Well of course, you are always going to have the ubiquitous skiing and snowboarding, but whilst you’re in the Chamonix Valley, you may want to try your hand at one of the many other winter activities available in this town. Below are a few suggestions to tickle your imagination!
Cross Country Skiing in Chamonix
Get back to nature and explore tranquil cross-country trails at your own pace. Hire the comfortable boots and lightweight skis and poles from any hire shop, and book a group or private lesson to learn the basics. For those used to downhill skis, at first you feel precariously balanced and downhill sections are definitely more exciting on narrow skis with no edges. Once you have grasped the essentials, head off for the 75kms of the beautiful and tranquil cross-country trails which start in Les Houches (near Le Prarion lift), Bois de Bouchet (starting from Foyer du Fond), Le Praz (nr Flegere lift), Argentiere (entrance to town) and Vallorcine (starting point Tourist Office). In this activity, one can be as energetic or slow as one likes. ... see "Chamonix Cross Country Skiing Areas" for more
Glacier Walking
Glacier walking in Chamonix
For a truly unique experience, clamp on your crampons and go hiking up the stunning Mer de Glace, Argentiere or Le Tour glaciers.
The Mer de Glace is one of the longest and deepest glaciers in the Alps, moving at a comparatively rapid 120 metres a year. To get onto the glacier you'll have to clamber down long steel ladders which are scary enough in themselves but you'll quickly forget about that once you start admiring the breathtaking views and spectacular crevasses below. (If you're quiet you can even hear the ice shifting.)
To read more about glaciers and the environment please go to our Glacier Meltdown article.
We strongly advise booking a mountain guide for this activity.
Sit back and admire the mountains from even higher up! Daily panoramic helicopter flights are available (weather permitting) with a number of local flight companies or some mountain guide companies. Relax and enjoy the stunning views as you fly over the snow-capped mountain tops, glaciers and alpine forests of the Haute Savoie.
Unfortunately, heli-skiing is not permitted in France, however some of the ski schools and mountain guide companies will offer a pick-up/drop-off heli skiing service for you where you will be taken over the border into Italy or Switzerland. It is expensive, but definitely a once in a lifetime experience!
Husky sledding ('traineaux a chiens')
Be in charge of your own sled and team of excitable husky dogs, driving them along forest paths. After a brief explanation of how to make your team stop and start (you shout "mush!"), and strict instructions not to let go of the sled if it turns over (the dogs would disappear for hours...), you set off following the guide’s team. Your huskies want to keep up with their doggy mates, so the next hour is a breathless scramble to keep the sled upright, trying to control the speed downhill, and hanging on for dear life when you tear around corners. Going uphill you have to help push the sled, so this is hard physical work.
If this all sounds a bit much you can opt for a less physical outing where you sit in the sled and the guide does all the hard work! Either way it is an exhilarating experience – you can find contact details on our Action, Fun & Sports page. You can also visit the kennels in Les Houches year round to learn about the dogs and see them at rest.
Ice Climbing
For the true mountain enthusiast, why not scale an amazing frozen waterfall or glacier? This is a fantastic sport, not just for experienced mountaineers. Chamonix has a multitude of ice-falls and gulleys where you can experience the thrill of ice climbing with a guide. Beginners can start off at La Crémerie in Argentière, while the more experienced can sample some of the many other sites around Chamonix, Servoz, Les Houches and Argentière. The ice climbing season peaks between December and March.
Although it sounds like a very specialised sport, ice climbing is suitable for everyone - from complete beginners to experienced climbers. Some knowledge of ropes and basic climbing skills will give you a head start, but if you are a complete novice then your guide should be able to teach you from scratch.
Safety is important, so it is advisable to take an experienced mountain guide to instruct you on the use of crampons, ropes and ice picks.
Chamonix has an excellent ice rink that is open every day except Mondays from 2pm until 5pm (6pm during school holidays). On a Wednesday night the rink is open late from 9-11pm, and don't forget the regular ice-hockey matches that take place throughout the season, generally on a Saturday evening. Skates can be hired for €3.50 and entrance costs €4.60 for adults and €3.50 for children (cheaper with guest card).
