Chamonix Mont Blanc
Chamonix sits at the foot of the majestic Mont Blanc in the French Alps and is widely regarded as the climbing, and more recently skiing, capital of the world. The town has long been known as a veritable playground for extreme sports in both summer and winter - it was home to the first Winter Olympics in 1924 - but it is also an area of outstanding natural beauty offering much to the adventurous skier and sightseer alike.
Chamonix Town
Unlike many modern ski resorts Chamonix is not a purpose built ski resort and has largely been saved from the concrete monstrosities which blight so much of the Alps. It is blessed with not only an internationally renowned ski area but also with an elegant, cosmopolitan and bustling town centre. With cobbled streets, fin de siecle villas, grand hotels and open squares Chamonix is much more than just another ski resort and has kept much of its original mountain charm and retains a very French , very friendly and very alpine atmosphere.
Activities in Chamonix
Chamonix is a large enough town to insure that there is plenty for the non-skier to do. Whatever the pace of your holiday there’s an activity to suit everyone from: an impressive sports and swimming complex, beauty salons, spas, ice rink, cross country skiing, paragliding, husky sledding, guided snowshoeing, cinema, museum, casino and weekly market with fresh local produce; and a plethora of shops, designer boutiques, bars, restaurants, terraced cafés and night-clubs, Chamonix offers a combination of skiing, old town charm, après ski and shopping, which few resorts can match. Our bar and restaurant sections provide an overview of what we consider to be some of the best Chamonix has to offer as well as some little gems known only to locals.
Chamonix's Mountains and Views
Chamonix has without doubt some of the most awe inspiring high mountain scenery to be found anywhere: the tumbling glaciers, soaring Aiguilles, one of Europe’s highest cable cars - the Aiguille du Midi at 3842m - the Mer De Glace and a beautiful alpine town and traditional mountain villages and hamlets dotted along the Chamonix valley. Whether you are looking for a skiing or snowboarding holiday or an alpine summer holiday Chamonix has the answers. For more detailed information on summer activities check out our summer page or sightseeing section and our skiing section provides everything you need to know about Chamonix’s ski areas and the famous, and not so famous, off piste routes.
Chamonix Facts
- 1. Chamonix's first venture into tourism was in 1741 when two heavily armed English men, William Windham and Richard Pococke, took three days rather than the present one hour to reach Chamonix from Geneva.
- 2. Mont Blanc, at 4810m is Europe's highest mountain, was first cimbed by two Chamonix locals Jaques Balmat and Dr Paccard in 1786.
- 3. The height difference between Chamonix town (1035m) and the top of Mont Blanc (4810m) is greater than that of Everest Base Camp and the top of Everest.
- 4. Chamonix is the largest town in the Alps with a permanent population of 10,000 people.
