Chamonix Lift Pass Options - Summer

During the summer months Chamonix still has a significant number of lifts open, giving you access to some truly beautiful hikes and panoramic vistas. The Mont Blanc Multipass gives you unlimited access to all the sites of the Chamonix Valley on one pass (except Panoramic Mont Blanc gondola to Helbronner, Les Planards Leisure Park and the Bellevue cable car in Les Houches). Available for a variety of durations, it means you only have to go to the cash desk once and includes a number of other perks to save you time and money around town:

• free reservation for the Aiguille du Midi cable car (normally €2)
• Free access to the top lift of the Aiguille du Midi (normally €3) 
• Discount on the Planards summer toboggan run and the Chamonix Tourist Train.

You can buy a Multipass for between 1 and 15 consecutive days duration, or even greater flexibility is possible with a non-consecutive day option, allowing you to pick and choose the days you want to use the valley lifts. Non-consecutive passes can be bought for a 7 or 15 day period, allowing you 2-3 or 4-6 days usage respectively. If you are lucky enough to make several trips to Chamonix over the summer, then there is also a season option (photo required) for 10 or 15 days to be used before 30th November 2009.

Multipass prices start at €48.50 for adults for one day (Children €38.80 and family pass €145.50) which can equate to a €14.50 saving if you do the Aiguille du Midi (€40) and the Montenvers Train (€23) in one day!However, more value can be gleaned from purchasing a longer duration pass, enabling you to visit more of the valley’s areas and attractions. A hands free “smart card” is compulsory with this pass for a €3 refundable deposit, or they make quite nice souvenirs to take home with you!

It is also possible to buy single or return tickets for each of the individual lifts, available at the cash desk at the base of each lift station.

With so many people coming to Chamonix to mountain bike in the summer, it makes sense to have a specific pass for bikers. The Compagnie du Mont Blanc offer a mountain bike pass that will give you unlimited access to the following lifts:

• Chamonix - Plan Praz gondola (Brevent)
• Flegere cable car
• Lognan cable car (Argentiere)
• Le Tour gondola
• Autannes chairlift (Le Tour)
• Vallorcine gondola
• Prarion gondola (Les Houches)

**NB: Mountain bikes are not permitted at all on the Montenvers train or the Aiguille du Midi cable car**

Passes are available on a daily basis (€20) or savings can be made by purchasing a carnet of 5 non-consecutive day tickets (€80).  These passes are nominative and require a photo as well as the usual "hands free" card for a €3 deposit (refundable).   You can buy them from the base of any of the above mentioned lift stations and they are valid from 11th May until 30th November 2009.

Les Houches also offers it's own version MTB lift pass which gives you unlimited access to the Bellevue cable car and the Prarion gondola.  With some of the nicest single track in the valley as well as some more technical downhill trails and a bike park, Les Houches is one of the best areas to get astride your bike.  Passes are available by the day (€13.40) or they also have a 6 day option available (€54) and as always, a hands free card is required.

It is also possible to buy a summer lift pass with paragliding specifically in mind. Whilst quite similar to the mountain biking option, the Paragliding pass will give you easy unlimited lift access to the designated take off areas in the valley via the following lifts:

Brevent gondola, Flegere cable car, Index chairlift (Flegere), Lognan cable car (Argentiere), Grands Montets top cable car, Le Tour gondola, Prarion gondola (Les Houches), Aiguille du Midi cable car (1st stage)**

**It is forbidden to take off or overfly this area during July and August.

Passes can be bought on a daily basis or savings can be made by purchasing a carnet of 5 non-consecutive day tickets.  These passes are nominative and require a photo as well as the usual "hands free" card for a €3 deposit (refundable).   They are valid from 11th May until 30th November 2009.

There are currently a number of different lift pass options available to ski and enjoy the Chamonix valley. All lift passes (except cross country) require a hands free card to operate the turnstiles. You will be issued with this when you purchase your pass and will have to pay a deposit of €3 which is refundable, or you can keep it as a souvenir! ... see "Chamonix Lift Pass Options - Winter" for more