in Les Gets is great fun! This is a two-seater sledge that runs along a track at the Perriers chairlift in Les Gets. It’s 1000m long and drops 104m down the mountain. The driver controls the speed with a handle that applies and releases the brake depending on how brave they are. It’s a great activity if you’re passing through Les Gets.
Les Gorges Du Pont Du Diable
Les Gorges du Pont du Diable is a natural phenomenon just a 10-minute drive from St.Jean d’Aulps. The deep gorge has walkways and steps bolted to its sides, allowing you to see how the river has formed it over millions of years of erosion.
Join a guided tour in both English and French to learn all about the “devil’s bridge” and the gorge’s history. This is a great activity to do on a hot day, as the gorges are nice and cool.
Days Away
St.Jean d’Aulps is in a fantastic location, allowing easy access to several notable towns and cities. For example, Montreux, Geneva, Chamonix, Evian, Yvoire, and Annecy are all between 60 and 90 minutes by car.
If you don’t have a car, you can hire one in Morzine or contact Mountain Days Away, who run day trips out of the valley.
Water Skiing And Wakeboarding
Unfortunately, Lac Montriond doesn’t permit power boats. However, you can wakeboard and waterski on Lac Leman, less than 30 minutes from St.Jean d’Aulps. PoolSnap runs out of Thonon and Evian, and the TNA Cable Park is about an hour’s drive away, just past Bonneville.
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