Chamonix après Ski
Not only world famous for its terrain, Chamonix has renowned après ski too with a vibrant atmosphere to soak up after a day on the hill. Spend an evening at chic Le Privilege, sample the amazing cocktails at Clubhouse or enjoy tasty food and lively evenings at The Jekyll or Micro Brasserie. For serious culinary indulgence, there are some great fine-dining venues including Michelin starred Auberge du Bois and Albert 1er. Good Italian restaurants in Chamonix include l'Impossible and there are lots of places to enjoy traditional cuisine too, while the deserts at Patisserie Richard are perfect for those with a sweet tooth.
There are oodles of things to do on and off the snow for non-skiers. With Chamonix’s fantastic reputation for snowsports, you can try snow-kiting, speed-riding, ice-climbing, paragliding and snowshoeing. There are 17km of winter walking paths with great views of the Mont Blanc massif and with taxi skiing available even non-skiers can enjoy the pistes. Paintballing, ice skating, luging, tobogganing and husky rides are some other great outdoor activities on offer; inside there’s a casino, cinema, bowling alley and climbing wall. The leisure centre has a swimming pool, fun pool (with waterfall, rapids and a waterslide) and a wellness area with solarium, jacuzzi and sauna.
For a unique winter experience, take the famous Montenvers rack and pinion cog-railway from Chamonix to the bottom of the Mer de Glace (France’s largest glacier) and have a tour of the stunning Grotte de glace / Ice Cave – don’t forget your camera!
When is the best time to ski Chamonix?
Don’t be put off by the relatively low altitude of the resort itself because 90% of the pistes in the Chamonix valley have an altitude over 2,000m, providing skiable terrain from December through to May. Because of the varied terrain facing N, S, E & W, you can find good conditions whatever the weather or time of day. If it’s very windy or there’s lots of snow, Les Houches has some lovely sheltered tree-lined runs as well as over 120 snow cannons if a little extra coverage is needed. If its warm and wet, the Grands Montets is north-facing and high, so it holds the snow well into May most years.
When’s best to visit largely depends on what you want from your Chamonix ski holiday. We love it during Christmas, New Year and school holidays where the atmosphere is lively and infectious, but those prefering peace, quiet and less traffic on the piste might prefer quieter (and cheaper) dates in January or March.
Peak dates
You can enjoy a traditional white Christmas in Chamonix, where Father Christmas visits on ‘Le Train du Pere Noel’ as well as making a magical torch-lit appearance. Children will love the Christmas workshops and tasty treats while performances from the Chambelles choir, gospel choir and carol singers add to the festive atmosphere.
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Chamonix appears in lots of ‘top ten’ lists as a New Years Eve destination – and it’s no surprise why. New Years Eve in Chamonix is amazing thanks to the fantastic range of après ski venues. The atmosphere is buzzing and it’s hard to think of a better way to see in the New Year than in the presence of the Mont Blanc massif!
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A child-friendly ski destination, February half term in Chamonix will keep all ages entertained. With fantastic childcare services for little ones, craft workshops and snow-fun for all the family, it’s a great way to spend your week off.
Because of its high altitude terrain, a ski holiday in Chamonix at Easter combines great skiing and fun activities for all ages and abilities.
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