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Days out · Chamonix valley · Haute-Savoie

Things to do in Chamonix: ideas for rain, sun and snow

What to do in Chamonix depends first on the weather: clear skies to go up high, an indoor venue when it rains, snow for skiing or snowshoeing. The 7-day forecast below helps you choose; each idea links to its official source, checked on 9 October 2026.

In short. Chamonix’s must-sees are the Aiguille du Midi (3,842 m), the Montenvers train and the Mer de Glace, and Le Brévent facing Mont Blanc. On rainy days: the Musée du Mont-Blanc, the Crystal Museum, the pool and ice rink at the Richard Bozon centre, or the cinema. In summer, Lac Blanc and the balcony trails; in winter, skiing, snowshoeing and, with a guide, the Vallée Blanche. Lifts close between seasons: check their live status.

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Views of Chamonix

Operators’ images
A day at your own pace
01

Chamonix must-sees

The big sights are for clear days: up high, a single cloud can hide the view. Check the summit webcam before buying a ticket, and the lift status, as lifts close between seasons.

Aiguille du Midi

The cable car climbs from Chamonix to 3,842 m, stopping at Plan de l’Aiguille (2,310 m). At the top, “Step into the Void” is a glass box above a 1,000 m drop. It runs weather permitting; children under 3 are not allowed and it is not recommended under 5.

Montenvers and the Mer de Glace

A rack railway climbs to 1,913 m, above the Mer de Glace. A gondola, in service since 2024, then goes down towards the ice cave, carved out every year; some steps remain on foot. Allow 2 to 3 hours; the cave is not wheelchair accessible.

Le Brévent

The Planpraz gondola (2,000 m) and then the Brévent cable car (2,525 m) climb the side of the valley facing Mont Blanc, facing the Mont Blanc massif. Planpraz is also where tandem paragliding flights take off.

Panoramic Mont-Blanc

In summer only, this gondola links the Aiguille du Midi with Pointe Helbronner (3,466 m) in Italy, above the glaciers. According to the tourist office, booking is free and mandatory.

Live lift status (French)
02

Things to do in Chamonix when it rains

Rain in the valley is often snow up high, and the lifts may close. Several indoor venues are open for much of the year; the tourist office keeps an up-to-date list.

Musée du Mont-Blanc

The former Alpine Museum, closed for works since 2021, reopened on 11 July 2026 under this name: mountain culture in three themes, adaptations, exploits and landscapes. Free for under-18s.

Crystal Museum – Espace Tairraz

In the centre of Chamonix, crystals from the Mont Blanc massif and around the world. Free for under-18s, with activities from age 6.

Pool, ice rink and climbing at Richard Bozon

The sports centre has an indoor pool (25 m pool, 130 m slide, hammam and saunas), an indoor ice rink open all year and a bouldering wall from age 6, with an adult up to 14.

Cinema, spas and games

The Vox cinema (3 screens, films in French and in the original language with subtitles), the valley’s spas, including QC Terme with its outdoor pool facing Mont Blanc, laser tag, paintball or indoor golf. In Les Houches, the Mont-Blanc Escalade climbing gym.

Bad-weather ideas (tourist office, French)
03

On sunny days: lakes and hikes

The classic hikes start from the top of the lifts: check they are running, and the snow, which covers high trails until the end of June.

Lac Blanc

About 2 hours’ walk from the top of the Flégère gondola (1,894 m). The route from Tré-le-Champ is technical and exposed. Swimming is prohibited by prefectoral order, as at the Chéserys lakes.

Grand Balcon Sud

From La Flégère to Planpraz, 5.5 km and about 2 hours on the Tour du Mont Blanc, facing the massif.

Grand Balcon Nord

From Plan de l’Aiguille (2,310 m) to Montenvers (1,913 m), 2 h 30 to 3 h for intermediate hikers.

Lacs des Chéserys

From Argentière: 9.6 km, 900 m of ascent, about 5 hours there and back.

Lac Blanc (tourist office)
04

Summer activities

Guided activities are booked with local providers; the weather often decides the day.

Tandem paragliding

Take-off at the top of the Planpraz gondola, about 1,000 m above the valley.

Rafting on the Arve

A class III glacial river, 8 km between Chamonix and Les Houches, with partner companies.

Via ferrata des Évettes

20 minutes’ walk from the top of La Flégère: graded AD, 150 m of ascent, about 1 h 30.

Mountain biking and the Tour du Mont Blanc

Downhill trails at Balme and Le Prarion from mid-June to early September, depending on the lifts. The Tour du Mont Blanc (about 170 km, around ten days) starts in Les Houches.

