French Alps
French Alps
Short overview
Glaciers, granite spires and high meadows surround Mont Blanc, with Chamonix as the lively base camp. Come for big hikes, cable cars and cheese-heavy dinners — and expect mountain prices and fast-changing weather.
Best times to go
July – August
Every lift and mountain hut is open, the high trails are snow-free and the days are long.
Late June & September
Quieter trails, cheaper rooms and crisp clear air, though some huts and lifts run reduced hours.
Good for
hikers, outdoor lovers and anyone who wants dramatic mountain views without needing climbing skills.
Skip if
you want a lazy beach-style break or a cheap trip — lifts, food and rooms add up quickly in peak summer.
Things to do
Aiguille du Midi cable car
Ride from Chamonix to 3,842 m for a face-to-face view of Mont Blanc and the glaciers below.
2–4 hours
€75–80 return
Aiguille du Midi cable car
Ride from Chamonix to 3,842 m for a face-to-face view of Mont Blanc and the glaciers below.
2–4 hours
€75–80 return
Aiguille du Midi cable car
Ride from Chamonix to 3,842 m for a face-to-face view of Mont Blanc and the glaciers below.
2–4 hours
€75–80 return
Lac Blanc hike
A classic trail to an alpine lake that mirrors the whole Mont Blanc range on a calm morning.
4–5 hours
Free (about €35 with the Flégère lift)
4–5 hours
Free (about €35 with the Flégère lift)
Montenvers train to the Mer de Glace
A rack railway up to France's largest glacier, with an ice cave carved into it each year.
2–3 hours
€40–45 return
2–3 hours
€40–45 return
Cheapest
€
90
/week
Mostly free valley and balcony hikes, plus one cable car day.
Best value
€
350
/week
A Mont Blanc Multipass for a week of lifts, trains and high trails.
Splurge
€
1,100
/week
A guided glacier walk, paragliding over the valley and a day in Courmayeur.
Cheapest
€
90
/week
Mostly free valley and balcony hikes, plus one cable car day.
Best value
€
350
/week
A Mont Blanc Multipass for a week of lifts, trains and high trails.
Splurge
€
1,100
/week
A guided glacier walk, paragliding over the valley and a day in Courmayeur.
Cheapest
€
90
/week
Mostly free valley and balcony hikes, plus one cable car day.
Best value
€
350
/week
A Mont Blanc Multipass for a week of lifts, trains and high trails.
Splurge
€
1,100
/week
A guided glacier walk, paragliding over the valley and a day in Courmayeur.
Food and drink
Mountain food is all melted cheese, cured meats and potatoes. Picnic on the trail and save the restaurant meals for dinner.
Breakfast
Cheapest
Croissant and café crème
From any village boulangerie, eaten on a sunny terrace.
€
4
Best value
Pain au chocolat and juice
Grab-and-go fuel before catching the first lift.
€
6
Splurge
Chalet breakfast buffet
Local yoghurt, mountain honey, cheese and fresh bread at a hotel or café.
€
16
Breakfast
Cheapest
Croissant and café crème
From any village boulangerie, eaten on a sunny terrace.
€
4
Best value
Pain au chocolat and juice
Grab-and-go fuel before catching the first lift.
€
6
Splurge
Chalet breakfast buffet
Local yoghurt, mountain honey, cheese and fresh bread at a hotel or café.
€
16
Breakfast
Cheapest
Croissant and café crème
From any village boulangerie, eaten on a sunny terrace.
€
4
Best value
Pain au chocolat and juice
Grab-and-go fuel before catching the first lift.
€
6
Splurge
Chalet breakfast buffet
Local yoghurt, mountain honey, cheese and fresh bread at a hotel or café.
€
16
Lunch
Cheapest
Trail picnic
Baguette, Beaufort cheese and saucisson from the supermarket.
€
8
Best value
Croûte au fromage
Bread soaked in white wine and baked under melted cheese, served at mountain cafés.
€
16
Splurge
Mountain hut lunch
Omelette, salad and a slice of blueberry tart with a glacier view.
€
25
Lunch
Cheapest
Trail picnic
Baguette, Beaufort cheese and saucisson from the supermarket.
€
8
Best value
Croûte au fromage
Bread soaked in white wine and baked under melted cheese, served at mountain cafés.
