If you're accompanying skiers and worried about what you'd do on your Chamonix holidays, rest assured, there are lots to see and do at Chamonix Mont Blanc as well as interesting day excursions, only an hour's drive or so, from the ski resort.
We're pleased to share with you that the non-ski activities are well worth the effort.
• The Aiguille du Midi Cable Car
Your Chamonix holidays will not be complete without going up to the Aiguille du Midi. "Aiguille du Midi" means "Needle at Midday". The cable car ascends 3800 metres and at the top station, there are the most spectacular views of the French, Swiss and Italian Alps.
Your Chamonix holidays will not be complete without going up to the Aiguille du Midi. "Aiguille du Midi" means "Needle at Midday". The cable car ascends 3800 metres and at the top station, there are the most spectacular views of the French, Swiss and Italian Alps.
Two sets of cable cars take you up the mountain. At the second staging area, is an elevator that takes you further up to an elevated viewing platform. The views of Mont Blanc and the enormous range of the Alps is truly spectacular.
You can explore the tunnel which the skiers go through as their starting point to ski the Vallee Blanche Chamonix.
• Montenvers Train and the Ice Caves at the Mer de Glace
The historic rack and pinion train starts from the back of the Main Train Station up the mountain to Montenvers. To get down to the Ice Caves drilled into the Glacier, there's a small gondola which descends to the Glacier, and then there's about 350 steps down a staircase to the Mer de Glace.
The historic rack and pinion train starts from the back of the Main Train Station up the mountain to Montenvers. To get down to the Ice Caves drilled into the Glacier, there's a small gondola which descends to the Glacier, and then there's about 350 steps down a staircase to the Mer de Glace.
Skiers complete their run down the Valle Blanche right here. You'll see them dodging rocks and the moraine field as they finish their adventure down the glacier and climb up from the glacier floor up to the steel stair case.
It's a delightful ride up on this historic train and exploring the glacier is not to be missed. At Montenvers, you can truly appreciate the massive size of the Mer de Glace Glacier. It's a heaving moving mass of ice, rubble and rock and one can clearly see the glacier scraping the sides of the mountains as it slowly but surely flows. The moraine field at the base of the glacier is evident and further down the glacier, you'll see the ponds with the start of the river, the l'Arve which flows through Chamonix.
New ice caves are drilled into the glacier each year as the previous year's caves move downhill. The ice caves are like enormous rooms. This gives one the sense of the massive size of the glacier.
When you visit the Mer de Glace, you cannot help but appreciate the powerful forces of nature in action. We see here how valleys are carved out and how rivers are formed.
• The Crystal Museum and the Northern part of Cham
Crystal was mined in the mountains in this region, so this was important in the history of Chamonix. The crystals really are quite beautiful. The Museum is located at the base of the car park building north of the Tourist Office. It's very close to the centre of town.
Crystal was mined in the mountains in this region, so this was important in the history of Chamonix. The crystals really are quite beautiful. The Museum is located at the base of the car park building north of the Tourist Office. It's very close to the centre of town.
You could incorporate the visit to the museum with a walk exploring the Northern areas of town. The museum is on the way to the Brevent Lift and you'll walk past some very attractive villas in this part of town. As the houses on the slope here face south, they catch the sun for most of the day. It makes for a very pleasant amble.
• Ice Skating at the Ice Skating Rink
The ice skating rink is popular with children. Ice Hockey games are also held here. The rink is on the transport route of the Chamonix Ski Bus and eco-bus, the "Mulet".
The ice skating rink is popular with children. Ice Hockey games are also held here. The rink is on the transport route of the Chamonix Ski Bus and eco-bus, the "Mulet".
• Forest Walks at the Domanines du Nordique
Just catch the eco-bus, the Mulet, to the Nordic and walking tracks. It's the stop just after the swimming pool. The walks in this area are delightful and you'll find lots of locals walking with their families and dogs; you can walk all the way to the hamlet of Le Bois.
Just catch the eco-bus, the Mulet, to the Nordic and walking tracks. It's the stop just after the swimming pool. The walks in this area are delightful and you'll find lots of locals walking with their families and dogs; you can walk all the way to the hamlet of Le Bois.
The Tourist Office, has available maps of walking trails along the valley and these are graded by difficulty. These trails run alongside the Cross Country trails.
The terrain of the walk from Chamonix to Le Bois is easy and flat. You walk through open fields, and lightly forested areas. It takes about an hour's stroll one way to Le Bois.
It's possible to catch the train or the ski-bus back to town.
This activity is highly recommended. It's tranquil and completely beautiful.
• Saturday morning market at the Commercial Centre in town.
There's something quite charming about mozzying around the bric-a-brac stalls at a market when you're on holidays. The markets in Chamonix are located at the Commerciale Centre just down from Place d'Aspen. It's quite close to the centre of town.
