Chamonix is a town with a dual identity. Like the icy North face of the Massif, it sometimes has an air of cold beauty about it. But get to know the locals and their way of life, and you’ll soon discover the warmth of the South face. Embark on a journey of discovery of this enchanting place on a holiday in a chalet in Chamonix.
Arriving at this ski resort means setting foot in the fascinating, other-worldly universe of the French Alps. Scientific experiments, pioneering endeavours and ancient legends: this place is steeped in the history of the mountains, and the evolution of Alpine exploration.
The streets of Chamonix are dotted with beautiful chalets and alive with a constant hustle and bustle: a race, a live concert, people flocking back from the slopes. On these pavements you’ll hear every possible language, see every possible type of face, and all of them drawn here by the lure of one thing, the object of all attentions. You meet it at every street corner: Mont Blanc, 4810 metres of rock, snow, ice and dreams. The highest summit in Western Europe, and a rallying point for travellers from all over the globe.
With its 5 ski resorts, Grands Montets, Les Houches, Balme, La Flegere and Le Brevent, Chamonix Mont-Blanc is the perfect destination for ski holidays for all winter sports enthusiasts.
In Chamonix, the locals have a saying: “whatever the glacier takes, it will give back one day.” Although often associated with mountain tragedies, this proverb doesn’t have to be negative. We can also choose to see it as a source of hope, an inspiration to all those who raise their eyes, peer up at those lofty peaks and dare to dream. The mountains have sculpted men in their own image: stocky figures, piercing eyes, sun-weathered faces and hands as solid as blocks of glacier ice. The life of a Chamoniard is inextricably tied to the mountain, and his eyes are always turned skywards. The locals know the mountain like their own backyard, and have spent decades making it accessible to all, with the Montenvers train, the ice caves, the hiking trails and the Aiguille du Midi cable car. In these extraordinary natural surroundings, time stands still and your breath is snatched away as you admire the spectacular views of the mountains. The panorama is lined with peaks, like clouds rolling in over the horizon: the Glacier des Bossons, Mont Blanc, l’Aiguille Verte, Les Drus and Les Aiguilles de Chamonix. Up above the ice cliffs and glaciers, eyes wide open, you learn to live and breathe to the rhythm of these magnificent mountains. When you leave the Chamonix valley you always leave a part of you behind, borne aloft by the clouds over Mont Blanc, wandering from peak to peak.
Don’t wait any longer to get lost in this wonderful, almost mystical world. Imagine your ideal family holiday or getaway with a group of friends in a Chamonix chalet rental and let’s bring this dream to life.