€
16
Splurge
Mountain hut lunch
Omelette, salad and a slice of blueberry tart with a glacier view.
€
25
Lunch
Cheapest
Trail picnic
Baguette, Beaufort cheese and saucisson from the supermarket.
€
8
Best value
Croûte au fromage
Bread soaked in white wine and baked under melted cheese, served at mountain cafés.
€
16
Splurge
Mountain hut lunch
Omelette, salad and a slice of blueberry tart with a glacier view.
€
25
Dinner
Cheapest
Crêpes and galettes
Buckwheat galettes filled with ham, cheese and egg at a casual crêperie.
€
15
Best value
Tartiflette
Potatoes, lardons and onions baked under a whole wheel of melting Reblochon.
€
24
Splurge
Michelin-starred dinner
Refined alpine cooking with local lake fish and mountain herbs.
€
140
Dinner
Cheapest
Crêpes and galettes
Buckwheat galettes filled with ham, cheese and egg at a casual crêperie.
€
15
Best value
Tartiflette
Potatoes, lardons and onions baked under a whole wheel of melting Reblochon.
€
24
Splurge
Michelin-starred dinner
Refined alpine cooking with local lake fish and mountain herbs.
€
140
Dinner
Crêpes and galettes
€
15
Buckwheat galettes filled with ham, cheese and egg at a casual crêperie.
Tartiflette
€
24
Potatoes, lardons and onions baked under a whole wheel of melting Reblochon.
Michelin-starred dinner
€
140
Refined alpine cooking with local lake fish and mountain herbs.
Cheapest
€
170
/week
Boulangerie breakfasts, trail picnics and crêperie dinners.
Best value
€
330
/week
A mountain hut lunch most days and a fondue or tartiflette night or two.
Splurge
€
800
/week
Restaurant meals daily, good wine and one starred dinner.
Cheapest
€
170
/week
Boulangerie breakfasts, trail picnics and crêperie dinners.
Best value
€
330
/week
A mountain hut lunch most days and a fondue or tartiflette night or two.
Splurge
€
800
/week
Restaurant meals daily, good wine and one starred dinner.
Cheapest
€
170
/week
Boulangerie breakfasts, trail picnics and crêperie dinners.
Best value
€
330
/week
A mountain hut lunch most days and a fondue or tartiflette night or two.
Splurge
€
800
/week
Restaurant meals daily, good wine and one starred dinner.
Don't leave without trying
Don't leave without trying
Fondue savoyarde
A shared pot of Beaufort, Comté and Emmental melted with white wine and garlic, for dipping chunks of crusty bread — best after a long day in the mountains.
Fondue savoyarde
A shared pot of Beaufort, Comté and Emmental melted with white wine and garlic, for dipping chunks of crusty bread — best after a long day in the mountains.
Where to stay
Chamonix town is the most convenient base. Argentière, Les Houches and Vallorcine are quieter and often cheaper.
Cheapest
Hostel or gîte in Chamonix
Simple dorms with a shared kitchen and drying room, close to the lifts and buses.
€266/week
/night
€
38
Cheapest
Hostel or gîte in Chamonix
Simple dorms with a shared kitchen and drying room, close to the lifts and buses.
€266/week
/night
€
38
Best value
Family-run hotel in Argentière
A cosy wood-panelled hotel at the top of the valley with views of the glacier.
€910/week
/night
€
130
Best value
Family-run hotel in Argentière
A cosy wood-panelled hotel at the top of the valley with views of the glacier.
€910/week
/night
€
130
Splurge
Luxury chalet hotel in Chamonix
Spa, outdoor pool and Mont Blanc views from your balcony.
€3,150/week
/night
€
450
Splurge
Luxury chalet hotel in Chamonix
Spa, outdoor pool and Mont Blanc views from your balcony.
€3,150/week
/night
€
450
Unique stay
Night in a mountain refuge
Sleep high above the valley in a hut with half-board dinner and a sunrise over the peaks.
€525/week
/night
€
75
Unique stay
Night in a mountain refuge
Sleep high above the valley in a hut with half-board dinner and a sunrise over the peaks.
€525/week
/night
€
75
Unique stay
Night in a mountain refuge
Sleep high above the valley in a hut with half-board dinner and a sunrise over the peaks.
