Where to stay · Chamonix · France
Where to stay in Chamonix
7 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Garrondo, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Chamonix centre. Pedestrian streets, outdoor shops and bars around Place Balmat and Rue du Docteur Paccard. Best alternatives — families: Les Praz; budget: Chamonix Sud.
Key facts
- First visit
- Chamonix centre
- Families
- Les Praz
- Budget
- Chamonix Sud
- Nightlife
- Chamonix centre
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Chamonix centre | Pedestrian streets, outdoor shops and bars around Place Balmat and Rue du Docteur Paccard |
| Families | Les Praz | Small village with a golf course and the Flégère cable car, 3 km up the valley |
| Couples | Les Praz | Small village with a golf course and the Flégère cable car, 3 km up the valley |
| Budget | Chamonix Sud | Apartment blocks, budget eats and the Aiguille du Midi cable car on the doorstep |
| Nightlife | Chamonix centre | Pedestrian streets, outdoor shops and bars around Place Balmat and Rue du Docteur Paccard |
| Food lovers | Chamonix centre | Pedestrian streets, outdoor shops and bars around Place Balmat and Rue du Docteur Paccard |
| Solo travellers | Chamonix centre | Pedestrian streets, outdoor shops and bars around Place Balmat and Rue du Docteur Paccard |
| Quiet stays | Les Praz | Small village with a golf course and the Flégère cable car, 3 km up the valley |
Chamonix neighbourhoods in detail
$$$ · Best for first-timers, nightlife, food lovers and solo travellers
Chamonix centre
The town centre clusters along the Arve river around Place Balmat, the pedestrian Rue du Docteur Paccard and the church of Saint-Michel. Hotels, restaurants, mountain-guide offices and the Montenvers railway station are all within a few minutes' walk, and the Aiguille du Midi cable car is a 10-minute walk south. It is the most convenient base without a car.
- Good
- Everything walkable; Widest choice of restaurants and bars; Train and bus hub
- Watch out
- Busy and pricey in peak weeks; Noise from bars on some streets
- Nearby
- Place Balmat, Montenvers railway station, Église Saint-Michel, Rue des Moulins
$$ · Best for budget, solo travellers and nightlife
Chamonix Sud
Just south of the centre, Chamonix Sud is a cluster of 1970s apartment buildings around the Aiguille du Midi base station and the sports centre. It is less pretty than the old centre, but self-catering apartments here are among the best value in town and the bars and cheaper restaurants draw a young, outdoorsy crowd.
- Good
- Steps from the Aiguille du Midi; Good-value apartments; Lively, relaxed bars
- Watch out
- Architecture is plain; Some apartments are small and dated
- Nearby
- Aiguille du Midi cable car, Richard Bozon sports centre, Chamonix centre
$$$ · Best for families, quiet stays and couples
Les Praz
Les Praz-de-Chamonix is a quiet hamlet among meadows and larch woods, home to the Chamonix golf course and the base of the Flégère cable car, the usual starting point for the walk to Lac Blanc. The centre of Chamonix is a 30-minute walk along the riverside path or a short bus ride.
- Good
- Calm and green; Direct lift to the Lac Blanc trails; Flat riverside walk into town
- Watch out
- Few restaurants; Depends on the bus at night
- Nearby
- La Flégère cable car, Lac Blanc trail, Chamonix golf course
$$ · Best for quiet stays, families and budget
Argentière
About 9 km up the valley from Chamonix, Argentière has its own church, bakeries, bars and train station, and sits at the foot of the Grands Montets, the valley's high, steep ski area popular with experienced skiers. In summer it is a base for walks towards the Argentière glacier and the Col de Balme.
- Good
- Village feel with its own shops; Close to two ski areas; Train and bus links
- Watch out
- Fewer evening options than Chamonix; Cold and shaded in midwinter
- Nearby
- Grands Montets, Le Tour, Col de Balme
$$ · Best for families, budget and quiet stays
Les Houches
Les Houches lies about 8 km below Chamonix, with tree-lined ski runs that stay skiable in poor visibility and the Bellevue and Prarion lifts that serve the Mont Blanc Tramway and summer walks. The Parc de Merlet wildlife park is on the slope above. Accommodation is generally cheaper than in Chamonix itself.
- Good
- Lower prices; Sheltered, family-friendly ski area; Good chalets and apartments
- Watch out
- Bus or train needed to reach Chamonix's lifts; Quiet in the evenings
- Nearby
- Parc de Merlet, Bellevue cable car, Prarion gondola
$$$ · Best for quiet stays, families and couples
Le Tour and Montroc
At the top of the valley, about 12 km from Chamonix, the hamlets of Le Tour and Montroc sit below the Domaine de Balme, the area with the gentlest, sunniest ski slopes and wide summer pastures. It is very quiet, with a few chalets, hotels and mountain restaurants.
- Good
- Peaceful, with big views; Beginner-friendly slopes; Trails from the door
- Watch out
- Far from Chamonix's restaurants; Limited services out of season
- Nearby
- Domaine de Balme, Col de Balme, Vallorcine
$$ · Best for quiet stays, couples and budget
Vallorcine
Over the Col des Montets, Vallorcine is the last French village before Switzerland, with traditional wooden farmhouses, a gondola link to the Balme ski area and a station on the train line to Martigny. It suits travellers who want quiet and easy access to Swiss day trips.
- Good
- Very quiet; Train to Switzerland; Lower prices
- Watch out
- Twenty-plus minutes to Chamonix; Few restaurants
- Nearby
- Domaine de Balme, Col des Montets, Le Châtelard
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Chamonix centre | $$$ | Place Balmat, Montenvers railway station, Église Saint-Michel, Rue des Moulins |
| Chamonix Sud | $$ | Aiguille du Midi cable car, Richard Bozon sports centre, Chamonix centre |
| Les Praz | $$$ | La Flégère cable car, Lac Blanc trail, Chamonix golf course |
| Argentière | $$ | Grands Montets, Le Tour, Col de Balme |
| Les Houches | $$ | Parc de Merlet, Bellevue cable car, Prarion gondola |
| Le Tour and Montroc | $$$ | Domaine de Balme, Col de Balme, Vallorcine |
| Vallorcine | $$ | Domaine de Balme, Col des Montets, Le Châtelard |
Getting to your hotel
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.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Chamonix for first-time visitors?
Chamonix centre. The town centre clusters along the Arve river around Place Balmat, the pedestrian Rue du Docteur Paccard and the church of Saint-Michel.
+Where should families stay in Chamonix?
Les Praz: Calm and green.
+Which area of Chamonix is best for a budget stay?
Chamonix Sud ($$): Apartment blocks, budget eats and the Aiguille du Midi cable car on the doorstep.