Chamonix in 7 days

Mont Blanc's basecamp: Aiguille du Midi cable cars, glacier trails and year-round alpine adrenaline. Best time to visit: January-March for ski, July-September for hiking. Average daily budget: $150 to $280 USD.

Day 1, Land & wander

Base: Chamonix Centre, The pedestrian core with the Midi lift, brasseries, gear shops and the Arve riverside.

Morning: Aiguille du Midi. Ride to 3,842m for the glacier panorama and the Step into the Void glass box.

Afternoon: Explore Chamonix Centre, The pedestrian core with the Midi lift, brasseries, gear shops and the Arve riverside.

Evening: Montenvers and Mer de Glace. Take the red rack railway to France's largest glacier and the ice cave.

Eat: Fondue savoyarde and raclette after a day on the mountain

Day 2, Iconic sights

Base: Les Praz, A quieter hamlet under Flegere with golf, meadows and classic Dru views.

Morning: Lac Blanc hike. Climb from Flegere to a mirror lake reflecting the whole Mont Blanc massif.

Afternoon: Explore Les Praz, A quieter hamlet under Flegere with golf, meadows and classic Dru views.

Evening: Brevent viewpoint. Ride up for the head-on Mont Blanc view, paragliders launching beside you.

Eat: Tartiflette with reblochon, potatoes and lardons

Day 3, Food & markets

Base: Argentiere, Ski-serious village at the top of the valley, gateway to the Grands Montets.

Morning: The Grand Balcon Sud traverse, a mostly flat high path with constant Mont Blanc views.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore Argentiere, Ski-serious village at the top of the valley, gateway to the Grands Montets.

Evening: QC Terme Pre Saint Didier thermal baths, a 40-minute drive through the Mont Blanc tunnel.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Diots sausages with white wine at a mountain refuge

Day 4, Local neighbourhoods

Base: Les Houches, Family-friendly lower valley with gentler pistes and the Mont Blanc tramway.

Morning: The Alpine Museum in town, tracing two centuries of summit obsession.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore Les Houches, Family-friendly lower valley with gentler pistes and the Mont Blanc tramway.

Evening: Early-morning trail running or walking to Chalet de la Floria for coffee above the valley.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Genepi liqueur, distilled from alpine flowers

Day 5, Day trip

Base: Vallorcine, The last stop before Switzerland, quiet, snowy and linked by the valley train.

Morning: Slow start: coffee in Vallorcine, then an unhurried walk before the heat or the crowds.

Afternoon: Explore Vallorcine, The last stop before Switzerland, quiet, snowy and linked by the valley train.

Evening: Dinner at Fondue savoyarde and raclette after a day on the mountain, then a quiet drink wherever the locals are in Vallorcine.

Eat: Fondue savoyarde and raclette after a day on the mountain

Day 6, Hidden gems

Base: Chamonix Centre, The pedestrian core with the Midi lift, brasseries, gear shops and the Arve riverside.

Morning: Slow start: coffee in Chamonix Centre, then an unhurried walk before the heat or the crowds.

Afternoon: Explore Chamonix Centre, The pedestrian core with the Midi lift, brasseries, gear shops and the Arve riverside.

Evening: Dinner at Tartiflette with reblochon, potatoes and lardons, then a quiet drink wherever the locals are in Chamonix Centre.

Eat: Tartiflette with reblochon, potatoes and lardons

Day 7, Slow finish

Base: Les Praz, A quieter hamlet under Flegere with golf, meadows and classic Dru views.

Morning: Slow start: coffee in Les Praz, then an unhurried walk before the heat or the crowds.

Afternoon: Explore Les Praz, A quieter hamlet under Flegere with golf, meadows and classic Dru views.

Evening: Dinner at Diots sausages with white wine at a mountain refuge, then a quiet drink wherever the locals are in Les Praz.

Eat: Diots sausages with white wine at a mountain refuge

Hidden gems

The Grand Balcon Sud traverse, a mostly flat high path with constant Mont Blanc views.
QC Terme Pre Saint Didier thermal baths, a 40-minute drive through the Mont Blanc tunnel.
The Alpine Museum in town, tracing two centuries of summit obsession.
Early-morning trail running or walking to Chalet de la Floria for coffee above the valley.

Getting around

Geneva airport is about 75 minutes away by shared shuttle, private transfer or bus, which is how most visitors arrive. Inside the valley, the Mont Blanc Express train and free local buses connect Les Houches, Chamonix, Argentiere and Vallorcine, and the guest card covers them. The town centre is walkable, so a car is optional and parking is limited in winter. Lifts do most of the vertical work.

Safety

Chamonix is safe as a town, but its mountains are genuinely serious high-alpine terrain. Glacier routes, off-piste skiing and the Vallee Blanche require a qualified guide and crevasse rescue equipment. Altitude at the Aiguille du Midi is over 3,800m, so move slowly and expect breathlessness. Weather changes fast, avalanche risk is real in winter, and mountain rescue insurance is essential for skiers and hikers.

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