Chamonix is not a ski resort in the usual sense. It’s a real mountain town at about 1,035 m, at the foot of Mont Blanc, with several separate ski areas strung along the valley from Les Houches to Vallorcine. It’s the place serious skiers come for steep terrain, big off-piste and the Vallée Blanche.
If you want to ski from your door, cruise linked pistes all day and never look at a bus timetable, look elsewhere. If you want some of the most dramatic skiing in the Alps, a lively town and easy access from Geneva, Chamonix is hard to beat.
Chamonix ski areas: separate mountains, not one linked network
This is the most important thing to understand before you book. The Chamonix valley has several ski areas, and they are mostly not linked by lift. You get between them by bus, the Mont Blanc Express train or car.
- Brévent-Flégère: the south-facing area right above town. The Brévent sector starts in the centre of Chamonix and the Flégère sector from Les Praz, about 3 km away. It suits all levels, with gullies for good skiers and big views of Mont Blanc.
- Grands Montets: above Argentière, about 8 km up the valley. The steep, north-facing area that made Chamonix’s name with expert skiers, known for good snow late in the season.
- Balme: reached from Le Tour or Vallorcine, 11 or 15 km from the centre. Gentler, more open slopes, with a children’s area at La Vormaine.
- Les Houches: at the bottom of the valley, with lots of skiing through the trees. The place to go in bad weather.
- Aiguille du Midi: not a ski area, but the cable car to 3,842 m is the start of the Vallée Blanche.
Skiing in Chamonix for beginners
Chamonix isn’t the obvious first choice for beginners, but it does have good learning areas. Le Savoy, at the foot of the Brévent, has two drag lifts and a magic carpet. Les Planards, two minutes from the centre, has four short runs and snowmaking. There are more at La Vormaine (Balme), Les Chosalets (Argentière), La Poya (Vallorcine) and Le Tourchet (Les Houches). The catch is that the step up from these to the main areas is a big one.
Skiing in Chamonix for intermediates
Head for Balme, above Le Tour and Vallorcine, and the gentler pistes between Planpraz and La Flégère. Les Houches is good on snowy days. Confident intermediates will enjoy the views more than the mileage: because the areas aren’t linked, you won’t rack up the kilometres you would in a big linked resort.
Skiing in Chamonix for experts
This is why people come. The Grands Montets has long, steep, sustained slopes and serious off-piste, though its top section is still closed this season (see below). The Brévent has steep gullies, and the high mountain routes from the Aiguille du Midi are world-famous. Much of the best terrain is glaciated and unpatrolled, so hire a guide.
The Vallée Blanche and the Grands Montets: Chamonix’s legendary skiing
The Vallée Blanche
The Vallée Blanche starts at the top of the Aiguille du Midi cable car, at 3,842 m, and runs for more than 20 km, with about 2,000 m of vertical drop, across the glaciers back towards Chamonix. It isn’t a piste. It’s an unmarked high-mountain route, and the first part is a walk down an exposed ridge, roped together.
The Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix says you need to be able to ski an ungroomed red run with ease and sets a minimum age of 15 for its group descents, which it runs from late January to early May, conditions permitting. Go with a qualified guide: crevasses, avalanches and weather are real dangers. The Aiguille du Midi is closed for works from 1 November and is scheduled to reopen on 19 December 2026.
The Grands Montets in 2026/27
In September 2018, a fire destroyed the middle station of the Grands Montets cable cars, and the top of the mountain has had no lift since. The summit has only been reachable on touring skis.
For 2026/27, the first phase of the rebuild is planned to open: a new 10-person gondola from Argentière to Lognan, due in December 2026, with a new arrival hall and restaurant at Lognan. The operator’s schedule shows the Grands Montets running from 5 December 2026 to 2 May 2027. The second phase, a 3S cable car from Lognan to the summit at more than 3,000 m, is planned for winter 2027/28. So for this season, the famous top runs from the summit are still off the lift network.