Le Podium is the licensed bar, restaurant and lounge area with huge windows overlooking the rink, so you can watch the game in comfort - Chamonix's local team are Les Chamois.
Indoor Climbing Walls
Indoor Climbing, Chamonix ¦ Photo Credit - Mark Vader
The Chamonix valley is home to one of the largest indoor climbing walls in France. The Mont Blanc Escalade is located in Les Houches and is open all year, with 1250m sq. of climbing surfaces, and more than 100 routes to the roof, ranging from 16 to 21 metres in height. There is a beginners wall, a kid's wall, and even a cafeteria. All necessary equipment is available for hire. Complete beginners can make a first ascent of the indoor climbing wall with instruction from local guides from 35€ - book in advance. Open to adults and children 5 or over.
In Chamonix town, there is a good sized bouldering wall in the Sports Centre (Centre Sportif Richard Bozon). There is another climbing wall at the ENSA - you need to be a member of the local Club des Sports to gain access.
The INSTED language school in Chamonix is an alpine branch of the Université Stendhal in Grenoble and offers high quality French language courses for all abilities. The language school was established in the winter of 1999 with the aim of encouraging students to combine their academic studies with their passion for the mountains. This concept has proven to be a big success with the school now not only providing 2-15 week French courses during the winter months; they have also launched a 2-6 week summer programme enabling students to improve their French language skills whilst making the most of the plentiful hiking, mountain biking and more hardcore mountaineering opportunities that a summer in Chamonix offers.
I enrolled on a 3 week French course in July having spent the last 3 years living and working in Chamonix for a UK based company. Although my level of French was not too shabby, (having done GCSE many moons ago and subsequent dabblings at university and during seasons) I knew that grammatically I had a lot to re-learn and I was also guilty of making up words quite a lot of the time! This may seem fairly poor after such a time spent in France but with its enormous tourist influx and a large English speaking ex-pat community, Chamonix is not always the easiest place to learn French under your own steam. That’s why for me, undertaking a structured language course was the only way that I was ever going to blow the dust off my French books!
... see "Learning French In Chamonix" for more
Ever since two English explorers, William Windham and Richard Pocock, first discovered the Mer de Glace (“Sea of Ice”) in 1741, it has become one of the world’s most visited natural sites and is a huge draw of visitors to the Chamonix Valley. The area became accessible by mule from 1802, but it was the opening of the Montenvers Train in 1908 that really opened the site up to the masses. ... see "Montenvers & the Mer de Glace" for more
Paragliding ('Parapente')
Paragliding is a truly amazing experience and what better place to try it than in the stunning surroundings of Chamonix.
There are a number of paragliding schools in the area that offer tandem flights, where you take to the skies accompanied by an instructor. Taking off is easy, you simply run (in summer) or point your skis/snowboard (in winter) downhill and as you gain speed the parachute lifts you into the air. Whilst this may seem a little scary, once you are in the air the views and tranquility combine into a truly amazing feeling. The instructor will control where you go, aiming to catch thermals which will keep you airborne for longer. When you are coming back to earth, the landing is also very gentle and no more of an impact than jumping off a step.
A standard tandem flight will last about 20-30 minutes, depending on the thermals and in Chamonix, you can fly from Plan Praz on Brevent, Flegere, Grands Montets and Les Houches. For a real treat (and conditions permitting) you can also fly off the Aiguille du Midi! In the summer, most flights will land on the Savoy nursery slopes at the foot of Brevent, but in winter (as beginners are skiing there!) it tends to be at the Bois du Bouchet near the MBC pub.
Strap lightweight plastic snowshoes to your feet, and walk effortlessly through deep snow. Either set out on your own, or join a group led by a knowledgeable local guide and explore the hidden parts of the valley. On these half day group outings you will get off the beaten track to follow animal footprints, discover mountain flora and fauna and learn the history of the valley. Snowshoes and ski poles are provided. See Action, Fun & Sports for details of guiding companies.
