Chamonix Travel Guide 2026: Ski Passes, Aiguille du Midi

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc sits at about 1,000 metres in a narrow valley in Haute-Savoie, with Mont Blanc, the highest summit in the Alps, on one side and the Aiguilles Rouges on the other. It hosted the first Winter Olympics in 1924, and it is still a mountaineering town first: the ski areas are spread along the valley rather than linked, and the most famous runs are off-piste. Prices, dates and fares below were checked on 29 October 2026.

When is the best time to visit Chamonix?

January to March is the core ski season, with the most reliable snow on the high areas. July to September is for hiking and the high cable cars in their summer timetables. November and early December are quiet: many lifts are closed for maintenance and the main ski areas open from mid-December.

Figures are Météo-France 1981-2010 normals for the Chamonix station at 1,042 metres. The town gets around 1,280 mm of precipitation a year, and on about 7 days in January and 8 in December the temperature stays below freezing all day. At the Aiguille du Midi, nearly 2,800 metres higher, it is much colder and windier. Our guides to thermal base layers, heated gloves, packable down jackets and winter boots cover what to pack.

How much does skiing in Chamonix cost in 2026/27?

The Compagnie du Mont-Blanc runs the Chamonix ski areas (Brévent-Flégère, Grands Montets and Balme above Le Tour and Vallorcine) plus Les Houches and the excursion sites. There are two main passes.

• Day passes: the operator had not published 2026/27 day and multi-day prices on 29 October 2026. Buy online once they appear: the Compagnie du Mont-Blanc says online prices are its lowest.
• MONT-BLANC RapidCard: a pay-as-you-go card billed after each visit, where every seventh ski day or visit is free. It suits people who ski a few scattered days.
• Ikon Pass and Mountain Collective: both list Chamonix as a partner resort, so check your pass’s day allowance before buying a local one.
• Your lift pass is also a bus pass: Chamonix Mobilité lists eligible ski passes as valid on the valley buses at no extra cost.

The big change this winter is at the Grands Montets above Argentière. The mid-station burned down in 2018, and the summit has been reachable only by ski touring since. The Compagnie du Mont-Blanc says the new 10-person gondola from Argentière to Lognan opens for the 2026 Christmas break, and the second stage, a 3S lift from Lognan to the summit at over 3,000 metres, is planned for winter 2027-2028.

Chamonix is not a cheap ski trip. For lower lift prices, compare our cheapest ski resorts in Europe, and read ski gear to buy before you rent before paying resort rental rates.

Where should you stay in Chamonix?

The ski areas are spread along the valley rather than linked, so pick your base by the area you will use most.

Rooms in central Chamonix sell out first for Christmas, New Year and the February holidays. Compare Chamonix hotel prices for your dates before you settle on an area.

How do you get to Chamonix and around the valley?

Geneva is the nearest big airport, and the valley has its own train line and bus network.

France is in the Schengen area, so the Schengen 90/180-day rule applies, and the EU Entry/Exit System registers non-EU travellers at the external border. If you fly into Geneva and cross into France by road, you are moving within Schengen. For rail across the rest of the country, see our France trains guide.

What should you not miss in Chamonix?

• Aiguille du Midi season: the summer season ran to 1 November 2026, then the cable car closes for maintenance. The winter reopening date had not been published on 29 October 2026; check the Compagnie du Mont-Blanc opening page before you plan around it.
• Montenvers: a new gondola, opened in February 2024, with 16 cabins of 10 seats, carries visitors from the station down towards the glacier and, the operator says, considerably reduces the walking time.
• Prices are from the operator’s online shop on 29 October 2026 and include seasonal offers, so expect them to change for the winter.

What about the Vallée Blanche?

The Vallée Blanche is an unmarked, unpatrolled high-mountain off-piste descent from the top of the Aiguille du Midi towards Chamonix, with crevasses and avalanche risk. Do it only with a qualified mountain guide. The Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix listing on Chamonix Tourism gives these facts:

• The route: about 23 km and 2,000 metres of descent across the glacier.
• Who can go: skiers aged 15 and over who can control their speed and make controlled turns on ungroomed red-run terrain.
• Season: daily from 25 January to 4 May, subject to snow and weather.
• Price: a place in a group from €155 per person; private guiding was listed at €390 for one or two people in 2025. The guide provides a harness and avalanche transceiver and reserves your Aiguille du Midi cable car seats; skis, lift tickets and lunch are extra.

What day trips can you take from Chamonix?