Snow in Chamonix and the 2026/27 season
The provisional 2026/27 dates, which all depend on snow, are:
- Grands Montets: 5 December 2026 to 2 May 2027, with possible partial openings from late November.
- Brévent and Flégère: 12 December 2026 to 11 April 2027, with Planpraz staying open until 18 April.
- Balme (Le Tour and Vallorcine): 12 December 2026 to 11 April 2027.
- Les Houches: 19 December 2026 to 4 April 2027, with possible partial openings from 12 December.
- Aiguille du Midi: from 19 December 2026.
The town itself is low, at about 1,035 m, so snow in the streets is never guaranteed and the bottom runs can be thin. The high, north-facing Grands Montets holds the best snow late in the season. The south-facing Brévent-Flégère gets the sun, which is lovely in midwinter and softens quickly in spring.
Is Chamonix good for a last-minute ski trip?
For strong skiers, yes. Geneva airport is 88 km away, with direct buses and a train link via Saint-Gervais, so you can decide on a forecast and be on the snow the next day. When a big storm comes in, Chamonix is the place to be for powder, and on stormy days you can retreat to the trees at Les Houches.
It’s a weaker last-minute pick for beginners and families, and in a thin early season, because the low valley floor and separate areas mean you can spend a lot of time on buses for not much skiing. Check which areas are open before you book. Then find a place to stay in Chamonix.
Chamonix lift passes
There are two main passes for the valley:
- Chamonix Le Pass covers Brévent-Flégère, the Grands Montets and Balme, plus the beginner areas such as Le Savoy, Les Planards, La Vormaine and Les Chosalets. It doesn’t include Les Houches, the Aiguille du Midi or Montenvers.
- Mont Blanc Unlimited adds Les Houches-Saint-Gervais, the Aiguille du Midi, Montenvers-Mer de Glace and the Tramway du Mont-Blanc. Passes of two days or more also give access to Courmayeur in Italy and the Evasion Mont-Blanc area, conditions permitting.
- Children under 5 ride free with proof of age, but you still pay for the reusable hands-free card.
- Chamonix is a partner of the Ikon Pass and the Mountain Collective.
Prices are dynamic, so it usually pays to buy online and early.
Après-ski and things to do in Chamonix
Chamonix is a real town, open all year, so evenings are livelier and more varied than in most purpose-built resorts, with plenty of bars and restaurants in the centre. Off the slopes, you can take the Montenvers train to the Mer de Glace, ride the Aiguille du Midi for the view, or use the Richard Bozon sports centre’s pool and ice rink, where the guest card gives you a discount. There’s also an alpine coaster at Les Planards.
Who Chamonix suits, and who it doesn’t
- Great for: expert skiers, freeriders and ski tourers, anyone who wants to do the Vallée Blanche, people who like a real town with life after dark, and travellers who want quick access from Geneva.
- Think twice if: you’re a beginner, you want ski-in/ski-out convenience, or you want one big linked area. The areas are separate, and much of the best terrain needs a guide.
Skiing with children? Read our guide to Chamonix with kids.
How to get to Chamonix
Driving to Chamonix
From France, the A40 Autoroute Blanche runs almost to the valley. From Italy, the town is about 15 km from the Mont Blanc Tunnel. From Switzerland, the road goes via Martigny and the Col de la Forclaz and Col des Montets. From 1 November to 31 March, you must carry snow chains for at least two drive wheels or have four winter tyres.
By train and bus
Take the train to Saint-Gervais-Le Fayet, then the Mont Blanc Express, which runs up the valley through Servoz, Les Houches, Chamonix, Argentière and Vallorcine to Martigny in Switzerland. The Léman Express links Geneva to Saint-Gervais. If you stay in tourist accommodation, the guest card (carte d’hôte) gives you free travel on the Mont Blanc Express between Servoz and Vallorcine, plus discounts on multi-day bus passes. FlixBus and other coaches run daily from Geneva.
Nearest airports
Geneva is 88 km away, with direct buses and the Léman Express to Saint-Gervais. Lyon is about 220 km away.