You can also hire snowshoes from most Sports Shops, grab a trail map and head off on your own adventure. Be sure to check the weather forecast before you go.
This is a perfect activity for bad weather conditions, or for non-skiers; walkers and nature lovers will love these outings. Don't forget to take energy bars and wear comfortable boots.
A familiar sight in Chamonix is Dr Zhivago and his finely dressed horse – snuggle amongst the blankets in the back of his sleigh and see the sights of Chamonix on a horse-drawn tour. Dr Zhivago can be found most days by the clock tower in the centre of town (outside Irish Coffee).
Ski Joering
Ski joering is the original drag-lift. Before Pomas, chairlifts and cable cars were installed in the mountains the only tow to be found was either behind dogs or horses. Although the mechanisation of ski lifts has meant that we can now easily move around our resort of choice if you are looking to get back to grass roots, or if you fancy a trek through the woods away from the queues and ski schools then ski joering might be for you.
Ski joering hails from Scandinavia, indeed the word ski joering itself means ski driving in Norwegian. In France the preferred style is to use a rider-less horse which is controlled by the skier. A rig with reigns is connected to the horse’s bridle and the skier is towed along behind the horse on skis, holding onto the rig. The skier steers with vocal commands and by pulling on lines connected to the horses bit.
Competitive ski joering is practiced all over the world. In France the skier guides the horse around a slalom course or takes on another skier in a head to head race. In North America a rider guides the horse while the skier negotiates a series of jumps and obstacles.
Away from the competitive scene ski joering is a sport that is suitable for all ages and rides can be tailored to suit any standard of skier, from a gentle hack to a gallop through the snow.
Although Chamonix does not have an official winter toboggan run, there are a number of places where it is allowed. You can take to the slopes of Le Savoy and Les Planards in Chamonix town, La Vormaine at Le Tour, La Poya in Vallorcine and Le Tourchet in Les Houches. Just be careful not to cut across paths or go onto the main pistes. Many Sports Shops hire out sledges in various sizes, or they can be bought fairly cheaply from sport shops, supermarkets, toy shops, etc.
Winter Walking Trails
A snowy Lac de Gailland
The Chamonix Vallley is a walker's paradise throughout the year; with lifts giving access to the higher ground and a network of groomed trails you can discover the resort on foot.
As one of the valley's highest points the Grands Montets in Argentière has incredible views; there is a pedestrian trail that links Plan Joran to the Lognan mid-station. The walk takes around 2 hours, you'll get a good view of the action on the pistes and there are restaurants at either end.
At the same end of the valley is the Le Tour / Vallorcine ski area. At the top of the Vallorcine gondola you will find a pedestrian trail that takes you to Les Posettes. From here you will see some lovely scenery along the French / Swiss border.
Closer to Chamonix centre, La Flégère is a very pretty area and you can walk for about 45 minutes along the Libellues piste.
You can also take the Montenvers train up to the Mer de Glace and follow the signs for the walking trails up there.
If lifts and trains aren't your thing there is plenty of walking to be done along the valley floor. The Bois du Bouchet is beautiful after a snowfall, you can walk along the River Arve from Chamonix to Argentière. Be aware of signs warning which paths you can and can't walk along - some are reserved for cross-country skiing only. You could alternatively head off in the opposite direction and walk to Les Houches; Lac de Gailland and the climbing wall look quite magical when covered in snow and there is a nice woodland path that follows the river to Les Houches.
Les Houches and Servoz have a number of pleasant walking trails that are shared with snowshoers and cross country skiers. In Les Houches you can set off from the departure point and the top of the Bellevue cable car or at the top of the Prarion cable car. Servoz has four Nordic trails, a map of which can be found at the Tourist Office.
Don’t forget to check the weather forecast before you set out as conditions can change rapidly in the mountains.
You do not need any particular equipment, just a pair of sturdy boots and layers of warm clothing that you can take off or put on as necessary. A pair of walking poles will come in handy for extra balance on icy patches and for checking snow depth before you go striding forth! Top tip: buy ‘grippers’ for your walking boots to prevent slipping, all of this can be bought from most local Sport Shops.
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