Month guide · Chamonix · France
Chamonix in May
What May is really like in Chamonix: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
May is a month many travellers avoid. Expect average highs of 16°C (61°F), lows of 5°C (41°F), about 13 rainy days and roughly 14.9 hours of daylight. Between seasons: many lifts, hotels and restaurants close for maintenance, and high trails are still under snow.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 16°C (61°F) / 5°C (41°F)
- Rainy days
- About 13
- Daylight
- About 14.9 hours
- Crowds
- Very quiet
- Hotel prices
- Lowest
Weather in May
May is the 5th-warmest month in Chamonix: days average 16°C (61°F) against a yearly average high of 12°C (54°F), and nights fall to about 5°C (41°F). Rain falls on roughly 13 of its 31 days. Compared with April (12°C (54°F)), May is warmer; by June highs climb to around 20°C (68°F).
- Sunrise (15 May)
- About 06:00
- Sunset (15 May)
- About 20:57
- Daylight
- About 14.9 hours
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.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, May rates 1 for crowds (the peak is February at 5) and 1 for hotel prices (highest in February). That makes May one of the better-value months to book.
Events in May
May has no major recurring festival in Chamonix, which usually means easier bookings.
What to do in May
With frequent rain, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Experience · Chamonix Sud
Panoramic Mont-Blanc gondola
Ride it in the morning, as the line is often stopped by afternoon wind and cloud.
- 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
Start early in July and August; the trail and the hut terrace fill up by midday.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Outdoors
- Active
- Nature
- Views
- Photo spot
Landmark · Chamonix centre
Place Balmat and the Saussure statue
By the river in the town centre, a bronze statue shows Jacques Balmat pointing Horace-Bénédict de Saussure towards the summit of Mont Blanc, which Balmat and Michel Paccard first climbed in 1786.
- Time needed
- 15 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Photo spot
What to pack
For highs near 16°C, lows near 5°C and 13 wet days: layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings; a compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent; comfortable walking shoes.
Is May a good time to visit Chamonix?
A month many travellers avoid. If your dates are flexible, January, March and July–September are better overall. Compare every month.
Chamonix in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is May a good time to visit Chamonix?
It is a month many travellers avoid. Between seasons: many lifts, hotels and restaurants close for maintenance, and high trails are still under snow.
+How warm is Chamonix in May?
Average highs are around 16°C (61°F) and lows around 5°C (41°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Chamonix in May?
Expect rain on about 13 days of the month, so pack for wet weather.