Chamonix Reviews & Ratings

Great variety of ski fields for a full week of different runs. We luckily had fresh powder for most of the week.

Perfect for advanced off piste skiers with touring equipment.

Families and beginners/intermediates should avoid. Ski areas are small with tricky pistes and a complete lack of options for beginners.

Chamonix is an interesting resort as its not actually a resort but a town. There are a number of small ski resorts that sit around the town. Les Houches and Grand Montet being just two. Both offer very different skiing, with the former being more tree runs and the latter being more focused on harder skier and off piste.

Chamonix is a great location to go to, but unless you stay in one of the resorts youre going to be driving or spending a lot of time on a bus.

Chamonix is a fantastic town which is very easily accessible if you are driving or flying. ( Lyon Airport is a little over 2 hours away I believe ). Fantastic place to stay due to it being a town which is lived in all year round. Lots of restaurants and bars and many many different ski areas near. You can ski in Argentiere, Chamonix, or Cormayeur (Mont Blanc Tunnel.) Slopes are well groomed, off piste in Argentiere is fantastic.

Huge area so lots fo restaurants, hotels and mountains to run. A bit overpriced and not the best snow but good. I'd recommend

Perfect for a couple of days as an on-piste skier. Much better options for off-piste. The town is great (loads of apres and all kinds of restaurants) but getting around to the different lifts took more time than we were expecting by bus. Ease of access to airport and number of runs available for a couple of days makes it a great option for a long weekend and we will be back.

We came to Chamonix with a learner which was fine, but the terrain for beginners is quite limited. We were mostly at brevent-flegere which was extremely busy with long lift queues.

As an intermediate/advanced snowboarder I did enjoy the terrain and had a blast but I wouldn't recommend for absolue beginners. The green pistes are too limited - although I think Les houches would be better.

The town is great with lots of shopping and dining options. A great option for those visiting with non skier's etc.

I can firmly say that I think this is the best resort in the worth for serious high alpine off piste skiing. This isn't an uncommon opinion.

There is nothing like getting a lift to 3800m where there are no grommed / official runs at the top and dropping off the back for a 5 hour ski back to town.

Couple this with probably the most experienced guiding company in the world and you could spend years exploring the back country here.

The piste skiing is good too but slightly disconnected as there a multiple zones that you can only get between by car or bus. Some decent options for food on the piste as well.

Down in the town there is an abundance of great options for food and drinks. This is a living town (not just a resort) so people had opened coffee roasteries (shout-out Moody's) and micro breweries (MBC and Big Mountain). You to can choose from Michelin starred restaurants and gourmet hot dog huts.

Transport and accommodation wise this is one of the easiest resorts. Cheap flights to Geneva + regular buses from the airport (1h30m travel time) make getting there a breeze. There a wide range of accommodation options from 30 per night youth hostels to place where you can spend a year's a salary in a week. Something for everyone

If you're a serious skier then this place should definitely be on your bucket list. If you just want to chill in a cool and trendy ski town with a great vibe would also recommend. If St Moritz and fur lined ski jumper suits are your thing, maybe choose something else.

Went during December, first weekend of the season, was busier during Saturday and Sunday but was lovely and quiet on the Monday. Limited runs as not all the runs were open due to snow but still a good amount to ski for a weekend.

Had an amazing time in Chamonix last year with my boyfriend! I would definitely recommend this ski resort for everyone. I am pretty much a beginner and this was my first official ski resort trip. My partner is an incredibly experienced skier. We both had an amazing time at this resort.

Theres also plenty to do outside of skiing, eg spas, other experiences

It was my first time skiing and I was slightly anxious, but once arriving at Chamonix my nerves instantly calmed due to the warm atmosphere and professionalism of staff and guests. I enjoyed the runs and the apres ski was very fun also. Id totally recommend!

Stunning location and some of the best big mountain skiing in the Alps. Limited apres, but then Cham for me is a place to ski hard rather than party hard

Chamonix only really makes sense when you start to explore the side and backcountry. The resort itself is made up of 5 main pisted ski areas, each of them quite small, connected by skibus. Very limited for families and beginners looking for blues (recommend Le Tour) but brilliant for advanced skiers poking a bit pff-piste - thoroughly recommend getting a guide for finding the best conditions/areas to explore, and a lovely, lively year-round town to boot. And a dream for skitouring.

Really beautiful scenery and skiing in Chamonix! Picturesque and lots of terrain to choose from between the different hills. Loved the on hill dining options, speed tests and race courses set up for the public, and good quality snow in the higher up elevation areas.

