Help planning train travel Paris to Chamonix

Gosh, those timings are terrible! There must be some engineering works on the tracks. The 11 minute connection in Bellegarde is not a problem because the bus will most probably wait in case of a slight delay of the oncoming train from Lyon. It's the 63 minute wait in Saint Gervais that's annoying...

Does it have to be Lyon? Geneva would make for a more convenient stopover, and it is a lovely place to spend a few hours - Lyon would deserve longer anyway.

Thanks for your reply, and yes, we're open to any reasonable route/means. We intend to spend more time in Lyon after Chamonix (if, in fact, we can make it to Chamonix). Our trip is in September, btw, and I've looked at different days, but not seeing any good options. Not sure what to do.

Ok, then I suggest you spend the night in either Geneva or Annecy. They are both reached by direct TGV from Paris. There are OK train connections between either Geneva or Annecy and Chamonix, and also buses if trains fail you for some reason.

Thank you @balso. While we're still researching, it looks like a train from Paris to Annecy one day, then Annecy to Chamonix the next is our best bet. I appreciate your tip! So glad that there are direct trains to Annecy (still has stops, but no changes.) The train from Annecy to Chamonix still has 2 changes, and short interchange warnings, but hoping we'll be better equipped to handle those after relaxing in Annecy. Does this look feasible?

1 LEX L2
10:44 Annecy --> 11:19 La Roche-sur-Foron
5 minutes interchange
2 LEX L3
11:24 La Roche-sur-Foron --> 12:16 Saint-Gervais-les-Bains
12 minutes interchange
3 TER #18913
12:28 Saint-Gervais-les-Bains --> 13:13 Chamonix-Mont-Blanc

Thanks!

Would you consider also bus options? rome2rio.com shows could take train to Annecy, then there are 6 buses each day from Annecy to Chamonix on BlaBlaCar Bus. https://www.blablacar.fr/bus It shows the ride as taking only 1h10 and costing only 8 euro.

The train connections you show is feasible, and the bus option is a good one - I am happy to see that the bus schedule is back to a more useful frequency (it went down during covid which is why I did not recommend it!).

Sure, we'll consider the bus option, thank you both! Would we have to book in advance or would we be safe buying tickets at the station? Don't want to have to make an account or give out personal info. (DOB) for a bus ticket. I've never used BlaBlaCar Bus, so really appreciate any input/help.

I do not think you have any option to buy at the bus station - there are usually no offices, although I do not know the situation on the ground in Annecy, and I am pretty sure that BlaBlaBus only has digital tickets anyway.
You could create a "junk" email address for the purposes of buying such tickets.

Thanks, but after reading many reviews about BlaBlaBus (people being left stranded with no recourse), we'll be taking the train(s) from Annecy to Chamonix, (above). Can anyone pls confirm that we can buy tickets at the train station in Annecy? The trains are LEX and TER trains (commuter trains), so hoping we can just buy them at the station?
Thanks!

You can buy at the station, and the trains can't sell out.