French Alps family activity holiday for teenagers

Planet

?? CARBON REDUCTION

At Source Holidays, we’re committed to low-impact, conscious travel. All of our trips are accessible by train from the UK and most parts of Europe, and we actively encourage guests to travel by rail.

To support this, we offer incentives such as free local transport for the first families who arrive by train — helping to reduce the overall footprint of the trip and promote slow, scenic journeys.

When meals are provided by us, they are vegetarian by default, with meat available on request. We work with venues that can cater for vegetarian, vegan, and special diets, ensuring that our food choices align with our environmental values — without compromising on taste or nourishment.

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?? ENVIRONMENT & WILDLIFE

Described by The Guardian as “the original eco-adventure company in the French Alps”, Source Holidays has been offering sustainable family adventures since 2008.

We began from our own off-grid Eco Lodge in Samoëns (now sold), and we now partner with local Outdoor Centres and eco-conscious chalets, carefully selected based on group size, budget, and their environmental practices.

We take great care to minimise our impact — choosing venues committed to sustainability, supporting local businesses, and operating in close harmony with the natural environment.

Importantly, we are one of the first alpine adventure companies to stop offering trips that rely on ski infrastructure. While skiing is fun, we believe that mass winter tourism, artificial snow, and ski-lift infrastructure are having a serious long-term impact on the mountains we love.

Instead, we focus on nature-based adventure — activities that cultivate wonder, resilience, and respect for the land.

We also actively teach responsible travel practices to all our guests, including:
• Leave No Trace principles
• Carrying everything out that we carry in (even toilet paper!)
• Respecting wildlife and local customs
• Supporting regenerative travel whenever possible

The mountains are our teachers — and we tread as gently as we can.

People

??? LOCAL ECONOMY

At Source Holidays, we’ve lived in Samoëns, in the French Alps, and know the local community intimately. Our long-standing relationships with local people, businesses, and guides are at the heart of everything we do.

We intentionally design our trips to support the local economy without harming the natural environment. Wherever possible, we:
• Hire local guides and instructors
• Choose locally run accommodation and venues
• Eat locally sourced, seasonal food
• Partner with family-run businesses

We’re proud to work with a family-run Outdoor Centre, operated by one of Samoëns’ oldest local families. Their mission aligns beautifully with ours: to inspire a deep love for nature and the outdoors. The centre is powered by hydroelectric energy, provides meaningful employment for local people, and serves regional food that reflects both heritage and sustainability.

This is tourism that gives back — to the land, to the people, and to future generations.

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?? EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY & DIVERSITY

Our core team includes a local International Mountain Leader, a woman who has lived in the valley for decades and raised her family here. Her deep connection to the land, knowledge of the terrain, and compassionate leadership make her an integral part of the experience we offer.

During our multi-day hikes, we stay in high-altitude mountain refuges run by locals who live off-grid for the entire summer season — caretakers of place and guardians of simplicity. Their quiet lifestyle invites us to slow down, reflect, and reconnect with what matters most.

We are not a commercial tour company — and we’re proud of that.

Instead, we offer something more human and more rooted:
• Simple and local
• Inclusive and welcoming
• Back to basics, but rich in meaning
• A place where everyone belongs — from teens to grandparents

We seek to create experiences that foster genuine connection between people and place, rather than ticking boxes or following trends. Our guests come away with more than photos — they come away changed.