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Major city · France

ChamonixChamonix-Mont-Blanc

Stay 3 nights: one full day for Aiguille du Midi or the Mer de Glace, one for a valley hike or cable car, one spare for weather. Skip if you only have a day.

Not yet checkedSourcesWhat these labels mean

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc is a working alpine town of about 8,900 people at 1,035 m, under western Europe's highest peak. It is the birthplace of mountaineering and still a mountaineering capital, but most visitors come for the cable cars, the glaciers and the valley walks. The town is a long, straggly strip: Les Houches, Chamonix, Les Praz, Argentière and Vallorcine. Buses and the valley train link it all, and your accommodation card usually makes both free. Two nights is a taste; three to four nights lets weather decide your days.

basic guide: no trip line yet
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
More ways in
Print / PDF guide
Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
EUR
Best months
Jun–Sep for hiking and lifts; Dec–Mar for skiing
avoid Late Oct–Nov and mid-Apr–mid-Jun (lifts and railways close for maintenance, many hotels shut)
Airports
GVA · TRN
Nights
3
Rules in force · 8Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
  • Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
  • Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
  • France and Monaco ↗France has run temporary identity checks at its internal Schengen land borders since 2015; carry a passport or EU/EEA national ID on trains and buses from Italy, Spain, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland and Luxembourg.
  • France and Monaco ↗Nights in France and Monaco draw on the same Schengen 90-in-180-day allowance as the rest of the area; Monaco does not reset or pause it.
  • France ↗France is in the Schengen area. Check the entry rules for your passport on official sources; the EU's Entry/Exit System registers non-EU visitors' fingerprints and photo at the first Schengen border, and further pre-travel authorisation rules are being introduced.
  • France ↗TGV (including the low-cost Ouigo) and Intercités night trains need a seat reservation: a rail pass alone does not let you board.
  • France ↗Paris, Lyon and other large cities run low-emission zones that require a Crit'Air sticker on cars; check before you drive a hire car or your own car into a city.
  • France ↗Carry your passport or national ID card: police can ask for identification, and hotels register foreign guests.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Chamonix112 ▾
  • European emergency number112
  • Ambulance (SAMU)15
  • Police17
  • Fire18
  • By text, for deaf callers114

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Chamonix, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee€2–4 (≈ US$3–5)
  • Street or quick mealCroque monsieur or a sandwich€6–10 (≈ US$7–12)
  • Beerbar / supermarket€6–9 (≈ US$7–11)€1.50–3 (≈ US$2–4)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week€15–30 (≈ US$18–35)
  • Budget bedHostel dorm bed, a night, per person€35 (≈ US$45)
  • Mid-range bedHotel double room, a night, per room€160 (≈ US$190)
  • High-end bedHotel double room, a night, per room€350 (≈ US$450)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget €70 (≈ US$85) · Mid €130 (≈ US$160) · High €250 (≈ US$300)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Mont Blanc and the Aiguille du Midi cable carMer de Glace and the Montenvers rack railwayBirthplace of mountaineering1924 Winter Olympics hostSkiing above 2,000 m
Airports
GVA Geneva (The usual gateway, about 90 km (56 mi); frequent buses from the airport to Chamonix, roughly 1 h 30 min) · TRN Turin (Second option via the Mont Blanc Tunnel; longer and less frequent transfers)

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    Best

    3°C (37°F)

  2. Feb

    Best

    5°C (41°F)

  3. Mar

    Best

    9°C (48°F)

  4. Apr

    Avoid

    13°C (55°F)

  5. May

    not flagged

    18°C (64°F)

  6. Jun

    Care

    21°C (70°F)

  7. Jul

    Best

    24°C (75°F)

  8. Aug

    Best

    23°C (73°F)

  9. Sep

    Best

    19°C (66°F)

  10. Oct

    Avoid*

    15°C (59°F)

  11. Nov

    Avoid

    7°C (45°F)

  12. Dec

    Best

    3°C (37°F)

Best: Jul–Sep, Dec–Mar. Mixed: Jun. Avoid: Apr, Oct–Nov. Month by month →

Warmest Jul (24°C (75°F)), coolest Jan (−7°C (19°F) low), wettest May (12 rain days), driest Feb (9). Averages, not a forecast.

