Chamonix
Why Chamonix Ski Resort?
- Excellent for challenging skiing
- High-altitude skiing with a very good snow record
- Lively après ski
- Traditional village ambience in the town
Chamonix Mont Blanc Resort Information
The Chamonix Valley stretches from Servoz to Barberine on the Swiss border. The main towns within the Chamonix Valley include Les Houches, Les Bossons, Chamonix, Les Praz, Montroc / Le Tour and Vallorcine.
Chamonix became the world capital of mountaineering and developed into a world-renowned ski resort after. It is actually formed of 5 ski resorts and one large famous off-piste area (Vallee Blanche) with lift access via the Aiguille du Midi.
The main ski lift areas (working up the Valley) are:
- In Les Houches - Les Houches,
- In Chamonix - Le Brevent and the Aiguille du Midi (off-piste only, the Vallee Blanche)
- In Les Praz - La Flégère
- In Le Tour/Vallorcine - Le Tour/Balme
Flégère is interconnected with Brévent. There are other smaller beginner lift areas including Les Planards in Chamonix.
Chamonix and its valley are dominated by the Mont Blanc chain to the south and the Aiguilles Rouges (red peaks) to the north. Even if you’ve never been to Chamonix you’re bound to have heard of it - and seen photographs of the magnificent mountain it’s irrevocably linked with: the mighty massif of Mont Blanc – the highest peak in the Alps!
Chamonix is in the north-westerly part of the Alps, just 15km from the Swiss border via the Col des Montets and 15km from Italy via the Mont-Blanc tunnel. The town centre is situated at an altitude of 1035m. The picturesque year-round town of Chamonix enjoys a wide range of attractions, shops, bars and restaurants as well as a large sports complex offering a variety of sporting activities, a swimming pool, and an ice rink.
For strong skiers Chamonix Mont Blanc is the undisputed off-piste capital of Europe with some quite extraordinary experiences awaiting you on the Mont Blanc Massif.
Mer de la Glace improvements - in order to preserve and enhance the memory of this emblematic site, an investment programme of over €53m is underway. As part of the reconfiguration of the site, a new gondola lift will be opening in December 2023 in order to transport visitors to the ice cave, or skiers arriving from the Vallée Blanche. The gondola will depart from the end platform of the Montenvers site and will arrive 600m up glacier. The existing 500 steps to access the glacier will no longer exist.
History
In the 18th century, Chamonix still lived off agriculture. In 1741, two Englishmen, William Windham and Richard Pococke, set off to explore the valley. They discovered the Glacier des Bois. They were fascinated by the expanse of ice and gave it its present name, the Mer de Glace (or Sea of Ice).
They were enthralled by their expedition and when they returned to London they decided to write about their experiences which set off adventurers from all over the world to explore and hence the Chamonix-Mont-Blanc tourist industry was born.
In 1760, Horace Bénédict de Saussure (a scientist from Geneva) offered a reward to the first person to reach Mont Blanc. On 8 August 1786, Jacques Balmat and Michel Paccard, both from Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, made the first-ever ascent of the mountain. A year later, de Saussure himself reached the top of Mont Blanc with help from Jacques Balmat. The expeditions could naturally only take place in summer and local farmers became guides and hoteliers which was important for the locals in kicking off early tourism and providing much-needed income.
