6 best day trips from Chamonix

Day trips compared

The day trips

20 km · About 30 minutes by bus or car

1.Courmayeur

On the Italian side of Mont Blanc, Courmayeur has a pedestrian centre on Via Roma with Italian cafés and restaurants and the Skyway Monte Bianco cable car to Punta Helbronner. In summer you can make a loop via the Aiguille du Midi and the Panoramic gondola, returning through the tunnel by bus.

Getting there

Bus or car through the Mont Blanc Tunnel

Best for

Food lovers, Couples, First-timers

95 km · About 1 hour 15 minutes by car

2.Annecy

Annecy's old town of canals, arcades and the Palais de l'Île sits at the end of one of Europe's cleanest lakes. Swimming beaches, bike paths around the shore and boat trips make it a good summer counterpoint to the mountains.

Getting there

Car or coach

Best for

Couples, Families, Culture

85 km · About 1 hour 15 minutes by car or shuttle

3.Geneva

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.

Getting there

Car, coach or airport shuttle

Best for

Culture, First-timers

25 km · About 45 minutes by car, longer by train and funicular

4.Lac d'Emosson

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. In summer a sequence of steep funiculars and a small train climbs to the dam from Le Châtelard.

Getting there

Car, or train to Le Châtelard then funicular in summer

Best for

Families, Quiet stays

25 km · About 30–40 minutes by train

5.Saint-Gervais-les-Bains

A spa and mountain town at the lower end of the valley, with thermal baths in a wooded park and the lower terminus of the Mont Blanc Tramway, which climbs towards the Bionnassay glacier.

Getting there

Mont-Blanc Express to Saint-Gervais-Le Fayet

Best for

Families, Couples, Quiet stays

35 km · About 40 minutes by car

6.Megève

An upmarket village resort with a medieval centre, horse-drawn sleighs in winter and wide, gentle ski slopes in the Évasion Mont-Blanc area. It is known for its boutiques and restaurants.

Getting there

Car or bus via Sallanches

Best for

Luxury, Couples, Families

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• Ask your accommodation for the guest card, which gives free travel on valley buses and trains within the valley.
• The train is often faster than the bus between Chamonix and Argentière in winter traffic.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask