Comparison · Chamonix vs Lyon · France
Chamonix vs Lyon
Two great trips, different strengths. Here is how they compare on the things that decide it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Ximonic , Simo Räsänen, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Choose Chamonix for Mont Blanc and Aiguille du Midi; choose Lyon for Gastronomy, Bouchons, lower day-to-day costs and free sights. Lyon is generally less expensive, and the two are about 159 km apart.
Key facts
- Distance apart
- 159 km
- Less expensive
- Lyon
- Best time for Chamonix
- January, March and July–September
- Best time for Lyon
- April–June and September–October
Side by side
| Chamonix | Lyon | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | France | France |
| Known for | Mont Blanc, Aiguille du Midi and Mer de Glace | Gastronomy, Bouchons and Vieux Lyon |
| Best time to visit | January, March and July–September | April–June and September–October |
| Ideal stay | 5 days | 3 days |
| Mid-range budget per day | $200–$380 | $150–$250 |
| Cost level | Expensive | Moderately priced |
| Warmest month | July, 23°C (73°F) | July, 28°C (82°F) |
| Coldest month | January, 3°C (37°F) | January, 7°C (45°F) |
| Free sights in our guide | 5 | 10 |
| Day trips in our guide | 6 | 6 |
| Beaches | — | — |
| Airports | GVA, LYS | LYS |
Which one is right for you?
Choose Chamonix for…
Mont Blanc and Aiguille du Midi. 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…
Choose Lyon for…
Gastronomy, Bouchons, lower day-to-day costs and free sights. Lyon sits where the Saône meets the Rhône, with a UNESCO-listed historic centre that runs from the Roman theatres on Fourvière hill through the Renaissance lanes of Vieux Lyon to the silk-weavers' slopes of the Croix-Rousse. It is best known for food…
Top sights compared
| # | Chamonix | Lyon |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aiguille du Midi | Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière |
| 2 | Montenvers railway and Mer de Glace | Vieux Lyon and the traboules |
| 3 | Panoramic Mont-Blanc gondola | Roman theatres of Fourvière and Lugdunum museum |
| 4 | Le Brévent | Saint-Jean Cathedral |
| 5 | Lac Blanc | Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse |
Food compared
| Chamonix | Lyon |
|---|---|
| Fondue savoyarde | Pike quenelles |
| Tartiflette | Sausage in brioche |
| Raclette | Lyonnaise salad |
| Croziflette | Silk worker's brain |
Which is cheaper?
Lyon is usually the less expensive of the two: a mid-range day costs about $150–$250 per person there, against $200–$380 in Chamonix (AMZBooking estimates, excluding flights). Lyon on a budget.
Can you visit both?
Yes. Chamonix and Lyon are about 159 km apart, so they combine well in one trip: allow 5 days in Chamonix and 3 in Lyon.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Chamonix or Lyon cheaper?
Lyon is usually less expensive: about $150–$250 a day mid-range against $200–$380 (estimates).
+Is Chamonix or Lyon better for a first trip?
Pick Chamonix for Mont Blanc and Aiguille du Midi, or Lyon for Gastronomy, Bouchons, lower day-to-day costs and free sights.
+How far is Chamonix from Lyon?
About 159 km in a straight line.