Chamonix

Chamonix is a wonderful, charming village. The main attraction is going to the top of the Aiguille de Midi (12,000’ ft up I believe) on Mont Blanc. I highly recommend it. STUNNING views. We’ve also rented bikes in town and did a day ride that was easy and fun. Then there’s great hiking, you can take a lift up and hike around and back down. Also, Chamonix has a fun summer luge. We’ve been to Chamonix twice and hope to go again this year. I recommend getting the RS France guide with very helpful info about Chamonix.

Going up to Aiguille du Midi on a day trip from Annecy I think is worth it.
https://www.chamonix.net/english/leisure/sightseeing/aiguille-du-midi

But you should make the decision the morning of based on the weather conditions.

Hi JR, we really liked Chamonix. We bought a combo ticket and took the cable car to the Aiguille du Midi (spectacular views), then rode the train to Montenvers to the Mer de Glace glacier. There are about 400 steps down to the ice cave where there are exhibits carved out of ice, very cool. Enjoyed the time we spent there and would love to return!

Thanks for sparking my interest in Chamonix

https://www.mywanderlustylife.com/chamonix-in-the-summer-travel-guide/

We are hoping to go to Chamonix, Annecy and visit CERN this September. CAn you make arrangements for the tram to the Aquile the day of, or is this something that needs to be arranged in advance. We will be in Annecy for several nights -- is it an easy day trip from there by public transport or do we need to stay in Chamonix? We were thinking of staying a couple of nights in Geneva to visit CERN.

Awesome - thanks for the replies - we will include it!

CAn you make arrangements for the tram to the Aquile the day of, or is this something that needs to be arranged in advance

You can buy a ticket to take the lift in advance but not sure if it rains you can get a refund. When it comes to mountain excursions most advise to make the decision to buy the ticket the day of to avoid the possibility of the summit being fogged in where you can't see any of the beauty in the distance. Hotels have webcams so you can see the current visibility.

Yours is an interesting question.

Interesting, in that it's backwards, in my opinion. Chamonix is obviously worth a visit, as others have noted. The question is whether Annecy would be worth a day trip from Chamonix. Some would argue yes, some no. Some, like me, would say maybe - if you have time and don't mind the traffic into town or the associated parking hassles.

As for Chamonix, if you have any interest at all in alpine geomorphology, absolutely go to Chamonix and take the téléphérique to Aiguille du Midi. If it's open, take the one from Aiguille du Midi to Helbronner in Italy. You'll see terrific alpine and glacial landforms as few have ever had the opportunity to see them. It's outstanding -- a milestone event in a life, if you have the interest. To get the most out of it, read up a bit on alpine glacial landforms ahead of time so you know what to look for and how to interpret what you see.

As mentioned above, take the short but scenic train ride from Chamonix to Mer de Glace glacier. The tunnel carved into the glacier provides visitors the rare opportunity to walk inside an alpine glacier, touch the ice, and see -- up close -- the gravel and bubbles of ancient air encased in the ice. It also provides a sobering testimony of climate change, as one descends steps past the signs showing the height of the glacier in years past; even the recent past.

If you have a personal interest in mountaineering or have friends who are involved in that pursuit, the Musée Alpin in Chamonix presents a fascinating history of how mountaineering developed in and around Chamonix, helping you imagine the hardship and risk those early mountaineers endured -- those who survived, at least.

Lastly, there are plenty of hiking trails and experiences such as the luge and tandem paragliding for the more adventurous. I also can recommend Restaurant Annapurna for pretty good (by French standards) Indian food.

In short, if I were making the trip I'd spend a few days in Chamonix and, if I had the time, make a day trip to Annecy.

Chamonix is worth it just for the cable car to L'Aiguille du Midi. Steep, exciting ride, and amazing views at the top.

“In short, if I were making the trip I'd spend a few days in Chamonix and, if I had the time, make a day trip to Annecy.”

Had to laugh when I read Sammy’s post. My BF and I just talked about this today. The better plan would be to base yourself in Chamonix. In Annecy we took a boat ride around the lake, a short walk around the very crowded town, and had lunch. There’s a lot more to do and see in the charming village of Chamonix!

Sammy, Donna and others who provided input - Would you say the same for a visit to Chamonix in mid-December vs. summer? We plan to go this year and stay 3 nights in Chamonix to give ourselves a better chance for good weather. We are not skiers, but hoping other activities are available at that time. Thanks.

Charmonix is quite beautiful. We loved it but some didn’t enjoy the altitude of the MIDI and left the top quickly. Expensive to just ride up and come right back down. Weather was crystal clear. Freeway detoured up into the mountains for a dramatic drive to there. Daughter was living in Grenoble which has much to see.