About Chamonix, France
Chamonix is a stunning alpine tourist destination in France often known for its breathtaking scenic mountain views, year round outdoor activities and heaven for skiing and mountaineering lovers. Most underrated travel destination, located at the foot of Mont Blanc, France. Chamonix is considered as the highest peak in the entire Europe, where visitors are fortunate to explore breathtaking views and surrounding charming villages.
Despite its natural beauty, Chamonix is a place where visitors can encounter charming towns filled with multiple shops, cafes, restaurants along with cultural uniqueness. Since Chamonix is also a destination where travellers are eligible to enjoy regions adventure sports, scenic beauty and surrounding picturesque villages making it a more relaxing and adrenaline pumping destination in the world.
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What are the Things which visitors can do in Chamonix, France?
There are some activities and things which make us involved in the beauty of Chamonix in a passionate way. Let’s us discuss one by one;
1. Visit Mont Blanc
Let’s start your journey here in Chamonix in order to visit the most popular Mont Blanc. It is a place where travellers are capturing spectacular views of the Mont Blanc views as well as its surrounding natural settings. Viewing platform offers incredible panorama and even the opportunity to indulge into the ‘Step into the Void’ glass box. Regions popular Aiguille du Midi cable car service helps us to take in surrounding beauties and try to exhibit the region’s best natural beauties.
2. Enjoy Hiking
Chamonix is a place filled by the mountainous and scenic alpine range making it one of the perfect destinations for hiking. There are a number of hiking trails around Chamonix open during summer season such as Tour du Mont Blanc, offers regions best snow covered mountains and lush greenery settings. Ideal place for moderate and challenging hikers, usually trails catering all sorts of hikers under different skill levels.
3. Experience Skiing and other Winter Activities
During winter it is very important to be part of any snow activities here in Chamonix. Either visitors experience skiing or activities such as snowboarding or paddleboarding makes it worth experiencing activities. Due to landmarks extensive ski terrain and mountain steeps insist us to take unique snow activities under different skill levels. The Grands Montets and Brevent Flegere ski areas are well known for skiing and other snow activities.
4. Try to Enjoy Paragliding
Chamonix is also a great place to enjoy Paragliding. Through Paragliding visitors are fortunate to see Chamonix more breathtaking and help us to capture over the stunning landscapes. Unlike other adventurous activities, Paragliding helps us to explore the region’s most beautiful scenic views and snow-capped mountain ranges in aerial view. Tandern flights with professional guides will help us to provide an exhilarating way to see the Chamonix and its nearby regions.
5. Just Take a Walk in Chamonix Town
Walking in the Town of the Chamonix is another mind blowing activity which is done by the majority of travellers who visiting here. Town blessed by the picture square streets, shops, cafes and restaurants, making it one of the prime places to taste the region’s best cuisines, purchase souvenirs and take leisurely stroll amidst the colourful streets. Never miss to enjoy the lively atmospheres of the town especially after the day of outdoor activities.
6. Discover Alpine Museum
The Alpine Museum is a great place to learn about the region’s past history, culture and uniqueness of the valley. Museums help us to experience the history of mountaineering, winter sports in the area, the culture of the Mont Blanc region and surrounding beautiful natures. Opened in 1926, the museum contains 2 floors, where the 1st floor includes the history of the valley and the 2nd floor exhibits Alpine paintings which vary from amateur to mountain atmospheres.
7. Choose a Spa for Relaxation
There are multiple options available when it comes to relaxation and wellness in Chamonix. Perhaps, visitors tend to remember one of the core reasons they should visit to enjoy Spa and Wellness retreats. There are lot of famous French Ski Resort, where nature, traditions and history blend with sports and leisure’s and rejuvenations. Mountain massage, Faucigny Hotel Spa, Mont Blanc Spa, Massage Me and Deep Nature spa are popular spa centres. Visit Spa of Wonders where each guest can often expecting offers such as massages, thermal baths and relaxation along with other treatments.
8. Enjoy Snow Activities
Other than Skiing and Snowboarding there are a lot of snow activities help to visitors to indulge in the beauty of Chamonix. Such as Speed riding, Ice climbing, Snowshoeing, Ski Touring, Paintball, Ice Skating, and Dog Sledding are popular. However the region is also popular for its high altitude spots like Tramway du Mont Blanc, Brevent Cable car service and Parion Lift.
9. Discover Canyoning
Traveling down rivers and streams within a canyon in Chamonix is really a next level travel adventure activity. Canyon is located in usually steep valleys and rushing mountain areas, where backpackers walk, scramble, climb, abseiling and swim. The Canyon creates a more narrow passage by erosion into bedrock, which creates beautiful walls and waterfalls. Canyon helps us jump from above 4 to 8 meters with toboggans and abseils.