* only part of the month (early, mid or late).

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Chamonix: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

3°C (37°F)

−7°C (19°F)

10 rd

Feb

5°C (41°F)

−6°C (21°F)

9 rd

Mar

9°C (48°F)

−3°C (27°F)

10 rd

Apr

13°C (55°F)

0°C (32°F)

10 rd

May

18°C (64°F)

5°C (41°F)

12 rd

Jun

21°C (70°F)

8°C (46°F)

12 rd

Jul

24°C (75°F)

9°C (48°F)

11 rd

Aug

23°C (73°F)

9°C (48°F)

11 rd

Sep

19°C (66°F)

6°C (43°F)

10 rd

Oct

15°C (59°F)

3°C (37°F)

11 rd

Nov

7°C (45°F)

−2°C (28°F)

11 rd

Dec

3°C (37°F)

−6°C (21°F)

11 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The valley train runs hourly year-round between St-Gervais, Les Houches, Chamonix, Argentière and Vallorcine. Buses run every 30 min from about 06:00 to 20:30, with a late Chamo'Nuit service to midnight, plus the town shuttle Le Mulet. A Carte d'Hôte from your accommodation gives free valley train and bus travel; otherwise a day bus ticket is about €3 and the card costs about €10 from the town hall or tourist office.

Nearest full guides

Straight-line distance, not travel time

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Mer de Glace and Montenvers

go

Door to door: About 1 h to the top

Rack railway from Chamonix station, 20 min, every 20–30 min

Adult return about €35.50 in 2026. The ice cave is reached by 550 steps or a short cable car; the glacier is retreating fast.

Aiguille du Midi

go

Door to door: About 45 min

Two-stage cable car from the centre of Chamonix, 20 min

Adult day return about €63 in 2026. Go at the first slot; book ahead in July and August.

Courmayeur, Italy

caution

Door to door: 1–3 h depending on route

Cable cars over the Vallée Blanche, or the SAVDA bus through the Mont Blanc Tunnel

The cable-car chain is weather-dependent and closes in November; the bus takes about 45 min.

Annecy

overnight

Door to door: 2–2.5 h

Train via St-Gervais or La Roche-sur-Foron, or bus

Too far for a relaxed return day; sleep a night by the lake.

Geneva

go

Door to door: 1.5–2 h

Flixbus from the station, about 1 h 30 min, or a shared shuttle

Useful for airport days; see the Geneva to Chamonix route page.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Chamonix centre

Walk to the Aiguille du Midi and Montenvers stations, shops and restaurants; noisiest and priciest.

Chamonix Sud

5–10 min walk south of the centre, near the bus station; good for early departures and cheaper beds.

Les Praz and Les Tines

Quieter, 2 stops or 10 min by bus/train from the centre; base for La Flégère.

Argentière

Up-valley, 15 min by train; closest to Grands Montets and Le Tour, cheaper, fewer restaurants.

Les Houches

Down-valley, 10 min by train; family skiing and Bellevue cable cars, quiet in summer.

