Chamonix-Mont-Blanc holidays

How to reach Chamonix

Flight time: There are no direct flights to Chamonix. Flights to Geneva Airport take about 1 hour 30 minutes from London.

Transfer time: From Geneva Airport, it’s a 1 hour 15 minute drive to Chamonix. The most common means of transport are shuttle services, which are frequent and convenient.

Price: Shuttle services from Geneva Airport to Chamonix typically cost around €30 to €50 one way. Taxis can be pricier, ranging from €150 to €200 for a one-way trip.

Best time to visit Chamonix

Choosing when to take your holidays to Chamonix will depend on whether your priority is skiing and other winter sports, or enjoying alternative outdoor pursuits in the warmer months.

December to February: This is peak ski season when the town is blanketed in snow. This does mean booking your holidays to the French Alps early in order to secure the best accommodation. Temperatures range from -10°C to 5°C and expect around 4-5 hours of sunshine per day.

March to May: March and April are still good times for skiing at higher altitudes while the best time to hike is May. Temperatures range from -5°C to 10°C, with increasing hours of sunshine.

June to August: Summer transforms the French Alps into one big outdoor playground, for hiking, mountain biking and climbing among other pursuits. This is very much events season too. Temperatures range from 15°C to 25°C, with 10-12 hours of sunshine daily. Be aware, however, of sudden storms in the mountains.

September to November: Autumn offers much cooler weather, with temperatures ranging from 5°C to 15°C, although September is by far the best time of year to walk in the mountains. Rainfall is moderate, averaging 40-70mm per month, and you can expect 7-9 hours of sunshine.

Practical information

• Spoken languages: French is the main language, but both Italian and English are widely spoken here.

• Local habits and customs: You’re not obligated to leave a tip in France. Tipping is not expected in French culture as the service is already factored into the price of your meal.

• Currency: France uses the Euro. ATMs are widely available, and credit cards are commonly accepted.

• Getting around: There’s really no need to use public transport whatsoever here, but there is Le Mulet, a free, year-round shuttle bus which does a loop of the town starting at Chamonix Sud bus station and passing Aiguille du Midi and the gare SNCF.

• Electricity and plug types: Voltage is officially 230V, using plugs with two round pins. UK travellers will need an adaptor.

• Time zone: Chamonix operates on Central European Time (CET), which is 1 hour ahead of GMT.

Best things to do in Chamonix

Bustling and cosmopolitan, Chamonix is the primary French base for outdoor activities on or around Mont Blanc, packed with flashy restaurants and boutiques set against the stunning backdrop of glaring snowfields.

Viewpoints and panoramas

• Step into the Void: An all-glass box suspended some 1000m above empty space – an astonishing feat of engineering, this really is not for the faint-hearted.

• Mer de Glace: Hop on the rack railway from Chamonix for a stupendous view of Europe’s largest glacier.

The best districts

• Faucigny: A region of wide glacial valleys, gentle forested slopes and peaceful little villages that seem a world away from the party atmosphere of the resorts further south.

• Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval: This pretty village lies on the confluence of two branches of the river Giffre: the Giffre-Haut, which comes down from Salvagny, and the Giffre-Bas, which flows all the way from the Cirque du Fer-à-Cheval.

Museums

• Musée Alpin: Detailing the valley's life since the first tourists began to arrive in the 18th century, more interesting are the extensive displays on the history of winter sports in the region and the various cabinets stuffed with mountaineering equipment.

• Musée des Cristaux: Beautiful collection of minerals hewn from the mountains hereabouts, foremost among which are the stunning, smoky-coloured quartz crystal and the vivid red fluorite crystal.

Historical monuments

• Église Saint-Michel: There’s little of historical note in Chamonix, but this serene little church sports some delightful architecture and makes for a welcome retreat away from the cafés and bars.

Day trips in the area

• Grenoble: The self-styled “capital of the Alps”, this is a vibrant and cosmopolitan place, its centre a quirky maze of streets, where modern and medieval buildings are packed close together.

• Annecy: Set on a sparkling turquoise lake, Lac d’Annecy is one of the most beautiful and popular resort towns in the French Alps.

• Lake Geneva: Enjoy the sedate pleasures of Évian and Yvoire on the French side of this huge and scenic lake, or hop on one of the frequent ferries to Switzerland.

Activities for families

Whether it's tackling the mountains or trying out all manner of other activities, there's a huge amount of fun to be had as a family on your Chamonix holidays.

• Skiing and snowboarding: There are plenty of ski schools for families and kids in Chamonix which provide lessons for skiers and snowboarders, as well as guides.

• Swimming pools: The Richard Bozon Sports Centre has both indoor and outdoor pools, as well as ice-skating, tennis and squash, and a climbing wall.

• Amusement parks: Parc de Loisirs is a terrific all-round activity park, encompassing playgrounds, mini-golf, toboggan slides and a summer luge - and that’s just for starters.

• Wildlife Parks: Le Parc Animalier de Merlet offers the opportunity to see fantastic alpine wildlife in its natural habitat: ibex, marmots and chamois among them.

Free things to do in Chamonix

Chamonix can be expensive, but with careful planning - and mostly spending time outdoors - you can get away with spending very little.

