Chamonix-Mont-Blanc

It is a year-round destination. In winter it draws skiers, especially experienced and off-piste skiers; in summer, hikers, climbers, trail runners and families come for lifts into high mountain scenery and hundreds of kilometres of paths. Vacation rentals here are mostly chalets and apartments, from studios near the centre to large wooden chalets in the hamlets, and many come with ski storage and mountain views.

Where to stay in the Chamonix valley

Central Chamonix suits visitors who want restaurants, shops, the train station and the Aiguille du Midi and Brévent lifts within walking distance, and it is the best choice without a car. Les Praz and Les Bossons, just up and down the valley, are quieter, with chalets close to the Flégère lift and the Bossons glacier.

Argentière, about 9 km up the valley, is a village with direct access to the Grands Montets ski area and a more mountain-village feel; Le Tour and Montroc beyond it sit at the foot of the Balme area. Les Houches, at the lower end of the valley, is a separate commune with a family-friendly, partly wooded ski area. Wherever you stay, buses and the valley railway connect the villages.

Skiing and winter

The valley has several separate ski areas rather than one linked domain. Brévent and Flégère, on the sunny side opposite Mont Blanc, offer views across to the massif and the Brévent summit at 2,525 m. The Grands Montets above Argentière is famous for steep and off-piste terrain, Balme above Le Tour has gentle open slopes and Les Houches has wooded runs that suit families and stormy days.

The Vallée Blanche, reached from the Aiguille du Midi, is a long off-piste descent across glaciers that should be skied only with a qualified mountain guide because of crevasses. Chamonix is less suited to beginners than purpose-built resorts, since moving between areas takes buses or a car, but cross-country trails, winter walks and ice climbing broaden the options.

Mont Blanc, the Aiguille du Midi and the Mer de Glace

Mont Blanc's snow-capped summit changes height slightly from year to year and has been measured at between about 4,805 and 4,810 m. It was first climbed on 8 August 1786 by Jacques Balmat and Michel-Gabriel Paccard, an ascent often seen as the birth of modern mountaineering.

Visitors without climbing experience can still get close. The Aiguille du Midi cable car, opened in 1955, rises from the town to a terrace at 3,842 m with views across the massif; the thin air at that height can cause headaches, so go slowly and descend if you feel unwell. The cog railway from Chamonix to Montenvers, completed in 1909, climbs to 1,913 m above the Mer de Glace, regarded with its tributaries as France's longest glacier, where a gondola now descends toward the glacier and an ice cave whose access changes as the ice retreats.

Summer hiking and activities

In summer the valley has more than 350 km of marked trails, from easy walks along the river to high balcony paths reached by lift. Popular outings include the lakes above Brévent and Flégère, the Lac Vert and the waterfall of Bérard near Vallorcine, which also has a via ferrata. The long-distance Tour du Mont Blanc, a classic trek through France, Italy and Switzerland, passes through the valley.

Climbing and glacier walks are best done with a qualified mountain guide, a profession that in this valley goes back to the first ascent of Mont Blanc. Paragliding, mountain biking and trail running are popular, and families find lakes and play areas at the Chavants leisure base in Les Houches. Weather in the high mountains changes quickly, so check forecasts and lift status each morning.

A short history

For centuries Chamonix was a remote farming parish. In 1741 a party of Englishmen including William Windham and Richard Pococke visited the Mer de Glace, and their account, published in 1744, helped bring travellers to the valley. After Balmat and Paccard reached the top of Mont Blanc in 1786, visitors and scientists followed, and the valley's guides became a profession.

The railway from Saint-Gervais arrived in 1901 and reached Vallorcine in 1908, the Montenvers line opened in 1909, and in 1921 the commune took the name Chamonix-Mont-Blanc. Three years later it hosted the first Winter Olympics. The 11.6 km Mont Blanc Tunnel to Courmayeur in Italy opened in 1965, putting the town on a major Alpine crossing.

Getting there and around

Geneva Airport (GVA), in Switzerland, is the closest major airport, about 88 km away; the drive usually takes a little over an hour, longer on winter Saturdays. Shared and private transfers run between the airport and the valley. By rail, the metre-gauge line from Saint-Gervais-Le Fayet climbs to Chamonix and Vallorcine, where the Mont Blanc Express continues to Martigny in Switzerland.

Within the valley, buses and trains link Les Houches, Chamonix, Argentière and Vallorcine, so a car is not essential if your rental is near a stop. A car helps for day trips and for chalets on the slopes, but parking in the centre is limited, and winter tyres or chains are needed in snow. The Mont Blanc Tunnel makes Courmayeur and the Aosta Valley an easy day out.

Weather and when to visit

Chamonix has a cool mountain climate with cold, snowy winters and mild summers, and about 1,200 to 1,300 mm of precipitation a year. Snow usually covers the valley floor in mid-winter, while the high lifts give access to snow and ice all year.

The ski season generally runs from December to April, with February school holidays the busiest weeks. Summer, from late June to early September, is the peak for hiking and climbing, when all lifts and huts are open. Late spring and autumn are quieter shoulder seasons, when some lifts close for maintenance and many businesses take a break. At any time of year, temperatures at the Aiguille du Midi are far colder than in town, so bring warm layers.