Mont Blanc looms over everything here, and so does the history. Chamonix is the birthplace of alpinism: five separate ski areas, the mythical Vallée Blanche off-piste descent, and glacier skiing that never really stops.
Chamonix is a ski resort in France, in the French Alps. The village sits at 1035 m and the lifts top out at 3842 m, with 170 km of pistes and 49 lifts. Its BestSnowHotels snow score is 88/100, and the season usually runs Dec 14 → Apr 28.
How we score and classify resortsRun counts and piste kilometres are indicative. Green runs only exist in France, Spain, Andorra, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Japan, the United States, Morocco, Algeria, Lesotho, South Africa, Egypt, Canada, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and Chile; Italy, Austria, Switzerland and Germany start at blue. Indicative average snow depth near the top of the resort, in cm.
A handful of well-rated hotels in and around the resort. Pick one, then compare live prices across Booking, Expedia and Hotels.com.
Excellent · 2.7k reviews
Strong value for Chamonix, with a high guest rating that punches above its nightly price.
Guests rate this hotel as excellent (4.6/5 from 2,741 reviews). It sits about 5.1 km from the slopes. A mid-range option for Chamonix, with live nightly rates shown for your exact dates so you always see the best price.
Excellent · 1.8k reviews
Strong value for Chamonix, with a high guest rating that punches above its nightly price.
Great · 3.4k reviews
Moments from the lifts in Chamonix, so you can ski back to the door and skip the morning queues.
Excellent · 1.4k reviews
One of the highest-rated places to stay in Chamonix, with guests singling out the service and comfort.
Very good · 1.8k reviews
Moments from the lifts in Chamonix, so you can ski back to the door and skip the morning queues.
Great · 1.4k reviews
A long-standing favourite in Chamonix, trusted by thousands of guests before you.
Excellent · 542 reviews
Moments from the lifts in Chamonix, so you can ski back to the door and skip the morning queues.
Great · 1.4k reviews
Moments from the lifts in Chamonix, so you can ski back to the door and skip the morning queues.
Excellent · 509 reviews
One of the highest-rated places to stay in Chamonix, with guests singling out the service and comfort.
Very good · 558 reviews
Moments from the lifts in Chamonix, so you can ski back to the door and skip the morning queues.
Excellent · 357 reviews
Strong value for Chamonix, with a high guest rating that punches above its nightly price.
Excellent · 236 reviews
Strong value for Chamonix, with a high guest rating that punches above its nightly price.
Ratings from Google, prices indicative per night. Live availability and rates via our booking partners.
Genuine ski-in/ski-out is rare here. The five ski areas are spread across the valley and most hotels rely on the free ski-bus service.
This is a real town, not a ski station: trains, year-round life, mountaineering shops and bars full of guides. Beginners should know the pistes are scattered and steep, but anyone drawn to big alpine scenery and the Aiguille du Midi cable car will never forget it.
Hotels and apartments around the lifts. Compare prices on Booking, Expedia and Hotels.com.
Everything on our site connected to Chamonix: its area, the lists it makes, head-to-heads and trip guides.
Chamonix offers 170 km of pistes across 49 lifts, from 1035 m to 3842 m. Whether it suits beginners depends on the dedicated learner zones at the base of the slopes, so check the local ski-school options for green and blue run access.
The season runs from Dec 14 to Apr 28, with a snow score of 88/100. The best conditions are usually from late January through February, while spring skiing in March and April brings longer days and softer afternoons.
Genuine ski-in/ski-out is rare here. The five ski areas are spread across the valley and most hotels rely on the free ski-bus service.
Chamonix has 170 km of marked pistes served by 49 lifts, between 1035 m and 3842 m of altitude.
Chamonix counts about 70 marked runs in total. The colour breakdown above shows how they split by difficulty, a good guide to whether the resort fits your level.
The closest alternatives, an easy switch if dates or hotels are tight.
French Alps
French Alps
French Alps
French Alps
Resorts with a similar feel, snow record and size.
Northern Rockies
Canadian Rockies
Sierra Nevada (California)
Australian Alps