• Zermatt, Switzerland: a long trip by rail via Martigny and Visp, better as a separate stay than a day out. Combine the two on one Alpine trip if you have a week or more.
• Courmayeur, Italy: through the Mont Blanc Tunnel by road; the MONT-BLANC Unlimited pass covers the Courmayeur ski area.
• Geneva: if you fly in, an evening or a night in Geneva before or after the mountains is easy. See our Switzerland travel guide for the wider country.

What can go wrong in Chamonix?

• Wind and cloud close the high lifts. The Aiguille du Midi and the top of the ski areas shut in strong wind or poor visibility. Keep a lower-altitude plan and check the live status before you set off.
• Avalanche risk off the pistes. Météo-France publishes avalanche risk bulletins for the mountain massifs in winter. Read the day’s bulletin, and never leave the marked pistes without a guide, transceiver, shovel and probe.
• Altitude. At 3,842 metres some people get headaches or feel short of breath. Go up slowly and come down if you feel unwell.
• Early-season gaps. Lifts close for maintenance in November, and the opening dates for each area depend on snow. Do not book a December ski week on the assumption that everything will be running.
• Saturday traffic. Changeover day brings queues on the roads from Geneva; leave extra time for flights.

How many days do you need in Chamonix?

Two days covers the Aiguille du Midi and the Montenvers train to the Mer de Glace, if the weather is kind. A ski trip needs five to seven days to rotate between Brévent-Flégère, the Grands Montets and Balme, with a spare day for closures. For the rest of the country, start with our France travel guide, and for wider ski planning, the ski travel guide.

Sources

Climate figures are Météo-France 1981-2010 normals for the Chamonix station. Pass prices, the Grands Montets and Montenvers projects, and Aiguille du Midi and Montenvers fares come from the Compagnie du Mont-Blanc; transport, the guest card and the Vallée Blanche listing from Chamonix Tourism; bus fares from Chamonix Mobilité; avalanche bulletins from Météo-France. The shared shuttle price is from Mountain Drop Offs. All were read on 29 October 2026; the full list is in the sources box on this page.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get from Geneva airport to Chamonix?

By road it takes about an hour, according to Chamonix Tourism, which lists shuttle and transfer firms such as Mountain Drop Offs, Cham Express, Alp Taxi and Reference Transfer. Mountain Drop Offs advertised shared transfers from Geneva from around €45.50 in October 2026. By rail, the Léman Express serves Saint-Gervais-Le Fayet, where the Mont-Blanc Express continues to Chamonix; it is slower and needs changes, so check SNCF times for your date.

How much does the Aiguille du Midi cost?

The Compagnie du Mont-Blanc online shop listed a Chamonix to Aiguille du Midi return ticket with a time-slot reservation at €60.20 to €83.00 on 29 October 2026, with the price depending on the date. The top station sits at 3,842 metres. The MONT-BLANC Unlimited pass includes the Aiguille du Midi, so skiers who hold one do not need a separate ticket.

When does the ski season start in Chamonix in 2026/27?

The Compagnie du Mont-Blanc says the new 10-person gondola from Argentière to Lognan, the first stage of the rebuilt Grands Montets area, opens for the 2026 Christmas break. Exact opening dates for each Chamonix ski area had not been published on 29 October 2026, so check the operator’s opening page before you book a December trip. The guided Vallée Blanche descent runs from 25 January to 4 May.

What does the Chamonix guest card include?

The carte d’hôte comes from your accommodation on arrival. Chamonix Tourism says it gives free travel on the SNCF train between Servoz and Vallorcine, and the 2025-26 winter flyer lists up to 50% off valley buses plus reduced rates at the pool, ice rink and museums. Guests staying with friends or family can buy it at a tourist office for €10 per person per week.

What is the weather like in Chamonix in winter?

Cold, with frost almost every night. Météo-France normals for the Chamonix station at 1,042 metres give January an average high of 2.7°C and a low of -7.1°C, with frost on about 29 nights. December averages 2.6°C by day and -5.7°C at night, and it is the wettest winter month with about 110 mm of precipitation. The high lifts are far colder.

How many days do you need in Chamonix?

Allow four to seven days. Two days covers the Aiguille du Midi and the Montenvers train to the Mer de Glace, weather permitting. A ski week lets you rotate between Brévent-Flégère, Grands Montets and Balme as the weather changes, and keep a spare day for a closure caused by wind or cloud.

Start planning your Chamonix trip

Geneva is the gateway: compare flights there first, then lock in a room, since central Chamonix fills early for the holidays and February.

Find cheap flights to Geneva | Compare Chamonix hotel prices

Planning the wider trip? See our France travel guide, the Zermatt guide and the hotels hub.