The Chamonix valley is famous among people who want to go skiing because it is right below Mont Blanc. Extreme weather and steep slopes make this the type of destination that many winter sports enthusiasts dream of tackling. The town of Chamonix has a lot of Victorian-style chalets and is close to both Switzerland and Italy, which makes it easy to mix things up for the perfect winter vacation.

Les Grand Montets, Brevent, La Flegere, Le Tour, and Les Houches are some of the resorts in the Chamonix valley. Depending on how much snow there is and how well you can see, each of these gives you a different kind of experience.

If you want to spend as much time as possible in the sun, go to La Flégère, which faces south. Brévant is connected to La Flégère, but you can get to Brévant by cable car from a couple of kilometers up the valley. In these two areas, there are a lot of different trails with great views of Mont Blanc.

Skiers and snowboarders who like steeper slopes and good snow conditions should go to the north-facing Les Grand Montets. Just above the village of Argentière, this has the most difficult terrain in the valley (both on and off-piste).

Le Tour is further up the valley from Argentière. Le Tour has a great variety of easy trails, but there are also some fast, wide blue and red runs.

Les Houches is on the south-west side of the valley. If your group has people of different skill levels, this is a great place to go. The easier runs are at higher elevations, while the steeper and faster runs back to the resort are best for skiers and snowboarders with more experience. Les Houches is also a good choice if the weather isn’t great because it has many trails lined with trees.

When you get to Chamonix and take a look around, you can see how big the Mont Blanc massif is. The best thing about skiing and snowboarding here is that you can do so many different things.

The Chamonix Resort starts at 1035 meters and goes up to 3842 meters, which is where the highest lift goes. You can imagine how long the runs are and how different they are when the altitude goes from high to low.

Even though a lot of Chamonix is for advanced skiers, don’t let that stop you if you’re just starting out. Still, there are a lot of easy runs. Just make sure you know what a green circle and a black diamond look like before you go up.

Chamonix has many great places to stay that will fit your needs. A ski vacation is made or broken by the convenience of your lodgings in relation to the ski area’s attractions. If you stay in the middle of Chamonix, you are close to everything the city has to offer. Here are some great places to stay that are both easy to get to and very nice.

• Le Cristal de Jade

Le Cristal de Jade is a great choice for five-star lodging close to the lifts. These are high-end apartments with one to three bedrooms that are right next to the Aguille du Midi cable car. This is right in the middle of Chamonix, so if you stay here, you’ll always be first in line for the lifts in the morning. At the end of the day, you can unwind in the wellness spa or swim in the private infinity pool.

• Hotel Heliopic and Spa

At the base of the Aiguille du Midi cable car is the wonderful Heliopic Hotel & Spa, which is another great place to stay. This beautiful four-star hotel has cozy rooms, a lobby with a bar, a gourmet restaurant, a ski rental shop, meeting rooms, and a spa. But there are many places for kids to play in the lobby and bar area, making it a great place for families.

• Le Grand Hotel des Alpes

The Aiguille du Midi cable car is also close to Le Grand Hotel des Alpes. This means that it is also close to everything the town center of Chamonix has to offer. This hotel got a makeover in 2019 to give it a more elegant and cozy feel. A lot of people stay here so they can use the hotel’s great wellness spa. Here, you can get a lot of different treatments or just chill out in the jacuzzi, sauna, or indoor wave pool.

All of the hotels that were mentioned have great restaurants where you can spend an evening. But there are some other great places to eat that you might want to try while you’re there.

• Le Comptoir des Alpes

Le Comptoir des Alpes specialises in Franco-Italian dishes. The food is made with ingredients from local farmers in an elegant way. All of Chef Daniel Raimondi’s meals show his personality, his education, and his experience. This is why both people who live in Chamonix and people who come there often like it so much.

• L’Atmosphere

L’Atmosphere is in the middle of Chamonix and serves savoyarde, traditional, and modern food. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, and the food is great and the service is great.

• La Télécabine

La Télécabine is the best place to try local dishes like fondue, Pierrade, or a tasty tartiflette. There is also a great à la carte menu with dishes from all over the world. People keep coming back because it feels like home.

• La Bergerie De Plan-Praz

La Bergerie De Plan-Praz, which has the prestigious title of “Maitre Restaurateur,” serves great food made with delicious ingredients from nearby farmers and cooperatives. It is very popular because it faces south and has a terrace with a view of the nearby Mont Blanc. If you want to stay there, you should definitely make a reservation.

• Le 3842

Le 3842, which is at the top of l’Aiguille du Midi, is one of the highest restaurants in Europe. You should eat here if you want to try local flavors and see amazing views of Mont Blanc and the Chamonix valley.

• Le Panoramic

At the top of Brévant, there is a great restaurant called Le Panoramic. From the impressive outdoor terrace, both skiers and people who don’t ski can enjoy unobstructed views of Mont Blanc. Local Savoyard food, pasta, and specialty dishes will be served. This restaurant is also very popular, so it’s a good idea to book ahead.

If you don’t look at a map, you might not realize that Chamonix is right at the point where France, Switzerland, and Italy meet. What does that mean then? Well, that means you can start a lot of one-day and multi-day adventures right from your cozy chalet in Chamonix.

Your alpine trip can easily include Italy, which is close by. You can get to Courmayeur via the Mont-Blanc tunnel or the Petit St. Bernard’s pass. If you have a Mont-Blanc Unlimited lift pass, you can ski there for free, or you can head down to Pré St. Didier, a cute little Italian village just across the border, to relax in saunas and steam baths.

Considering how near you are to Switzerland, you should definitely visit. To begin, Geneva is the closest city with an international airport, so this is almost certainly where you’ll start your trip. It only takes 1 hour and 15 minutes to drive to Chamonix. Once you get there, it’s easy to get on the Mont Blanc Express train and enjoy the beautiful views as you go down through the vineyards and end up in Martigny, Switzerland. You could also rent a car and drive up to the thermal baths in Saillon or Lavey.

So, if you want a different kind of winter vacation and have been looking at the Alps for a long time, Chamonix should be on your list of places to visit.