Age
From 7
Duration
About 1 h 30
Sporty
Sporty
Varied
Varied
Practical info
- Abseils : Up to 8 m
- Jumps : 1 small jump
- Slides : Dozens
- Season : June to October
- Bypasses : Many
Family canyoning
Real canyoning for families with young kids
A true adventure for the children, an unforgettable experience for the grown-ups.
Family canyoning from age 7! Sharing this introduction to canyoning is a strong moment of complicity with your children: laughing and playing in the slides and jumps, facing the void while abseiling down the waterfalls, swimming in awe between walls carved by the water. Helping each other, reassuring each other… sharing.
You walk down the river between the boulders, ride dozens of natural slides, jump into beautiful pools and even abseil down two waterfalls. Every obstacle can be bypassed on a small path: leave the stress behind and just keep the fun!
Close to Saint-Gervais-les-Bains and Chamonix, the canyon is quick to reach from Geneva.
How it goes
- Meet and gear upYour guide meets you at the canyon car park and hands out wetsuits, helmets and harnesses. Allow about an hour in total to gear up and change back.
- Short approach walkA short walk to reach the river.
- 1 h 30 in the canyonSlides, a small jump and two abseils up to 8 m. A guide or a parent always waits at the bottom of the slides and the jump.
- A good half-dayTwo time slots: 9.30 am to 12 pm or 1.30 pm to 4 pm. Timing depends on the group size, the pace of the less sporty, how busy the river is and the water level: keep an hour of margin for the rest of your day.
Gear
Provided by OXO
- Full 5 mm hooded neoprene wetsuit
- 3 mm neoprene socks
- Canyon harness with safety lanyards and abseiling device
- Helmet
Wetsuits and socks are looked after, renewed very regularly and cleaned after each use with a bactericidal and fungicidal product.
To bring
- Swimsuit (shorts are fine), worn on arrival
- A towel to dry off and change out of sight
- A strap for your glasses if needed
- Sports shoes that can get wet, and a spare pair
Ideal: lace-up shoes with non-slip soles.
OK: old worn-out shoes, sturdy high-top hiking boots, velcro sandals with a good sole.
Not possible: water shoes and booties with soft neoprene soles, sandals and flip-flops with a toe strap.
Shoe rental in your size: €5 per person, to book the day before at the latest.
Meeting point
Balme canyon car park, Magland
58 rue des Grottes de Balme, 74300 Magland. At the foot of the road up to Arâches and Les Carroz, park on the left side of the road, just before the Tindaris restaurant. Do not use the restaurant car park.
Chamonix: 35 min · Saint-Gervais: 20 min · Geneva: 45 min.
You need to drive there. The meeting point is sent to you again by email when you book.
No car? The train stops at Magland station: let us know and we will pick you up there. The Barberine canyon is also very easy to reach with the free Mont Blanc Express train.
No toilets on site: go before you leave.
Photos & video
Waterproof GoPro camera + SD card: €20. Book it with your trip and leave with the SD card to keep your team’s exploits.
- Your own camera is welcome if it is waterproof (check it before you go); non-waterproof devices are not allowed
- Bring a wrist strap or a mount
- Selfie sticks are forbidden: they can be dangerous
Frequently asked questions
Do you need to be able to swim?
To do Happy Balme, you need to be comfortable in the water and able to keep your head underwater for two seconds, as when you come down a slide.
The guide or a parent always waits at the bottom of the slides and the jump.
I’m scared: are there any mandatory jumps or passages?
No jump is mandatory, and every obstacle, abseils included, can be bypassed on a small path. No pressure!
Where do we change?
There is no OXO base by the river: we change in the canyon car park. It is a quiet place, but we change outdoors! Wear your swimsuit under your clothes and go to the toilet before you leave, there are none on site.
What do we do with our valuables?
Leave them in the car… or, better, at your accommodation.
Glasses and contact lenses: is it possible?
Yes. A well-adjusted strap normally keeps your glasses safe; otherwise, the safest option is to take them off before jumps and slides and slip them into your zipped jacket.
Contact lenses are fine too, as long as you close your eyes tightly when jumping into the water.
What if it rains?
We constantly monitor past and forecast rainfall: too much rain can make the water flow of the Balme river too high.
In that case, why not switch to the Barberine canyon? Located below a dam, its flow stays almost unchanged in the rain.
Can someone follow the group on foot?
Partly, yes. The first part of the Balme canyon is very narrow, then the gorge opens up into a forest: this is where the superb slides are. You can easily walk along the torrent and take photos of the happy canyoneers.
The dirt path can be steep and slippery in places: wear good shoes and make sure you are fit enough.
