FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

An independent review from Marie d'Oysonville

FAQ > Weather

In January 07 - January 31, when you are planning to travel, the average high temperature is 29.5 oF and the average low temperature is 19 oF.

FAQ > Who Should Go?

Chamonix is a great destination for solos. Go hit the town on Friday and Saturday night, and you will have no difficulties finding someone to hang around with. Most of the people in Chamonix are very friendly and if your neighbors haven’t invited you to their table yet, feel free to ask. During the winter, the bars and restaurants are packed almost day and night. An easy way to meet people is to sign up for an excursion or any other kind of group activity.

Romantic partners welcome? Of course, especially if you consider an exciting off-piste trip to the Vallée Blanche or a big cheese and wine party in a mountain restaurant at 3,842 meters/12,636 feet high to be romantic adventures. But don’t look for discreet hidden corners, as you won’t find them (except perhaps on untouched off-piste). You can still have 20 minutes alone on the Aiguille du Midi cable car where the scenery is breathtaking; this definitely the place for a declaration.

If you prefer Chamonix to Venice, remember that the winter is quite cold. It’s best to enjoy the sun in the late season, unless you really want a perfect ski. The solution could also be found during the beautiful and quiet summer if you enjoy hiking and mountain climbing—but it’s not the time for skiers.

Chamonix is the place to go for group of friends. It’s at its the best during the regular and spring seasons, when you can alternate intensive skiing with discussions under the sun on mountain terraces. Winter and early season are more for people who appreciate sport and challenge than friends’ company; the days are shorter and atmosphere less exciting.

FAQ > Accommodations

There are 55,000 guest beds in the Chamonix valley, with over 60 hotels to choose from. You also can find 17 gites (€18 to €23/$16 to $20 per night) and seven tourist residences. At last, you can rent apartments and chalets by the week or for the whole season (from €213/$200 per week). Even if France is an expensive country in Europe and Chamonix more expensive than other little resorts, prices are still affordable, especially for the US dollar.

Most of the visitors use the good-standing hotels that dominate in the area around the station. Fortunately, there are no narrow apartment complexes like in Tignes or in a lot of modern and popular resorts. Hotels are often old chalets or houses that have been modernized to offer all the contemporary facilities.

There are four-star hotels like the Auberge du Bois Prin, a magnificent chalet savoyard in front of the Mont Blanc massif, with a sauna, Jacuzzis, and delicious French food (from €119-203 /$110 to $190). There are 20 three-star hotels like the beautiful chalet hotel Hermitage (from €71-€120 FF/$66 to $112), or the Hotel de la Vallée Blanche, right in the center of the town (from €28 to €48/$25 to $42). The 28 two-star hotels offer a good quality/price relation, with a warm mountain atmosphere (from €23 to €38/$20 to $33).

The distance from the slopes depends on which hotel you have chosen, but there are buses everywhere. Because of the valley disposition in little resorts, there’s no real “middle of nowhere.” If you want to stay near the nightlife downtown, choose a hotel in Chamonix itself. If you prefer a peaceful and quiet place, the villages of Argentière or La Flégère are very nice.

FAQ > Travel Time

Getting to Chamonix is actually easier than it seems at first glance. The town lies only 16 kilometers (10 miles) from Switzerland, the closest airport is Geneva-Cointrin, located 88 kilometers (55 miles) to the northwest.

If you’re coming with your family, then the best way to escape from the hassle of going to the resort by bus is to rent a car. It usually takes an hour to leave the airport after the plane has landed. The drive to Chamonix is between one and one-and-a-half hours, depending on the traffic. There are signs everywhere, so it shouldn’t be a problem to find your way to the AutoRoute Blanche (motorway) that will take you directly to Chamonix.

For just one extra mile, you can do the same from the French airport of Annecy-Meythet. You can also arrive at the International airport of Lyon, but then driving to Chamonix will take at least twice the time that from the other airports, as it is 225 kilometers (about 150 miles) to the southwest. Unless you really want to visit Lyon, avoid the town, because it is very easy to get lost, and at rush hours the traffic becomes really bad.

If you can’t afford to rent a car, no need to worry—there are daily bus transfers from the airports to the skiing resorts. Cab rides are available, but they can cost a fortune, so it’s probably not the best option given the distance to cover.

Coming from Paris, it will be cheaper to reach Chamonix by train than by plane. The journey is approximately five-and-a-half hours on the TGV. There are five departures per day, and on Friday evenings and weekends, you can also take the direct TGV Snow Special. The SNCF (the French railroad company) offers many discounts, so go ahead and ask the cashier about them. Also, the further in advance you book, the cheaper rate you get. Car rentals and buses are available at the railway station in Chamonix, so getting to your accommodation will be a piece of cake.

By road, you have to take the A40 or A41 motorways and from Paris; it should take between eight and nine hours to reach Chamonix. If you happen to understand French, turn on the radio on 107.7 to get traffic information. Getting there by car is probably not the best solution though, because gas is pretty pricey and tolls are costly too. If you’re driving on your own, not only will your journey be longer and more tiring than if you had taken the train, but it will be more expensive too.

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