Season guide · Chamonix · France
Chamonix in autumn
September–November: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Kristoferb, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Clear, settled September days and golden larches in October, with most lifts closing during the autumn and a grey, quiet November. Expect highs up to 18°C (64°F) and lows around -2°C (28°F), with about 30 rainy days across September–November. September is among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- September–November
- Temperatures
- -2°C (28°F) to 18°C (64°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 30
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in autumn
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September | 18°C (64°F) | 6°C (43°F) | 9 | 12.5 h | 3/5 |
| October | 13°C (55°F) | 3°C (37°F) | 10 | 10.8 h | 2/5 |
| November | 7°C (45°F) | -2°C (28°F) | 11 | 9.4 h | 1/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 13°C (55°F) against a yearly 12°C (54°F), and 30 of the year's roughly 128 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
What's on in autumn
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- September: UTMB finishes (usually early September)
Good choices for autumn
Religious site · Chamonix centre
Église Saint-Michel
The Baroque-style parish church in the centre has an onion-domed bell tower typical of the Savoy valleys, with the peaks rising directly behind it.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
Day trips in autumn
- Geneva (About 1 hour 15 minutes by car or shuttle) — The lakeside city has the Jet d'Eau fountain, the old town around St Pierre Cathedral, the Palais des Nations and CERN, and makes an easy stop on the way to or from the airport.
- Lac d'Emosson (About 45 minutes by car, longer by train and funicular) — Just over the Swiss border, a high dam lake at about 1,930 metres faces the Mont Blanc massif, and trails nearby lead to dinosaur footprints preserved in the rock.
What to pack
- Layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is autumn a good time to visit Chamonix?
Yes: September is among the best months. Clear, settled September days and golden larches in October, with most lifts closing during the autumn and a grey, quiet November.
+What is the weather like in Chamonix in autumn?
Highs of up to 18°C (64°F) and lows around -2°C (28°F), with about 30 rainy days over the season.