€525/week
/night
€
75
Getting around
Free valley buses and trains link every village. Lifts do the heavy lifting up the mountains.
Public transport
Coverage
Most hotels give you a guest card for free buses and the valley train between Servoz and Vallorcine. Lifts and the Montenvers train cost extra.
Single ticket
€
0
Weekly pass
€
0
Which modes are available?
Mont Blanc Express train
Valley buses
Cable cars and lifts
Public transport
Coverage
Most hotels give you a guest card for free buses and the valley train between Servoz and Vallorcine. Lifts and the Montenvers train cost extra.
Single ticket
€
0
Weekly pass
€
0
Which modes are available?
Mont Blanc Express train
Valley buses
Cable cars and lifts
Car rental
Car usefulness
Not needed in the valley, but handy for Annecy, the Aravis villages or the tunnel to Italy. Expect summer traffic into Chamonix.
Price
€
55
/day
Young driver fee
€
25
/day
Parking
€
15
/day
Paid car parks in Chamonix fill up by mid-morning. Leave the car at your hotel and use the free buses.
Car rental
Car usefulness
Not needed in the valley, but handy for Annecy, the Aravis villages or the tunnel to Italy. Expect summer traffic into Chamonix.
Price
€
55
/day
Young driver fee
€
25
/day
Parking
€
15
/day
Paid car parks in Chamonix fill up by mid-morning. Leave the car at your hotel and use the free buses.
Cheapest
€
0
/week
Free valley buses and trains with your guest card.
Best value
€
40
/week
Free local transport plus a return airport shuttle from Geneva.
Splurge
€
450
/week
A rental car for day trips and private Geneva transfers.
Cheapest
€
0
/week
Free valley buses and trains with your guest card.
Best value
€
40
/week
Free local transport plus a return airport shuttle from Geneva.
Splurge
€
450
/week
A rental car for day trips and private Geneva transfers.
Cheapest
€
0
/week
Free valley buses and trains with your guest card.
Best value
€
40
/week
Free local transport plus a return airport shuttle from Geneva.
Splurge
€
450
/week
A rental car for day trips and private Geneva transfers.
Total costs
Everything you’ll spend once you’re there, per person. Getting there isn’t included.
Cheapest
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, Haute-Savoie, France
Food costs
€25–€35
Accommodation
€30–€45
Getting around
€5–€10
Activities
€10–€20
Miscellaneous
€5–€10
PER DAY
€75–€120
PER WEEK
€530–€840
Per person in July and August. Lift passes are the big variable — skip them and costs drop fast.
Cheapest
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, Haute-Savoie, France
Food costs
€25–€35
Accommodation
€30–€45
Getting around
€5–€10
Activities
€10–€20
Miscellaneous
€5–€10
PER DAY
€75–€120
PER WEEK
€530–€840
Per person in July and August. Lift passes are the big variable — skip them and costs drop fast.
Cheapest
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, Haute-Savoie, France
Food costs
€25–€35
Accommodation
€30–€45
Getting around
€5–€10
Activities
€10–€20
Miscellaneous
€5–€10
PER DAY
€75–€120
PER WEEK
€530–€840
Best value
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, Haute-Savoie, France
Food costs
€45–€65
Accommodation
€100–€140
Getting around
€10–€20
Activities
€40–€70
Miscellaneous
€10–€15
PER DAY
€205–€310
PER WEEK
€1,440–€2,170
Per person in July and August. Lift passes are the big variable — skip them and costs drop fast.
Best value
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, Haute-Savoie, France
Food costs
€45–€65
Accommodation
€100–€140
Getting around
€10–€20
Activities
€40–€70
Miscellaneous
€10–€15
PER DAY
€205–€310
PER WEEK
€1,440–€2,170
Per person in July and August. Lift passes are the big variable — skip them and costs drop fast.
Best value
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, Haute-Savoie, France
Food costs
€45–€65
Accommodation
€100–€140
Getting around
€10–€20
Activities
€40–€70
Miscellaneous
€10–€15
PER DAY
€205–€310
PER WEEK
€1,440–€2,170
Splurge
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, Haute-Savoie, France
Food costs
€110–€170
Accommodation
€350–€550
Getting around
€40–€80
Activities
€100–€180
Miscellaneous
€25–€40
PER DAY
€625–€1,020
PER WEEK
€4,380–€7,140
Per person in July and August. Lift passes are the big variable — skip them and costs drop fast.
