Chamonix today

Chamonix valley sits at the foot of Mont Blanc in the heart of the French Alps, displaying glaciers and breathtaking views of the snow capped mountains all around. Chamonix valley is ranked one of the top skiing and boarding resorts in the world. Whilst Chamonix is famous for skiing in the winter, you may be surprised to hear that the summer time is just as popular - walking, hiking, rock climbing, paragliding, water rafting, mountain bike trails, even an 18 hole golf course! Not to mention major sports events such as the Mont Blanc Marathon and the Ultra-trail.

Situated at 45°55′8″N, 6°51′55″E, Chamonix is an hour's drive from Geneva, and the Chamonix valley runs from northeast to southwest, with Mont Blanc (4,808m) towering over the southeast, and Le Brevant (2525m) on the northwest.

The valley is made up of a number of hamlets including  Le Tour (1,462m) at the top of the valley, through to Argentiere (1,252m), Les Praz (1,060m), Chamonix (1,035m), Les Bossons (1,12m)  & Les Houches (796m). The valley is connected to Martigny in Switzerland via the Col de Montets (1,461m). Chamonix is an hour drive from the Swiss ski resort of Verbier and 30 minutes through the Mont Blanc tunnel to the Italian ski resort of Courmayeur.

Chamonix is a cosmopolitan town full of life and incredible scenery. For those of you wanting to witness this we recommend you take Europe’s highest cable car to view Mont Blanc, the Aiguille du Midi reaching 3842m. Passengers can take this cable car from the station in Chamonix centre, acclimatise to the high altitude in the restaurant or walk around the viewing platforms to see the glaciers and take in the panoramic views of the valley below and Mont Blanc.

Another must see - take the Montenvers cog train which departs from behind the main train station in Chamonix to the station at Montenvers and view La Mer de Glace glacier (Sea of Ice) from the viewing platforms. From here you can go down to the glacier and also visit the Ice Grotto. There is a cafe, restaurant, Crystal caves and the Alpine museum to visit too.

Aside from mountain activities there are hundreds of shops ranging from sports shops to funky clothes outlets and of course the odd fur coat or two, countless restaurants, bars, clubs and a casino. The sports centre with indoor and outdoor pools, diving area, slides and a solarium provides fun for the whole family. Climbing walls, tennis & squash courts and an ice rink where you can also watch ice-hockey matches and support the local Chamonix team.

There's plenty to entertain the children with adventure parks, summer luge and ski clubs and fun activities in the winter. The local cinema shows films with English subtitles, the Alpine Museum in located in the centre of Chamonix and we have regular music festivals. Local market day in Chamonix is Saturday morning – selling a wide range of local produce.

You'll be surprised at the size of this alpine mountain town and the amount it has to offer you! With a huge range of on and off mountain activities there is something for everyone throughout the year - making Chamonix the perfect holiday destination for any season!

There will always be something new to discover which is why so many people return year after year. Also see "History of Chamonix and Interesting Facts"

Our services

As guests of Chamonix all Year, we aim to make your holiday as enjoyable as possible.  We have selected various mountain partners to help you get the most from your holiday, and where possible have negoatied discounts for guests. Please visit our Guest Service Guide for more information.