Chamonix Ski Resort, France

Overview of Chamonix

For skiers and mountaineers, Chamonix is a veritable Mecca. Well known for having enough steep and challenging terrain to last a lifetime, the ski areas also provide a balance to suit the more intermediate end of the spectrum. Grands Montets, Brévent-Flégère, Les Houches and the Domaine de Balme each have a variety of pistes, but the real boon is for the advanced or expert skiers. Skiing off the Aguille du Midi (with a guide) for example, is a bucket-list item. You'll also find some great accommodation. See top ski apartments in Chamonix for places to stay.

Chamonix has a permanent population and is a working town with schools, a library and the like. It’s just as busy in the summer as in the winter and this makes it feel homely and welcoming all year round, unlike some of the purpose-built resorts. You will need to hop on the valley buses to make the most of the huge ski area available on your lift pass, but it’s worth it. When you get back to town at the end of the day, the variety of food and après on offer will taste all the better when you know you’ve earnt it.

Keep reading to learn more about this resort and why to go on a Chamonix ski holiday.

3 Things We Love About Chamonix

1. Almost unrivalled off-piste opportunities
2. A vibrant town with a great variety of hotel accommodation, restaurants and bars
3. The opportunity to cross the border to Italy and ski in Courmayeur

Skiing and Boarding in Chamonix

With Mont Blanc's peak of 4,810m looming overhead, skiing in the Chamonix valley can be a daunting experience. If you’re keen to explore, have a sense of adventure and you want to develop your technique, you will find the challenges of Chamonix to your liking – even as a novice. What you won’t find are miles of undulating blue pistes within a huge interconnected ski area.

Beginners will find some nursery ski areas just outside Chamonix town centre, with bus stops at the foot of each making access easy. Savoy is ideal for total beginners with its travellator style ascent and the slightly larger Planards is a good step up for those getting used to chairlifts.

The real bounty for novice skiers though is in Le Tour, offering lovely cruisey runs to keep you entertained all day. To get here you’ll need to take the bus from town to the top of the valley.

Intermediates and advanced skiers will love Le Tour too, especially if you’re getting your ski legs, but you’ll also have the five main areas to explore, each accessed from town via the Chamonix valet bus service. Les Houches, La Flégère, Le Brevent, Les Grands Montets and of course Chamonix itself, home of the Aiguille du Midi (off-piste only via the famous Vallee Blanche).

Interconnecting resorts such as Brévent, Vallorcine and Courmayeur in Italy can also be accessed on the full area lift pass. Locally there are about 50 ways to get up the mountain to access the 150km of pistes via a combination of cable cars, gondolas, chairlifts and drag lifts.

Exploring the off-piste options is something Chamonix is known for – and rightly so. The opportunities for fresh, deep powder and steep descent are abound. However, Skiworld would always recommend booking a qualified mountain guide, a) to find the best skiing and b) for their on-mountain expertise and safety.

Lift Passes in Chamonix

Most British visitors to Chamonix will get the ‘MBU’ pass – the Mont Blanc Unlimited pass – which provides you access to all the ski areas in the valley as well as some added extras which are well worth exploring during your stay.

Courmayer in Italy and the entire 4 Valleys ski area including Verbier, in Switzerland, are included in the MBU pass. Get yourself to either via one of the many bus services from Chamonix, get your pass scanned at a lift pass office and you’re good to go.

For short breaks, or total beginners, you can save some money by purchasing ‘Le Pass’ instead, which only covers the local areas of Brevent-Flegere, Balme (Le Tour-Vallorcine) and Grand Montets, as well as the beginner areas - La Vormaine, La Poya, Les Chosalets, Le Savoy and Les Planards. You can upgrade this pass to an MBU by paying a supplement.

Activities in Chamonix

Chamonix has plenty to keep you entertained after a day’s skiing. The upmarket resort offers activities to suit all needs … from trying your luck on the slot machines to relaxing in the spa.

• Casino - Casino Le Royal welcomes guests to enjoy one of their 75 slot machines, try their hand at blackjack or roulette and enjoy a drink at the casino bar.
• Cinema – 3 cinema rooms showing the latest releases, check the showings to for English subtitles and sit back with a box of popcorn for a cosy evening.
• Helicopter rides – an exhilarating experience to view the infamous Chamonix mountains from the sky.
• Climbing wall – used by both amateurs and professionals and for competitions in winter. See how far you can climb and improve your technique or just have fun.
• Outdoor ice skating – enjoy free access to the rink with access to a rink side bar where you can sip on a mulled wine and winter snack.
• Sports centre – with access to the indoor pool, a bouldering wall, ice rink, steam and sauna rooms there’s lots of non-skiing activities to keep you busy.

Après Ski in Chamonix

Chamonix offers many bars with a buzzy après scene to end the day.

• Barberousse - Chamonix's favourite rum bar with a daily happy hour and lots of bar games to keep the fun going all night long.
• The Pub – home from home, this British local is the place to be if you fancy a pitcher of Pimms, a hearty pie and watch the football. There are often fancy dress evenings and dancing on the table is heavily encouraged!
• Bar'd Up – known as Chamonix’s Australian bar for their surfboard decorated walls, this bar is the go to place for a karaoke evening where you’ll receive a free shot just for joining in! 
• Jekyll & Hyde – head down to this Irish pub sits inside one of the oldest buildings for a vibrant and energetic atmosphere with live music and happy hours and comedy nights.
• Monkey Bar – the resorts seasonaires bar with the best happy hour around.

Places to eat in Chamonix

With over 170 restaurants across the town and mountain you’ll enjoy every type of cuisine, with great atmosphere and all budgets catered for.

• Albert Premier – with a Try the 9-course tasting menu this two Michelin star restaurant is one of the best ski resort restaurants in the world. Enjoy a rich variety of dishes including caviar, Quercy lamb and chartreuse soufflé.
• Munchies - One of the best loved places to eat in town, feast on delicious French, Scandinavian and Asian dishes. Popular choices include the duck teriyaki, blue crab soup and chocolate terrine.
• Micro Brasserie de Chamonix (MBC) – comfort eating done right – this Canadian-run microbrewery is best known for its indulgent burgers, like the Crazy Canuck burger which doubles everything, as well as steaks, ribs and poutine, all washed down with the perfect beer.
• Casa Valerio –having a late one? This could be the place to go in the early hours as they stay open till 2am serving pizzas and a pasta. A cheap and cheerful option if you’ve been to one the more opulent restaurant in the week!
• Le Caphorn – this classy, nautically-themed chalet restaurant with fantastic seafood and delicious desserts. With a menu blends French and Asian flavours, it’s not one to miss and there's a wine bar downstairs to finish the evening.

Family Features Chamonix

As well as the fun non-skiing options in the Activities tab, Chamonix also offers the following amenities for families:

• The Chamonix luge alpine coaster - a fun attraction for the whole family. A roller coaster in the heart of the mountains! Track on rails of 1300m long with jumps, turns, spins at 540°... Fun & thrills are guaranteed!
• Kid’s Clubs - The ESF runs kid’s clubs at Le Savoy and Les Planards beginners’ ski areas. Instructors not only teach the basics of skiing to children aged 3 and up, but ‘fun’ is the name of the game – and there’s lots of it.
• Chamonix Sports Centre – Richard Bozon Sports Centre features a 25 metre plus a kids play pool and includes river rapids and a water slide. Also, there’s indoor rock climbing and ice skating rinks, both inside and out.