Splurge
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, Haute-Savoie, France
Food costs
€110–€170
Accommodation
€350–€550
Getting around
€40–€80
Activities
€100–€180
Miscellaneous
€25–€40
PER DAY
€625–€1,020
PER WEEK
€4,380–€7,140
Per person in July and August. Lift passes are the big variable — skip them and costs drop fast.
Splurge
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, Haute-Savoie, France
Food costs
€110–€170
Accommodation
€350–€550
Getting around
€40–€80
Activities
€100–€180
Miscellaneous
€25–€40
PER DAY
€625–€1,020
PER WEEK
€4,380–€7,140
Good to know
What to expect, what to avoid, and what nobody tells you before you go.
Reputation vs reality
Loved for
Mont Blanc, epic hikes, cable cars and cheesy mountain food.
Catches visitors off guard
How cold it is at altitude, sudden storms and how quickly lift tickets add up.
Common misconception
You don't need to be a mountaineer — there are easy balcony trails and lifts for every level.
Reputation vs reality
Loved for
Mont Blanc, epic hikes, cable cars and cheesy mountain food.
Catches visitors off guard
How cold it is at altitude, sudden storms and how quickly lift tickets add up.
Common misconception
You don't need to be a mountaineer — there are easy balcony trails and lifts for every level.
Watch out for
Altitude and weather
It can be freezing at the Aiguille du Midi in August. Bring layers, and check the forecast before going high.
Glacier dangers
Never walk onto a glacier without a guide — crevasses are hidden under snow, even in summer.
Early lift queues
On clear days the Aiguille du Midi queue can hit two hours. Book a time slot online.
Watch out for
Altitude and weather
It can be freezing at the Aiguille du Midi in August. Bring layers, and check the forecast before going high.
Glacier dangers
Never walk onto a glacier without a guide — crevasses are hidden under snow, even in summer.
Early lift queues
On clear days the Aiguille du Midi queue can hit two hours. Book a time slot online.
Common questions
How many days do I need?
Five to seven days gives you time for the big lifts, a couple of long hikes and a weather buffer.
How do I get there?
Fly to Geneva, then take a shared shuttle bus to Chamonix in about 75 minutes for €25–40.
Is the Multipass worth it?
Yes if you'll ride more than two or three lifts. It also covers the Montenvers train and the Brévent and Flégère lifts.
Can I visit Italy from here?
Yes. Buses run through the Mont Blanc Tunnel to Courmayeur in about 45 minutes, or take the Skyway via the Aiguille du Midi.
Common questions
How many days do I need?
Five to seven days gives you time for the big lifts, a couple of long hikes and a weather buffer.
How do I get there?
Fly to Geneva, then take a shared shuttle bus to Chamonix in about 75 minutes for €25–40.
Is the Multipass worth it?
Yes if you'll ride more than two or three lifts. It also covers the Montenvers train and the Brévent and Flégère lifts.
Can I visit Italy from here?
Yes. Buses run through the Mont Blanc Tunnel to Courmayeur in about 45 minutes, or take the Skyway via the Aiguille du Midi.
Money and payments
Currency
Euro (€). ATMs are easy to find in Chamonix but scarcer in the smaller villages.
Cards vs cash
Cards work almost everywhere, including lift ticket offices. Carry some cash for mountain huts and refuges.
Tipping
Not expected. Service is included; leave a few euros for great service or round up at cafés.
Tourist tax
€0.80–4.50 per person per night, added by your hotel. The guest card for free transport comes with it.
Money and payments
Currency
Euro (€). ATMs are easy to find in Chamonix but scarcer in the smaller villages.
Cards vs cash
Cards work almost everywhere, including lift ticket offices. Carry some cash for mountain huts and refuges.
Tipping
Not expected. Service is included; leave a few euros for great service or round up at cafés.
Tourist tax
€0.80–4.50 per person per night, added by your hotel. The guest card for free transport comes with it.
Ready to pick your next destination?
Browse every destination in the Passage catalogue and find the one that fits your trip.
Ready to pick your next destination?
Browse every destination in the Passage catalogue and find the one that fits your trip.
Ready to pick your next destination?
Browse every destination in the Passage catalogue and find the one that fits your trip.