We absolutely loved it. The skiing was the best ever, beautiful views that went on forever and both on and off piste skiing that made it amazing for everyone.

The on mountain services i.e. bars were fun as hell and very good food etc.

DIning out throughout the valley was very diverse and amazing.

The apres scene was the best ever.

It was inexpensive as heck.

The Chamonix valley offers multiple ski areas with their own lifts some of which join together. Generally the ski areas offer less ski to chalet door than other resorts I have been to. The lifts have been modernised over recent years reducing queues. Food up the mountain is generally overpriced - like most France ski resorts - Italy eating in the mountains is much better value and quality. All ski areas offer a good range of different grade slopes. We choose the best ski area to visit on a given day day based on the conditions. There is a network of free buses provided to get to different ski areas - the train also serves some ski areas too. The food offered in Chamonix town is good and with excellent choice from cheap and cheerful to fine dining.

Can get quite busy with queues for slopes but often dont take long, lots of choice of slopes largely well kept. Some greens and blue slops can get busy too.

Amazing scenery, vibrant town with lots to do for non-skiers.
Terrain spread out along the valley and only two areas linked - so not the best for mixed ability groups.
But for good and expert skiers and riders unparalleled access to off piste.

Chamonix has it all, especially for expert skiers looking for serious off piste.
Not so many pistes for beginners, but Le tour at top of the valley offers easier piste skiing as well as access to some decent off piste, including a trip down into Switzerland, which requires transport for the return.
Chamonix sits in a valley, with a number of different ski stations spread along it all accessible through bus and train services.
Some great local eateries on the mountains, if you know where to go.
Chamonix the town caters for all tastes in terms of eating from expensive restaurants to takeaways. Wide variety of lively drinking places and selection of night clubs.
Also large array of retail and a local weekly market.
The downside is the spread out nature of the skiing and crowds building for the transport , during busy times.

Ive had over two decades worth of skiing experience since I was 3, being lucky enough to visit various ski resorts across France.

Chamonix is without a doubt the most picturesque resort Ive been to. Situated within a valley and next to Mont Blonc, the views are pretty unreal.

Theres 4 major individual ski resorts to choose within Chamonix, all of which are great to ski on. Personally, Le Tour is a favourite for difficultly and the thrill. Good off piste options there.

Id suggest Brevent or Les Houches for families as they have more green slopes catered towards beginners.

However, because of its altitude (1300m), Chamonix is susceptible to poor weather conditions at times. The slopes of course sit higher, around 2000m. Id suggest going end of January/February time to allow snow to have settled in. When theres snow, its superb for skiing and looks magical.

Buses and trains take you to/from resorts, which are free to use with a ski pass (although no one ever checks this?). Note that journey times can be up to an hour between resorts! Buses run frequently but can be busy at peak times.

I recommend staying in accommodation close to a resort that is walking distance to the lifts, or, at least a short bus journey to a resort.

Regarding accommodation, if you have the money and enjoy a real buzz, Le Folie Douce Hotel is THE place to be. It is in the centre town of Chamonix, with a fantastic atmosphere and beautiful decor. It includes access to an outdoor swimming pool that overlooks the mountains, a sauna+steamroom, and an onsite ski shop.

Affordable options definitely exist in Chamonix too, but booking in advance is a must to avoid prices that are sky high+lack of availability.


Ski passes here are one of the most expensive Ive seen in France. Up to £400 for 7 days of skiing. Ouch. Thats for the unlimited pass which gets you everywhere, with some benefits such as use of gyms, cinema etc there are alternative passes for more affordable options on the Chamonix website.

In terms of ski hire; there are plenty of Ski shops around Chamonix, all with competitive prices.

For non skiers, theres plenty to do in Chamonix. Theres ice skating, entertainment (live music at some hotels, cinema), fitness centres, Glacier visits, pristine hiking trails etc

Apres ski is pretty good in Chamonix. Although, the party life seems to be situated within the centre town. The Folie Douce puts on some amazing shows and music most nights, which is open to anyone (the outdoor bar is huge with fire pits, and the indoor has an awesome look).

Food options are great, with some nice restaurants poking about the town. Theres various supermarkets depending on where you stay, but beware; food here is expensive!

If you have enough people, self-catering is ideal if you want to save money. Theres plenty of self catering accommodation options in Chamonix.

All in all, Chamonix is a beautiful resort that has a real charm to it. If you come here, youll be in awe and wont forget the experience. Save up, however, as its an expensive resort! Worth the money? Absolutely. Avoid peak times if you can, and book in advance!

Hope this review helps someone out :)