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
€70–110 (≈ US$85–130) excl. bed
Mid
€110–180 (≈ US$130–250) excl. bed
High
€180 (≈ US$250)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Hotel double room1 × 3 nights × €160€480
Food, local transport, entries2 × 3 days × €130€780
Mont-Blanc multipass, 1 day2 × €65€130
Mont-Blanc multipass, 2 days2 × €78€156
Aiguille du Midi day return2 × €63€126
Valley bus day ticket2 × €3€6
eSIM, about a week of data2 × €20€40
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge€172
Trip total≈ €315 per person per day, bed included€1,890≈ US$2,500

2026 estimate in euros; flights and ski passes excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee€2–4 (≈ US$3–5)
Croque monsieur or a sandwich€6–10 (≈ US$7–12)
Fondue or raclette for one, in a restaurant€20–30 (≈ US$25–35)
Beer: bar / supermarket€6–9 (≈ US$7–11) / €1.50–3 (≈ US$2–4)
Valley bus day ticket€3 (≈ US$4)
Carte d'Hôte (free valley transport card)about €10 (≈ US$12)
eSIM or data SIM, about a week€15–30 (≈ US$18–35)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Chamonix is a safe town; the real risks are altitude, cold and mountain weather. Cable cars reach 3,800 m in 20 minutes, so watch for headaches and breathlessness, and turn around if they get worse. Tell someone your hiking plan and carry a charged phone.
  • Cable cars and the Montenvers railway close for annual maintenance: the Montenvers line for about 2.5 weeks in October, the Monte Bianco Skyway in November. Check dates before booking a short trip.
  • At 3,800 m it is freezing and windy even in August, and cloud can arrive in minutes. Take a jacket, gloves and sunglasses, and check the webcam before buying a ticket.
  • The Aiguille du Midi is not a Mont Blanc summit trip. Reaching the summit is a full-day mountaineering route with a guide.
  • The Vallée Blanche crossing to Italy is a chain of five cable cars: if one link is closed, the route fails. Check each leg the day before.
  • Off-piste skiing here is glacier terrain. Go with a guide and a transceiver, or stay on marked pistes.
  • Summer afternoon thunderstorms are common above the treeline: start hikes early and be down by mid-afternoon.

Emergency numbers

European emergency number
112
Ambulance (SAMU)
15
Police
17
Fire
18
By text, for deaf callers
114

Pocket card

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ChamonixChamonix-Mont-Blanc

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

À cette adresse, s'il vous plaîtTo this address, please

Emergency

  • European emergency number112
  • Ambulance (SAMU)15
  • Police17
  • Fire18
  • By text, for deaf callers114

Embassy

No embassies in Chamonix; the US, UK, Canadian, Australian and Irish embassies are in Paris, with consulates in Lyon and Geneva. Check your embassy's site for the current address.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Geneva Airport → Chamonix, bus: about 1 h 30 min; shared shuttles and Flixbus both run it (check the fare)
  • Chamonix → Montenvers, rack railway: adult return about €35.50 (≈ US$45), 20 min
  • Chamonix → Aiguille du Midi: adult day return about €63 (≈ US$75), 20 min
  • Valley bus, single: about €3 (≈ US$4), or free with a Carte d'Hôte

Say or show

  • Bonjour — Hello (bon-zhoor)
  • Merci — Thank you (mair-see)
  • C'est combien ? — How much is it? (say kom-byen)
  • Je peux payer par carte ? — Can I pay by card? (zhuh puh pay-yay par kart)
  • Où est le téléphérique ? — Where is the cable car? (oo ay luh tay-lay-fay-reek)
  • J'ai besoin d'aide — I need help (zhay buh-zwan ded)

Mountain rescue in the Chamonix valley is run by the PGHM; call 112 and ask for secours en montagne. Give your location, route and the number of people.

Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Chamonix. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Jun–Sep for hiking and lifts; Dec–Mar for skiing · avoid Late Oct–Nov and mid-Apr–mid-Jun (lifts and railways close for maintenance, many hotels shut) · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 5 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 6 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contracts for GVA: last bus and shuttle departures field-checked, train-via-Geneva fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: Chamonix centre, Chamonix Sud, Les Praz, Argentière.
  3. Lift and railway pages with verified 2026 opening dates, maintenance windows and last ascent times.
  4. Weather-contingency fixtures so a rained-out Aiguille du Midi day swaps to the Mer de Glace or Les Houches.

Meanwhile

Back to France

Sources