10. Take the Montenvers Train to Mer De Glace
Mer de Glace is a major point in Chamonix especially for day trips. Journey in Montenvers train is really a mesmerising thing to visitors where it passes Europe’s largest glacier. It is a historic cogwheel train passing through pine forests to Montenvers, located above 1,913 meters from sea level. While traveling visitors are fortunate to explore breathtaking beauties of Grotte de Glace ice cave, Mont Blanc glaciers, The Mer de Glace and Refuge du Montenvers. This train journey try to exhibit regions history, culture, geology and incredible alpine sceneries.
5 Best Ski Resorts in Chamonix
As we discussed before Chamonix is a place where visitors are more fortunate to indulge themselves in different skiing options and other major snow related activities. Therefore understanding the variety of resort options suitable for the visitor’s preferences and skill level is very important. Let us discuss one by one what the best Ski Resort Available are;
1. Brevent Flegere
Brevent Flegere ski area often known for its panoramic views of the Mont Blanc. Where backpackers can easily enjoy and explore the beauty of Mont Blanc and ‘Step into the Void’ glass box. Guest may enjoy a mix of slopes and ski terrain makes us pass through more challenging routes. Its sun soaked slopes, scenic panoramas and access through a wide range of off-piste options allows us to stay longer periods of time with its intrinsic beauty.
2. Les Granges
Les Granges is a family friendly ski resort located in the Chavants area of Les Houches. Perched on the edge where visitors easily see breathtaking views of the Chamonix valley, Mont Blance, Aiguille du Midi and its surroundings. Such a small resort featuring gentle slopes and friendly atmospheres where visitors take first time skis, running and join ski schools. Moreover the place is filled by the reception, restaurant and meeting spaces help us to come with partners or family members.
3. Les Houches
The Ski Resort of Les Houches nested in the Haute Savoie area of the French Alps. Located just 6 km away from Chamonix, Les Houches includes more family friendly atmospheres and diverse ranges of slopes. This Ski Resort is purely made up of traditional mountain hamlets in a beautiful ski area, blessed us to see Mont Blanc, Les Houches ski area and ancient mountain forest. Allow for all level travelers offers Terrain Park and incredible wooden runs.
4. Mont Blanc Ski Resort
More popular ski resort in Mont Blanc is perfectly known for beginners and intermediate snow activity lovers. Blend by the multiple areas, extensive ski domain like Brevent Flegere and other major resort areas. Largest ski resort offers upto 56 kilometer of slopes extended upto an altitude of 3,842 meters. Majority of ski areas are nestled in the above 2000 meters making it an ideal place to watch snow views. Since it is located under a massive interconnected area we can spot diverse terrain, watch stunning views and enjoy numerous ski options.
5. Argentiere
Argentiere is a ski resort in Chamonix located in Chamonix Mont Blanc often known for its mind blowing off piste skiing, attractive skiers and snowboarders. Total there are 29 km of ski slopes available that stretch across three mountains such as Argentiere, Lognan and La Pendant. Skiing and Snowboarding are done by the both prepared slopes as well as freeriding terrains. Never miss to visit Argentiere, includes both moderate and challenging runs including Vallee Blanche under more calm and relaxed atmospheres.
Chamonix Weather
Since Chamonix is located in the high altitude, which is about 1,035 meters above sea level obviously landmarks set in the cooler temperature and more versatile weather conditions due to rapid changes? Visitors surely will experience different weather conditions under Chamonix Valley due to altitude different and its unique geographical conditions. Let us discuss more about weather conditions in Chamonix under different seasons.
1. Winter Season
- Usually winter starts from December to February, therefore region surrounded by the 2 to 5 ranges of temperatures.
- During the winter season, the region and its surrounding mountain ranges are fully covered by snow and cold. Due to its heavy snowfall and ice coverage, the place is an ideal time for winter sports like skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing.
2. Spring Season
- Spring in Chamonix starts from March to May, immediately after the winter season close.
- Spring includes temperatures between 5 degrees, makes it more chilly during night and warm during day time.
- Weather in the spring season is more unpredictable and visitors may see both snow and rain, especially at the top of the valley.
3. Summer Season
- Visitors also discover and explore the breath-taking views of the Chamonix even during summer season despite being an alpine mountain.
- Ideal time to experience hiking, visit to Chamonix Town and other outdoor activities.
- Summer starts from June to August with the average temperature of 18 to 25
4. Autumn Season
- Despite unpredictable and most versatile weather conditions, autumn in Chamonix includes a more colourful and perfect time to enjoy its breath-taking views of the mountains, nature and surrounding landscapes from its fall color.
- Starting from September to November, temperatures ranging from 10 to 18 help us to explore every corner of the landmark.
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