Pony Ride in Les Carroz, FR - Centre Equestre du Lays
Les Carroz makes up one of the resorts to one of France’s leading ski domaine, le Grand Massif (FLAINE – LES CARROZ – MORILLON – SAMOËNS – SIXT FER A CHEVAL). Given its proximity to Geneva, it is a popular choice for a ski day trip or break in this region. We have been here numerous times and with no traffic it is reachable by car in 45 minutes from the centre of Geneva.
We recently spent a few days here as it is somewhere we have been before with friends who live here. We knew this area has a lot to offer in terms of hikes and other activities for the kids and stumbled upon this small gem of a pony club in the forest!
We parked at the public car park by the pool and Tennis Courts and walked through the forest to get there which takes around 15 minutes. This way Luka could have a short walk to get there to the pony club just to tag on a bit of time. Alternatively you can park at the car park just before the SPAR supermarket as you come into Les Carroz which allows you park directly in front of the pony club.
It was just by sheer coincidence that we came across this pony club, which was signalled from a walk in the woods we were doing which takes you under the Zipline Adventure park right next to the Sports Centre/Pool. Since Kai is a big fan of horses, we thought we’d take a look at some horses and pleasantly surprised to see that they offer parent-led pony rides every day on a weekday until 17.00!
The Pony rides are charged by every 15 minute, and you are allowed to take the pony for up to 45 minutes. You can do a loop under the Adventure Park which takes exactly 30 minutes and costs €10. They provide the equipment, and let you pull the pony along, which is very nice as you can do the walk on your own schedule and no waiting around (as long as there is a pony available for you)
Luka is very used to horses and ponies at this point, so they didn’t even blink when he walked up with us off the leash to enquire about the pony rides. He was then able to enjoy a walk through the forest as we walked around with Sophie the brown coloured pony, who happened to be the exact same colour as Luka!
The route takes you under the ziplines, staying on the gravel path all of the time. You will likely meet other families taking their little ones for a pony ride or a group class along the way.
Once we finished the walk, we gave Sophie the Luka-coloured pony a quick brush and we walked back along the forest path to the car park. This route is also a fitness course, so there are numerous workout stations along the way so this provided entertainment for the kids on the way back. Everything is a bonus right?!
We finished off our lovely morning with an ice cream from the little hut by the tennis courts which was a hit with Kai and Miya.
All in all, we were there around 2 hours, a perfect way to fill the morning before heading back the chalet in time for lunch and afternoon naps for the kids.
This is definitely a fun activity for kids and one I highly recommend for horse-loving families. It is also truly dog-friendly being a leash-free area if your pup(s) enjoy the company of horses and other dogs walking through the forest! For our family this really was a perfect outing. We did this two mornings in a row and can’t wait to go back!
Fun factor for child: 5/5 - Go on a pony then watch people doing ziplines through the forest!
Fun factor for dog: 4/5 - Luka doesn’t mind walking with ponies, even though they move extremely slowly!
Pram-friendly: Yes, the entire route is gravel paths and most of the main section is flat. But you would need an off-road appropriate pram and a lot of energy to push your pram up one short but steep section right as you leave the pony club, to join the loop that runs under the adventure park. I did see one mum walking backwards up the slopes pulling a Yoyo by its back wheels, so it’s really on the edge of what I would call pram-friendly.
Water Access for dogs: No
Potable water: Yes, bottled water can be bought at the cafe by the tennis courts.
Baby changing facilities: No
Note: When raining the paths can be very slippery.
Please review the Disclaimer before attempting any walk or activity mentioned on this website.
