Chamonix

Chamonix, properly Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, lies at the foot of Mont Blanc in the Haute-Savoie, in a deep valley walled by some of the highest and most spectacular mountains in the Alps. It is the historic capital of European mountaineering and hosted the very first Winter Olympics in 1924, and everything about the town reflects its relationship with high, serious terrain rather than gentle resort skiing.

The mountains here are the attraction in every season. The Aiguille du Midi cable car climbs to a rock needle at 3,842 metres for a close view of the Mont Blanc summit and access to the famous off-piste descent of the Vallee Blanche; the rack railway and the surviving stretches of the Mer de Glace, the largest glacier in France, sit on the other side of the valley. The ski areas, among them Les Grands Montets and Le Brevent, are spread along the valley and lean towards confident skiers, while the town itself keeps a lively year-round life around its old streets and squares.

Winter runs from December to April, with the holiday weeks busiest. Summer is arguably Chamonix at its finest, when the valley becomes a world capital of alpinism, hiking and trail running, with the celebrated Tour du Mont Blanc passing through and the high lifts open for walkers and climbers under long daylight. Paragliding, climbing and glacier tours fill the warmer months.

Chamonix suits those drawn to big mountains rather than manicured pistes. For families and groups who want space and easy reach of the lifts, chalet rentals in Chamonix spread through the valley villages beneath Mont Blanc.