Courchevel: 3 outdoor activities not to be missed this summer

À CourchevelThere are plenty of activities to enjoy in summer. We've picked out three that can't be missed and two new ones that shouldn't be missed.

READ MORE: Courchevel: mountain activities, highlights, restaurants, hotels... What to do in summer?

Discovering the Merlet Lakes

Nestling at the gateway to the Vanoise National Park, the Merlet lakes are located at altitudes of 2391 m for the lower Merlet lake and 2450 m for the upper Merlet lake. A 45-minute walk from the Col de la Platta car park makes this an ideal family outing.

The views from the access path are breathtaking. Once at the eponymous refuge, you can take a break, have a picnic in the heart of nature, go fishing, take part in an outdoor yoga session or take part in painting workshops. For more information: refugedeslacsmerlet@gmail.com

• Prices yoga class + lunch at the refuge (dish and dessert of the day): 30 euros per person. 

Tree climbing and zip lines

With four tree-climbing courses of varying levels of difficulty, children aged 3 and over can take on the role of Tarzan under the watchful eye of their parents.

To complete the course, six zip lines are available for children aged 10 and over, and the most intrepid can even fly over the torrent on the longest zip line, 120 m long. Contact Leslie Dunford on 06 59 26 66 89 for information and bookings.

• Prices Tree climbing course: 10 euros / Tyrolean traverse course: 10 euros / both (tree climbing course + tyrolean traverse): 18 euros

The botanical trail

Around sixty plants can be discovered along the Rosière botanical trail.

Created in 1977 by Professor Robert Fritsch, it invites you to contemplate these rare species along an easily accessible path. Will you recognise the sabot-de-Vénus, the ancolie noire, the horminelle des Pyrénées or the lis martagon? Note that the ideal flowering period is between mid-June and the end of July.

• Prices free of charge

But also :

• Enjoy an eco-educational treasure hunt with your children. This outdoor treasure hunt takes you through the mountain pastures and hamlets of Courchevel Le Praz. It's aimed at 5/8, 9/12 and 13+ year olds accompanied by an adult. Here, pencils and booklets replace tablets and mobile phones as you work your way from enigma to enigma. The themes are, of course, the environment and the mountains.
• Take a survival course. With mountain leader Yann Couillard at your side, you'll be able to put your finger on a childhood dream: to set off into the wilderness. With survival courses available by the day or over several days, you'll discover the essentials of survival: food, fire, shelter, water, orientation and first aid. Living in harmony with nature takes on its full meaning here.