05

When it snows: winter in Chamonix

The valley has several ski areas: Le Brévent and La Flégère, Les Grands Montets, Balme (Le Tour – Vallorcine) and Les Houches. At Les Grands Montets, the Compagnie du Mont-Blanc announces a new Argentière – Lognan cable car for December 2026 and access to the summit for winter 2027-28.

Vallée Blanche

More than 20 km of off-piste skiing on a glacier, neither marked nor secured, usually from January to April, returning on the Montenvers train. The tourist office strongly recommends a mountain guide and says you must be comfortable on red runs, with transceiver, shovel, probe and harness.

Snowshoeing

Marked trails at L’Index, Montenvers, Le Petit Prarion, Les Posettes or the Bossons glacier.

Dog sledding and ice skating

Dog-sled rides with Huskydalen; indoor ice rink at Richard Bozon, outdoor rinks in winter in Chamonix and Les Houches.

Chamonix weather and snow forecast
06

With children

Several outings on the valley floor, with no lift, suit children.

Lac des Gaillands

A free climbing site at 1,015 m (April to November, depending on conditions), an adventure course, fishing, a picnic area and a playground.

Paradis des Praz and Bois du Bouchet

A stream, horses and play areas at Les Praz; easy walks, suitable for all-terrain pushchairs, in the Bois du Bouchet.

Parc de Merlet

An animal park at 1,500 m in Les Houches (chamois, ibex, marmots). Its website announces it is closed for works all summer 2027 and reopens on 1 May 2028.

Leisure and family (tourist office)
07

Getting around the valley

The guest card (carte d’hôte), given by your accommodation, gives free travel on the Mont-Blanc Express train between Servoz and Vallorcine and discounts on Chamonix Mobilité bus passes of 2 days or more, at museums and at the Richard Bozon centre. It does not make buses free.

The guest card (tourist office)
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Choose with the webcams

Before going up, the Aiguille du Midi webcam shows whether the summit is in cloud; the valley webcams show rain or snow. An image does not tell you whether a lift is open: the official status is live on the tourist office website.

Aiguille du Midi webcam
Your questions

Before you go

What is there to do in Chamonix?

On clear days, the Aiguille du Midi, Montenvers and the Mer de Glace, Le Brévent, Lac Blanc or the balcony trails. In bad weather, the Musée du Mont-Blanc, the Crystal Museum, the pool and ice rink at Richard Bozon or the cinema. In winter, skiing, snowshoeing and dog sledding.

What can you do in Chamonix when it rains?

Visit the Musée du Mont-Blanc or the Crystal Museum (free for under-18s), go to the pool, ice rink or climbing wall at Richard Bozon, the Vox cinema or a spa. The tourist office publishes an up-to-date list of bad-weather ideas.

Can children go up the Aiguille du Midi?

The cable car is not allowed for children under 3 and not recommended under 5, because of the altitude (3,842 m). It only runs when the weather allows.

Do you need a guide for the Vallée Blanche?

It is not compulsory, but the tourist office strongly recommends one: the route is neither marked nor secured, on a crevassed glacier. You must be comfortable on red runs and carry a transceiver, shovel, probe and harness.

Are buses free with the guest card?

No. The guest card gives free train travel between Servoz and Vallorcine and discounts on Chamonix Mobilité bus passes of 2 days or more.

Can you swim in Lac Blanc?

No. Swimming is prohibited by prefectoral order at Lac Blanc and the Chéserys lakes.

Sources and method

Text of this page last revised on . This date says nothing about how recent the images or data are: the webcams are supplied by the credited operators and their timestamp shows when the image was taken; model forecasts and official reports are separate pieces of information, each with its own time.

All webcams
Webcams

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc webcams (valley, Brévent, Flégère, Grands Montets, Aiguille du Midi) with the 7-day forecast for the village and the Grands Montets.

Open the page Summits

Aiguille du Midi

The view from the Aiguille du Midi (3,842 m) and the forecast at that altitude, compared with Chamonix (1,035 m). Visits and cable car: official sources.

Open the page Resort page

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc

7-day forecast, access and practical information for planning a visit to Chamonix-Mont-Blanc.

Open the page Summits

Mont Blanc

Views of Mont Blanc on webcam from Chamonix, Saint-Gervais, Megève and the Goûter hut, the best viewpoints (Aiguille du Midi, Brévent, Lac Blanc, Mont Joly) and the summit weather (about 4,806 m).

Open the page Webcams

Les Houches

Les Houches webcams (village, Prarion, Bellevue) and the 7-day weather forecast for the village and the Prarion, the same as on the resort page.

Open the page
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