Chamonix-Mont-Blanc

Alpine Town At The Foot Of Mont Blanc, The Highest Mountain In Western Europe, And Host Of The First Winter Olympics In 1924 · Chamonix, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes

Chamonix is a busy mountain town in a narrow valley in the French Alps, directly beneath Mont Blanc, at about 4,800 metres the highest mountain in western Europe. It hosted the first Winter Olympics in 1924 and has been the capital of mountaineering for over two centuries. The town itself is lively, with a river running through it, old hotels, outdoor shops and bars, but the reason to come is getting up high. The Aiguille du Midi cable car climbs to over 3,800 metres for a close view of Mont Blanc and the glaciers; the Montenvers train reaches the Mer de Glace, France's longest glacier, which has shrunk dramatically and keeps retreating. On the opposite side of the valley, the Brévent and Flégère lifts open up the best views of the whole range and hikes such as the one to Lac Blanc. In winter Chamonix is a serious ski area, famous for off-piste and the Vallée Blanche, which needs a guide. Climbing Mont Blanc itself is a real mountaineering expedition, not a hike, and people die on it every year.

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, 74400, Haute-Savoie, Chamonix, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France

The town is open all year, but the mountain lifts follow two main seasons: winter, roughly from December to April, and summer, roughly from June to September. In between, in late April to May and again from late September or October to November, many lifts, mountain huts and the Montenvers train close for maintenance, and some shops and hotels close too, so check which lifts are running before booking a shoulder-season trip. The Aiguille du Midi cable car runs most of the year but closes for annual maintenance, usually in late autumn, and stops in high winds or storms, sometimes for the whole day. In summer, cable car tickets to the Aiguille du Midi are sold with timed boarding slots, and on clear days the morning slots sell out; booking ahead online is strongly advised. First cars go up early and are usually the clearest, while cloud often builds by early afternoon. The Panoramic Mont Blanc gondola across to Italy runs only in summer and in good weather. Mountain huts such as those on the Tour du Mont Blanc open roughly mid-June to mid-September and need reservations. Confirm every lift timetable for your exact dates.

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