UKC

Hi. I'm off on a family holiday to Chambery/Grenoble/Chamonix (about a week each) in July and seeking recommendations on Via Ferratas to do with my 14-year-old. Two years ago we did a couple of longish but easy VFs (Alpspitze and Zugspitze) and something like those (ideally with a summit thrown in) or a bit more technical/demanding (bearing in mind that he is older, but so am I) would be great. Shorter crag/gorge style stuff would be fine too, particularly if it coordinates well with hiking trails for my wife and 7-year-old.

Oh, and any alpine coasters near/between those locations would be of interest to both kids. Thanks all. 

Not really a VF route per se, but the path up to Tete Aux Vents from Tre Le Champ, or Argentiere, combines some good steep walking with short sections of quite exposed ladders and rails. 

I unexpectedly came across these descending from a long run a couple of years ago, don’t mind admitting that I shat myself a bit! 

Could combine nicely with family walks particularly if you throw in the lift from flegere to reduce mileage. 

Some footage (not mine) here: youtube.com/watch?v=2XdOK6SmO74&

Via Corda Alpina tops out next to the top of a mountain coaster IIRC, fairly easy walk up if you aren't climbing and down if you can't take the rope and draws on the mountain coaster:

https://en.chamonix.com/sled/luge-alpine-coaster-de-chamonix

This video gives an idea of what the route's like:

https://www.google.com/search?q=via+corda+alpina+chamonix&rlz=1C1VDKB_e...

A list for Savoie

https://www.viaferrata-fr.net/via-ferrata-departement-73.html

This is not far from Chambery

https://www.viaferrata-fr.net/via-ferrata-145-Le-rocher-de-Cornillon-Bourde...

And Haute Savoie

https://www.viaferrata-fr.net/via-ferrata-departement-74.html

I had a really nice holiday when my kids were 12 and 10 down that way. This might be a bit north of where you're going but the 12 year old and me enjoyed https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/la_clusaz-3918/ up in the mountains. 

And we did some others a bit further north , this https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/fort__lecluse-23450/#overview goes up a fort which is pretty cool! And we did a couple more in the Jura on the way down. There was an alpine coaster thingy on the high plateau south of Annecy town, west of the lake. Cool views over to Mont Blanc IIRC too. 

In recent times I've used a website that seems to show all the via ferratas and we done some good quiet ones in the Massif Central for example, which we wouldn't have known about without that website. I've found it's a great activity with young  teenage kids. 

Pray tell

I don't fully remember, I think the one Carless linked above my post. I basically just googled "via ferratas Europe map" or something like that. We found one to do on a visit to Sicily via the same route I believe. 

This is the one I normally use - https://klettersteig.de/

This is a fun (easier) one we've done close to Chambery with lovely views over Lac de Bourget (friends live close by):

https://www.viaferrata-fr.net/via-ferrata-144-La-primev%E8re-%E0-oreille-d%...

https://maps.app.goo.gl/Q7prfiE6W4kXwTMV9

Easy access & parking.

Can get busy ...

The urban-ish VF at Thones has some steeper more demanding sections (avoidable if need be).

https://maps.app.goo.gl/oWiWU9XTgVetkebBA

Just got back from Annecy and can definitely recommend https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/via_ferrata_de_thones-32159/la_roc....

The approach is just a few minutes from the car-park with multiple finishes depending on how bold you feel, from a traverse off the route, an exposed ladder, or a sustained overhang.

https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/la_clusaz-3918/via_ferrata_yves_po... in La Clusaz is undoubtedly easier, but the walkdown more prolonged.

Col de Colombiers also has a VF which I understand is nice and in an area that is otherwise beautiful for walking and climbing anyway.

Enjoy! 

The VF at St Hilaire northeast of Grenoble in the Chartreuse is an eye opener. Did it with my 14 year old son back in 2014. After a scrappy first pitch you have the choice of lines either side of a free falling waterfall. The one on the right is easier, we did the one on the left which goes through a roof then up a massive overhanging headwall. About F6b if you don't clip into the rungs and hang. Rope proved handy as junior struggled on the roof. The righthand option will be less hardcore but still pretty wildly exposed I think.