Travel guide · France
Chamonix travel guide
Mont Blanc cable cars, glacier views and a year-round mountain town
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Ximonic , Simo Räsänen, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc sits at about 1,035 metres in a narrow valley beneath Mont Blanc, at 4,800-odd metres the highest summit in Western Europe. Cable cars and a rack railway lift visitors from the town centre to high-mountain viewpoints such as the Aiguille du Midi at 3,842 metres and the Mer de Glace glacier. The valley runs about 20 km from Les Houches to Vallorcine near the Swiss border, linked by buses and the Mont-Blanc Express train, with ski areas in winter and hundreds of kilometres of hiking trails in summer. Geneva airport is about 1 hour 15 minutes away by road. Plan 5 days for a first visit; the best months are January, March and July–September.
Key facts
- Country
- France
- Best time to visit
- January, March and July–September
- Ideal stay
- 5 days
- Main airports
- GVA, LYS
- Mid-range daily budget
- $200–$380 per person (estimate)
- Known for
- Mont Blanc, Aiguille du Midi, Mer de Glace and Skiing
Why visit Chamonix
- The Aiguille du Midi cable car climbs about 2,800 metres from the town centre to a terrace facing the summit of Mont Blanc.
- The Montenvers rack railway runs from beside the main station to the Mer de Glace, France's longest glacier.
- Balcony trails such as the walk to Lac Blanc give glacier and summit views for fit day hikers with no climbing skills.
- Winter brings varied ski areas from the gentle slopes of Le Tour to the steep terrain of the Grands Montets, plus the Vallée Blanche off-piste descent with a guide.
- Italy is 20 minutes away through the Mont Blanc Tunnel, and Switzerland is reachable by the Mont-Blanc Express train.
Top things to do
The six sights most first-time visitors build a trip around. See all 16 things to do.
Viewpoint · Chamonix Sud
Aiguille du Midi
Two cable car stages climb from the edge of town to the summit station at 3,842 metres in about 20 minutes, one of the highest vertical ascents of any cable car in the world.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Iconic
- Views
- Photo spot
- Couples
Nature · Chamonix centre
Montenvers railway and Mer de Glace
A red rack railway climbs from its own station beside the main SNCF station to Montenvers at 1,913 metres in about 20 minutes.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Iconic
- Kids
- Nature
- Views
- History
Experience · Chamonix Sud
Vallée Blanche descent
The famous off-piste ski route from the Aiguille du Midi descends about 20 km across glaciers to the Mer de Glace and back towards Montenvers.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Active
- Iconic
- Views
Experience · Chamonix Sud
Panoramic Mont-Blanc gondola
In summer, small gondola cabins continue from the Aiguille du Midi across the glaciers of the Vallée Blanche to Pointe Helbronner on the Italian border, a ride of about 35 minutes over crevasses and seracs at well above 3,000 metres.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours return from the Aiguille
- Cost
- Expensive
- Views
- Photo spot
- Couples
Viewpoint · Chamonix centre
Le Brévent
A gondola from the top of town to Planpraz and a cable car on to the summit at 2,525 metres face Mont Blanc head-on across the valley, so this is the best place to see the whole massif.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Views
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
- Kids
Nature · Les Praz
Lac Blanc
A small lake at about 2,350 metres in the Aiguilles Rouges nature reserve, famous for the reflection of the Mont Blanc massif in its water.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Outdoors
- Active
- Nature
- Views
- Photo spot
Where to stay
Chamonix centre is the easiest base for a first visit. Compare all 7 areas.
$$$ · Best for first-timers, nightlife, food lovers and solo travellers
Chamonix centre
Pedestrian streets, outdoor shops and bars around Place Balmat and Rue du Docteur Paccard
$$ · Best for budget, solo travellers and nightlife
Chamonix Sud
Apartment blocks, budget eats and the Aiguille du Midi cable car on the doorstep
$$$ · Best for families, quiet stays and couples
Les Praz
Small village with a golf course and the Flégère cable car, 3 km up the valley
$$ · Best for quiet stays, families and budget
Argentière
Mountain village beneath the Argentière glacier and the Grands Montets ski area
What to eat
- Fondue savoyarde — A pot of melted Savoie cheeses such as Beaufort, Comté and Emmental with white wine and garlic, eaten with cubes of bread on long forks.
