Autumn holidays 2026: what to do as a family in French-speaking Switzerland?
The 2026 autumn holidays run from 5 to 25 October depending on the canton. Here is our full programme: what closes and what opens in October, which week is the quietest, and our ideas sorted by weather and by age.
Michael Ambass
4 min read
Autumn holidays 2026: 5 to 16 October in Neuchâtel, the Jura and French-speaking Bern · 10 to 25 October in Vaud · 12 to 23 in Fribourg · 15 to 25 in Valais · 19 to 23 in Geneva.
Three weeks between the first canton and the last: this is the time of year when French-speaking Switzerland is at its most out of sync. Good news — that works in your favour if you know which week to choose.
The dates, canton by canton
| Canton | Autumn holidays 2026 | Back to school |
|---|---|---|
| Neuchâtel, Jura, Bern (fr.) | 5 – 16 October | Monday 19 October |
| Vaud | 10 – 25 October | Monday 26 October |
| Fribourg (fr.) | 12 – 23 October | Monday 26 October |
| French-speaking Valais | 15 – 25 October | Monday 26 October |
| Geneva | 19 – 23 October | Monday 26 October |
The full details are on our cantonal pages: Vaud · Geneva · Valais · Fribourg · Neuchâtel · Jura.
Which week is the quietest?
If you have two weeks off and one big outing to place, this table is worth a look. It shows which cantons are off each week — and therefore how busy parks, museums and trails will be.
| Week | Cantons on holiday | How busy |
|---|---|---|
| 5 – 9 October | NE, JU, BE (fr.) | the quietest |
| 12 – 16 October | NE, JU, BE, VD, FR, VS (from the 15th) | busy |
| 19 – 23 October | VD, FR, VS, GE | the busiest of the autumn |
In other words: the weekend of 10–11 October and the week that follows are noticeably quieter than the week of 19 to 23, when almost all of French-speaking Switzerland is off at the same time. If you live in Vaud or Fribourg, place your big outing at the start of the holidays rather than the end.
What closes and what opens in October
This is the classic trap of these holidays: you set off with a summer idea and the site is closed.
What closes or winds down:
- Outdoor swimming pools: most close from mid-September.
- Beaches: swimming is no longer really in season, even if the shores are still pleasant for a walk.
- Summer toboggan runs: end of season during October depending on the site.
- Summer mountain lifts: reduced hours, often weekends only, then closure before the winter season.
What opens or is at its peak:
- Ice rinks: this is precisely when most open their season, between mid-October and early November.
- Forests: colours, chestnuts, rutting stags. The best moment of the year.
- Caves and mines: constant temperature, no weather risk.
- Indoor play parks and interactive museums, which come back into their own.
- Farms: peak pumpkin season, often with a stall or a pick-your-own field.
In every case, check the end-of-season hours on the official website before setting off: October is the month when they change most.
Our programme by weather
Glorious sunshine (it happens often in early October)
Head for altitude or the forest. Autumn forest walks, themed nature trails, gorges and waterfalls — dry and walkable at this time of year — and castles, which no longer have the summer queues.
Mixed weather
Formats that don’t really depend on the sky: caves and mines, farms and animal parks, little tourist trains and aquariums and vivariums.
Proper rain
Interactive museums, indoor play parks, escape games, indoor ice rinks and the cinema. Our selections: what to do when it rains, in Lausanne, in Geneva.
The events of the period
- Just before the holidays, the weekend of 26 September brings together the désalpes of Saint-Cergue and Charmey, plus the Fête des Vendanges in Neuchâtel from 25 to 27.
- Just afterwards, Halloween falls on Saturday 31 October, once everyone is back at school. Our ideas: Halloween as a family in French-speaking Switzerland.
By the children’s age
- 0–3 years: farms, animal parks, short forest walks. Our 0–3 ideas.
- 3–5 years: gathering leaves and chestnuts, pumpkins at the farm, indoor parks. Our 3–5 ideas.
- 6–9 years: castles, caves, nature trails, a first time on the ice. Our 6–9 ideas.
- 10–12 years: mines, escape games, gorge hikes, a train outing. Our 10–12 ideas.
- From 13: our teenage outings.
Filling two weeks without breaking the bank
Two weeks of holidays means ten days to fill. Three reflexes that change the budget:
- Alternate one paid outing with two free ones. Forests, nature trails and free-access gorges cost nothing and work very well at this time of year. See our free activities in Lausanne, Geneva and Valais.
- Look at family rates and free entry: most museums are free for under-6s, and several are free for everyone on certain days of the month.
- Count the transport. A day pass or a junior travelcard completely changes the economics of the week, and the train journey becomes part of the outing. See our car-free outings.
By canton
Find all the activities near you: Vaud · Geneva · Valais · Fribourg · Neuchâtel · Jura.
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