There's something quite charming about mozzying around the bric-a-brac stalls at a market when you're on holidays. The markets in Chamonix are located at the Commerciale Centre just down from Place d'Aspen. It's quite close to the centre of town.
Nearby are the medieval covered wooden bridge and the restored stone mill by the Rive l'Arve that flows through the middle of Chamonix.
This Saturday morning market is on the route of the little eco-bus "the Mulet" that services the township. It's free with a Carte d'hote, or guest pass that the host at your accommodation will provide to you.
• Historical Walk in Town - alas, it's in French only.
You'll find information on the historical walk at the Tourist Office which is located behind the shops close to the centre of town. It's just behind the main pedestrian street, Rue du Docteur Paccard. Chamonix has enjoyed a remarkable history and the main figures are depicted in a trompeil painting on a building along Rue du Docteur Paccard, close to Place Balmat.
You'll find information on the historical walk at the Tourist Office which is located behind the shops close to the centre of town. It's just behind the main pedestrian street, Rue du Docteur Paccard. Chamonix has enjoyed a remarkable history and the main figures are depicted in a trompeil painting on a building along Rue du Docteur Paccard, close to Place Balmat.
These two men, Balmat and Paccard were the first to complete the ascent of Mont Blanc, unroped without ice-picks and laden with scientific equipment. Theirs is an amazing story of endurance and courage.
You'll hear about how the tourist industry in Chamonix started as a result of two Englishmen in the 18th Century who explored the glacier. They wrote about their travels and this started the wave of well to do adventurers visiting Chamonix. They named the glacier, Mer de Glace because the wave formations on the glacier reminded them of the sea.
You'll hear of the muleteers, who with their mules, guided tourists through the valley and the Alps.
• Other sights
Here are some other great things to do:
Here are some other great things to do:
- Mont Blanc Tramway
- lunch on the mountain at some excellent mountain restaurants Chamonix enjoys
- snow-shoeing through the forests in Les Houches
- visiting the St Bernard Rescue dogs
- Ski-Joering, which is skiing towed by horses.
Chamonix Holidays - Day Excursions
• Annecy France
Annecy, the little "Venice of France" is only an hour and a half by train from Cham. It's very well worth a visit on market day.
• Annecy France
Annecy, the little "Venice of France" is only an hour and a half by train from Cham. It's very well worth a visit on market day.
It's a well restored medieval city built on canal ways and on Lake Annecy.
• CERN Switzerland
CERN, close to Geneva is the location of the leading experimental physics research facility in Europe. This is the mecca for physicists from all over the world. They come here to perform experiments in The Large Hadron Collider, some of which include studying the Big Bang, the creation of the cosmos. Noble prize-winning physicists conducted their revolutionary research here at CERN.
CERN, close to Geneva is the location of the leading experimental physics research facility in Europe. This is the mecca for physicists from all over the world. They come here to perform experiments in The Large Hadron Collider, some of which include studying the Big Bang, the creation of the cosmos. Noble prize-winning physicists conducted their revolutionary research here at CERN.
The guided tours are free and conducted by PhD students or retired physicists. It was fascinating even for the non-scientific types in our family. The tours book out quickly, so you need to book several weeks in advance.
Europcar, the only car hire company in Chamonix has an office located opposite the train station. It was only an hour's drive to CERN. We thoroughly recommend this little excursion on your Chamonix holidays.
• Montreux Switzerland
Montreux on Lake Geneva (also known as Lac Leman) is the summer playground of the rich and famous. It is absolutely beautiful. The town with its setting on the water with the back drop of the mountain peaks is breathtaking. Freddy Mercury and the band, Queen, had a recording studio at Montreux. Chillon Castle, a stronghold of the Savoie is authentically restored and has a good selection of medieval furniture.
Montreux on Lake Geneva (also known as Lac Leman) is the summer playground of the rich and famous. It is absolutely beautiful. The town with its setting on the water with the back drop of the mountain peaks is breathtaking. Freddy Mercury and the band, Queen, had a recording studio at Montreux. Chillon Castle, a stronghold of the Savoie is authentically restored and has a good selection of medieval furniture.
For day excursions on your Chamonix holidays, I'd not recommend taking the train from Cham to Montreux as it takes too long. You have to change trains at Vallorcine to get onto the Swiss train system and then change again at Martigny to get on the line that goes to Montreux. Travel by car would be most convenient. The drive through the valleys and the Swiss countryside, through the Rhone Valley is delightful.
During your Chamonix holidays, you have the opportunity for the whole travel and ski Europe experience as Cham is so well located that you can not just ski but also visit beautiful and interesting towns in Italy, France and Switzerland.
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