The highest circus tent in the world!

Circus arts are booming and this passion doesn’t show any signs of weakening.These fun circus activities - which require qualities found in several outdoor sports, such as agility, balance, concentration and flexibility – thrive each summer in the mountains. Festivals, shows and workshops multiply, and children – like their parents – ask for more.Discover the resorts where children can discover their hidden performer.

The new tightrope walkers of Les Contamines 

All summer, the Urka circus troupe teaches children the slackline, which consists of walking on a slightly flexible band fixed at a few centimetres off the ground between two trees. A ‘slack-park’ has been created in the leisure park at Le Pontet in Les Contamines, where children and their parents can try this fun exercise, which develops balance, self-control, flexibility, motor skills and concentration. These free trials take place once a week.If you want to go further, the Urka performers offer circus introductory courses, where the arts of tightrope walking are taught on this flexible band instead of on the traditional steel wire. The more intrepid can take part in ‘waterline’ challenges where the aim is to cross the Pontet Lake as fast as possible using a suspended band.Risks of ending up in the water are very high!For those who wish to go to even further, the Mountain Guides office at Les Contamines offers introductions to the highline, which is a more aerial version of the slackline, where the band is attached at more than five metres from the ground- with guaranteed thrills!

Circus workshops:for 6-8 year olds from 9.30 am to 10.30 am 11€, 5 sessions from Monday to Friday 37€; for 8-14 year olds from 10.30 am to 12.30 pm, 1 session 20€, 5 sessions from Monday to Friday 68€

Circus and street arts at Orcières 1850 

In winter and summer, Orcières 1850 – a high-Alps ‘Family Plus’ resort – supports cultural projects, welcomes artistic troupes and organises numerous festivals around street and circus arts. From 19^th to 24^th August, come for a special street arts week. The days will be organised in three stages -courses for all levels in the mornings, discovery workshops in the afternoon (free) and shows for the general public in the evenings, most of them free.Workshops and shows will take place in the open air at the heart of the resort, creating a festive atmosphere appreciated by all the holidaymakers. For the 4^th consecutive year, the ‘Les Etoiles du Cirque Galaxy' troupe will provide the discovery and introduction to the classic circus techniques - juggling, manipulation, balance and acrobatics. Teenagers will also like the new graffiti workshops suggested by the tourist office for 13-17 year olds. These workshops, supervised by the instructor and performer Mélanie Elzingre of the Zomeka association, will enable young people to show their artistic talent on large size canvases, using different graffiti techniques, sprays, stencils or posca paint markers.

Au bonheur des Mômes (Fun for Kids festival) at Le Grand Bornand

Theatre, mime, puppets, dance and circus performances are on the menu of what is today the largest young-public cultural festival in Europe. Whilst there are numerous shows to watch, there are also many workshops that you can participate in to discover circus arts from 3 years old, with specialized early-childhood instructors. Workshops per week (75€) or per session (10€). Go to the ‘Tente en bois’ (wooden tent). Reservations recommended at www.aubonheurdesmomes.com

Circus and Magic weeks at Valmeinier  

At Valmeinier, we adore the circus! Since 2003, the resort has offered workshops for children from 6 years - and their parents - to discover different circus skills for a session or a for a Monday to Friday course. At the end of the week, the young and old course participants take part in the traditional gala performance in a packed circus tent!The professional performers who organise the activity perform in the middle of the week inspiring future artistes! From 19^th to 24^th August, the week is aimed particularly at circus performers with experience who come to the mountains to perfect their skills.

From 15€ for one session and 40€ for the 5 daily sessions.Free shows.
Tourist office Valmeinier