Things to do in Chamonix

Chamonix sits in France at the foot of Mont Blanc, roughly 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes from Geneva by car, bus or direct shuttle — there is no direct train. It means crossing the Franco-Swiss border, so carry ID even though both countries are in the Schengen Area; spot checks happen on either side.

The valley is the base for the Aiguille du Midi cable car and the Mer de Glace glacier, each covered on its own page, plus hiking in summer and skiing in winter. There is no guaranteed view of Mont Blanc from the town centre in any weather, cloud regularly hides the summit, and altitude weather can undo a day trip planned weeks ahead.

July and August bring heavy crowds and, without booking cable car tickets in advance, a same-day round trip to the Aiguille du Midi is not realistic.