Chamonix and Mont Blanc
霞慕尼与勃朗峰 · Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, France
A mountain town at the northern foot of Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Western Europe. The Aiguille du Midi cable car rises to 3,842 metres, and the Vallée Blanche off-piste run, the Mer de Glace and the valley trails offer the full range of high-mountain experiences, from sightseeing to climbing.
Know before you go
- Leaving marked routes on your own
- making loud noise in mountain huts and cable cars
This article is Not yet verified. Please check official announcements for prices, opening hours and dates.
Stories & people
Stories & people
History
Journeys that began at the Mer de Glace
Before the 18th century, travellers who came to Chamonix for pleasure were very rare. In 1741 a party of Englishmen including Richard Pococke and William Windham visited the Mer de Glace, and in 1744 they published the first account of a visit. Others followed, among them the Genevan P. Martel and the scholar Horace Bénédict de Saussure, and the valley gradually became a travel destination.
Source: Wikipedia: Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
History
The Compagnie des Guides
Founded in 1821 to regulate access to the mountains, the Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix held a monopoly on guiding in the town until the French government broke it in 1892. It then re-formed as an association of local guides, and in the 20th century many of its members became noted mountaineers; the novelist Roger Frison-Roche was the first member not born in Chamonix.
Source: Wikipedia: Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
Culture
Culture & customs
Background
Chamonix lies in an Alpine valley in the Haute-Savoie department of France, just north of Mont Blanc, bordering both Switzerland and Italy. The Aiguille du Midi cable car climbs to the 3,842-metre summit of the Aiguille du Midi; when it opened in 1955 it was the highest cable car in the world, and it is still the cable car with the greatest vertical ascent. From the top you can reach the Vallée Blanche off-piste run. The Montenvers cog railway runs to a viewpoint beside the Mer de Glace glacier. Chamonix is one of France's oldest ski resorts and a favourite of mountaineers, and it hosted the first Winter Olympics in 1924. As tourism grew in the early 19th century, the Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix was founded in 1821 to regulate access to the mountains. Since 2003 the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) has been held here every August.
Local customs
- Ride the Aiguille du Midi cable car for a view over the Mont Blanc massif and its glaciers
- take the Montenvers railway to see the Mer de Glace
- hike the valley trails, or browse the mountaineering shops in town.
Etiquette & taboos
Etiquette & taboos
Don’t DON'T
- Leaving marked routes on your own
- making loud noise in mountain huts and cable cars
Locals appreciate DO
- Know your limits in the high mountains
- stay on marked routes
- go onto glaciers and off-piste runs only with a certified mountain guide
- carry all your rubbish back down
Plan your visit
Practical info
Travel tips
- Weather at altitude changes fast, so bring windproof, warm clothing and sun protection. The summit of the Aiguille du Midi is very high
- if you feel dizzy or exhausted, head back down promptly. Cable cars may stop in strong wind, and operating seasons and opening hours are subject to the official announcements. Climbing and ski gear can be rented in town
- prices are subject to the official information and the shops. Trains run to Chamonix station
- the nearest airport is Geneva, about 88 km away, with shuttle buses to town. The town is walkable, and buses serve the cable car stations.
- Winter is the ski season, running from early winter into spring. Summer suits hiking and cable car sightseeing. Spring and autumn are low season, when some high-mountain facilities close in turn for maintenance, as officially announced.
Photos
Photos
Zairon · CC BY-SA 4.0
Alexandre Buisse · CC BY-SA 3.0
Sources & verification notes
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