• Hiking: A day in the mountains is by far the easiest, and most enjoyable, way to save money: trails everywhere of course, but the most popular are the Tour du Mont Blanc and the Sentier des Cascades.

• Events and Festivals: Inevitably, many of the town’s biggest annual events revolve around the mountains; the World Climbing Championships in mid-July sees some of the world’s finest alpinists roll into town to tackle a series of speed and technical climbs on an enormous artificial wall; and in mid-August, the Fête des Guides de Chamonix celebrates the work of the local guides, with live music, folklore events and climbing demonstrations.

Nature and outdoor activities

On offer here are some of the most thrilling outdoor activities on the continent, from world-class skiing and mountain climbing, to superb road cycling and the most gentle of valley walks.

• Hiking: There are countless excellent shorter walks around Chamonix, including many on the northern side of the valley amid the lower but nonetheless impressive peaks of the Aiguilles Rouges. One easy, picturesque trail takes you from the village of Les Praz to Lac Blanc.

• Skiing and snowboarding: One of the best places in the Alps, since it offers an impressive range of challenging runs and off-piste itineraries. It’s not so much a single resort as a chain of unconnected ski areas set along both sides of the Chamonix valley and dominated by Mont Blanc.

• Via Ferrata: Hugely popular are via ferrata courses, in which wires and ladders are bolted onto the rock so that even inexperienced climbers (wearing harnesses and ropes) can make ascents which would otherwise be impossible for them.

• Mountain biking: There’s world-class biking to be enjoyed in the surrounding mountains, with steep paths, forest trails and riverbank rides all possibilities, as well as dedicated bike Parks at Balme and Les Houches.

The après ski life

Those on holiday in Chamonix can benefit from many facilities besides the slopes. Shopping in the town is a truly pleasurable experience, with countless beautiful buildings lining streets selling local produce, designer clothing and unique gifts to take home. Spend the latter part of your day having afternoon tea in the cosy tearooms, or in the cinema. Come night time Chamonix really livens up, with the many pubs, bars and restaurants catering for every type of nightlife. Whether you want to enjoy some live music or snuggle in front of the fireplace, your holiday in Chamonix will be sure to satisfy. Try the casino for a lively night with friends, and make sure you indulge in some of the warming local food during your stay. Look out for the Raclette, a fondue for sharing, the Tartiflette, a potato and bacon dish covered in melted roblochon cheese and the Pierre Chaude, a hot slate served at your table so you can cook your own meat.

Local dishes in Chamonix

Chamonix’s geographical location is reflected in its Swiss and Italian culinary influences, but there’s certainly no shortage of high-end French cuisine if you’re prepared to spend a little extra.

Some typical dishes

• Raclette: This lip-smacking dish involves melting Raclette cheese and scraping it over potatoes, pickles and cured meats; perfect after a day on the slopes.

• Tartiflette: Another deliciously cheesy dish made with Reblochon cheese, potatoes, onions and lardons.

• Fondue Savoyarde: A classic cheese fondue made with a blend of local cheeses, white wine and garlic; hunks of crispy bread are then dipped into the melted cheese.

Meat dishes

• Diots: Savoyard sausages cooked in white wine and served with polenta or potatoes.

• Boeuf Bourguignon: A classic French stew of beef braised in red wine, with onions, garlic and mushrooms - robust and filling, it’s just the ticket after a day on the slopes.

Fish and seafood dishes

• Truite aux Amandes: Fresh trout from the local rivers, pan-fried with almonds and served with fresh vegetables and potatoes, this is a cracking dish.

Sweets and desserts

Tarte aux myrtille is a blueberry tart made with wild blueberries from the mountains - there's also faisselle aux myrtilles, blueberries with a soft, creamy yoghurt-like cheese; while merveilles are crispy, deep-fried dough pieces dusted with powdered sugar, similar to beignets.

Local drinks

• Vin Chaud: Essentially mulled wine, this warming beverage - made with red wine, spices and a touch of citrus - is just the job after hitting the slopes.

• Chartreuses: Powerfully alcoholic herbal elixirs ranging from the better-known green and yellow variants to a number of gentler fruit and nut liqueurs.

• Génepi: A traditional alpine liqueur made from the génépi plant, which grows high in the mountains, and is usually taken as a digestif after a meal.

Outdoors on holiday in Chamonix

As you probably are well aware, a holiday to Chamonix will bring you close to some of the best skiing facilities in the world, but there is plenty to do if you don’t want to be on the slopes everyday. In the winter try a ride on the Luge de Chamonix, a rollercoaster type ski sledge, where you can dip and dive on the track across the snowy landscape. As well as this there’s paragliding, skating, mountaineering, white water rafting and canoeing to get the adrenaline flowing.

When summer hits the mountain and the snow melts, it reveals a rolling green landscape, perfect for hiking under the sun. There are many routes in the area, for all different abilities, taking you across some of the most breathtaking sights in the region. After all the walking, give your muscles a rest with an afternoon spent in one of the many spas, either with a massage or a long lay in the Jacuzzi.

Whether you go in search of the sun or the snow, take a holiday to the French Alps with lastminute.com and build your perfect package doing the things you love.