Things to do

There is a lot to choose from in Chamonix, but learn from our mistakes!

Restaurants

Bighorn

Attentive and always positive service, superb food and homemade desserts. Open non-stop without any breaks and also extremely close by. No-brainer and our no. 1 choice

Poco Loco

The most famous burgers in the town. Extremely tiny and cozy place offering only burgers and crepes, but very worth visiting. The burgers are very unique and far from what you have ever seen. It's also budget-friendly

Elevation 1904

Iconic place in Chamonix, centrally located and with an amazing view. It may not have the best food in town, but come by and you'll see why it's always busy. Also good for a drink at night

Little Boxes

Little place with delicious pizza and burders, pluse welcoming service. Not expensive and close by.

L'Hydromel

Simple, but tasty food, reasonable prices, spacy interior with a good view and a wide selection of.... hydromel.

The Dainty Pizza

It might not be the most conventional pizza, and if you're Italian you may want to skip, but it's worth trying for creativity. Pickup/order possible.

Cafés

Aux Petits Gourmands

Our usual choice for breakfast or coffee. Amazing selection of desserts and French classics for breakfast. You can either enjoy silence inside or choose one of the places outside in the busy Rue du Paccard, with a stunning view on the Mont Blanc range

Moody Coffee Roasters

Some say it has the best coffee in town. But it is focused on the coffee and very tiny otherwise. L'alt next to it is a good option for breakfast/brunch

Shoukâ Chamonix

Specialty coffee, coffee accessories and numerous dessert options, plus tons of space inside. It easily gets packed, though.

Café Bluebird Chamonix

Tiny cute spot, good for a quick breakfast or to grab a coffee to go. Not many indoor seating places, but many outdoors. Reasonable prices

Attractions

Aiguille du Midi

There is nothing like Aiguille du Midi. Magnificent, steep, rocky tower reaching over 3800m, that anywhere else would be an elusive climbing goal, but in Chamonix you can get there with a cable car. Already the station is impressive, with the 360 degrees panorama, step in the void and the famous bridge. Now the views all around the valley, including the iconic Mont Blanc, are just to die for. It's also where many climbers and skiers start their extreme trips. NOTE: It gets really cold up there and it is worth checking the webcams to make sure that the upper station is not in the clouds. Reservations are possible to avoid the queues in high season.

Le Brévent

Anywhere else Brevent would be a top attraction by itself. But not in Chamonix, where it stays in the shadows of the famous Aiguille du Midi. Still, even though it is less popular, the views from the top are stunning as it offers a very different perspective on the Mont Blanc range than the Aiguille du Midi. Very worth making a good use of the daily ticket and visiting it as well. The top part of the summit is a famous wingsuit exit and also a popular and spectacular climbing wall. Not rare to see high-liners there too. There are multiple easy hikes possible in the region during summer

Activities

Hiking

Hiking is one of the best options to really feel the atmosphere of the valley. Not only you can enjoy the views for hours undisturbed, but also spot wild animals and stay close to the nature. Exploring the valley is easy with numerous official hiking trails, which are both well described online as well as well marked with paint and signs

Skiing

There are many reasons why Chamonix is often mentioned among the top locations for skiing. Numerous glaciers and being placed at relativeluy high altitude for sure helps to keep the snow around. Where Chamonix really shines is in all the countless freeride and skitouring options that are easily accessible with all the infrastructure. However, be sure that you have the skills and equipment neeeded to explore these big mountains. If you don't, take a guide. It's not shameful and can make your trip not only safer, but much more complete and fun

Paragliding

Paragliding is a spectacular, yet accessible sport for all, regardless age and fitness level. Chamonix is among the best places to do it. It is both exciting to try and also a great way to have a better look at the valley, from the top! It is also extremely safe and the local pilots are the world's best. You can take a short tandem flight from Brevent, Aiguille du Midi or even start your own course/p>