- Tartiflette — A baked dish of potatoes, lardons, onions and cream topped with a whole Reblochon cheese, which melts into a rich crust.
- Raclette — Half a wheel of raclette cheese melted under a heater and scraped over boiled potatoes, served with charcuterie, gherkins and pickled onions.
- Croziflette — A variation on tartiflette made with crozets, small square buckwheat or wheat pasta from Savoie, baked with Reblochon, cream and lardons.
- Diots au vin blanc — Savoie pork sausages slowly cooked in white wine with onions, often served with polenta or crozets.
- Beaufort and Reblochon — The two great cheeses of the Savoie mountains: firm, nutty Beaufort from high summer pastures and soft, washed-rind Reblochon.
When to go
For skiing, January and March give good snow with fewer crowds than February's school holidays. For hiking and the high lifts, late June to mid-September is the season, with July and August busiest and September often the clearest and calmest. May, October and November are between seasons, when many lifts, hotels and restaurants close.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | March–May | Sunny spring skiing at altitude through March and April, then a quiet May when many lifts and businesses close and trails are still snowbound. |
| Summer | June–August | All lifts and trails open, long days and warm valley weather; afternoon storms are common, and July and August are crowded and expensive. |
| Autumn | September–November | Clear, settled September days and golden larches in October, with most lifts closing during the autumn and a grey, quiet November. |
| Winter | December–February | Snow-covered valley and full ski season from mid-December; cold, with busy holiday weeks and higher prices in February. |
Getting there and around
Geneva Airport is about 85 km away; shared shuttle transfers and coaches reach Chamonix in about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, longer on Saturdays in winter. Lyon–Saint-Exupéry is about 220 km away, roughly 2 hours 30 minutes by road. By train, the valley is reached via Saint-Gervais-Le Fayet or from Switzerland via Martigny.
The valley is linear, with Chamonix in the middle, and well served by local buses and the Mont-Blanc Express train from Les Houches to Vallorcine and on to Martigny in Switzerland. The town centre is walkable, and lifts depart from the edge of town or from the villages.
Plan your days
Two days covers the Aiguille du Midi and the Montenvers–Mer de Glace railway. Five days allows a full hike such as Lac Blanc, the Brévent and a day across the tunnel in Courmayeur, with a spare day for bad weather, which often closes the high lifts.
Practical information
- Currency
- EUR
- Language
- French
- Plugs
- Type C and E sockets, 230 V, 50 Hz
- Tap water
- Tap water is safe to drink and very good; refill bottles from public fountains.
- Emergency number
- 112 (European emergency number; mountain rescue is coordinated through it)
- Tipping
- Service is included in restaurant bills.
The main risks are mountain ones: rapid weather changes, altitude, cold at the high viewpoints and avalanche danger off-piste. Never go onto glaciers or off-piste without a qualified guide and proper equipment, and check weather and avalanche bulletins before setting out.
Flights to Chamonix
Questions travellers ask
+How many days do you need in Chamonix?
Two days covers the Aiguille du Midi and the Montenvers–Mer de Glace railway. Five days allows a full hike such as Lac Blanc, the Brévent and a day across the tunnel in Courmayeur, with a spare day for bad weather, which often closes the high lifts. How to split your days.
+When is the best time to visit Chamonix?
For skiing, January and March give good snow with fewer crowds than February's school holidays. For hiking and the high lifts, late June to mid-September is the season, with July and August busiest and September often the clearest and calmest. May, October and November are between seasons, when many lifts, hotels and restaurants close.
+What is Chamonix known for?
Mont Blanc, Aiguille du Midi, Mer de Glace, Skiing, Mountaineering, Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc and Alpine hiking. The Aiguille du Midi cable car climbs about 2,800 metres from the town centre to a terrace facing the summit of Mont Blanc.
+Is Chamonix expensive?
Chamonix is expensive for international visitors: a mid-range trip costs roughly $200–$380 per person per day before flights (AMZBooking estimate). Costs and money-saving tips.
+Do you need a car in Chamonix?
No. The guest card makes buses and trains in the valley free, and shuttles run from Geneva. A car only helps for day trips to Annecy or extensive touring, and winter driving requires snow equipment.