Rainy Days in Chamonix

Check the webcams to see what the weather is like at the top in the morning. Rainy
in town does not automatically imply rainy (or snowy) at the top. Don't forget to dress
warmly if you do go up.

I agree the Mer de Glace is doable, with the extended gondola the walk to the cave is
not bad.

I don't remember all that much to do in Vallorcine, another option might be to take the
train towards Saint-Gervais and perhaps go up one of the trams in that area. Or,
take the bus through the tunnel to Courmayeur, the weather could be different on
the Italian side.

Stop at the tourist office today and see what activities might be going on. It's kind of
the in-between winter/summer time of year so not sure exactly what's available.

Hi Matt,
I agree about the webcams. Also, consider going up if you have the tickets and the lifts are running - even if it's raining. The gift shop and the cafe were nicer than average and the people that worked there were really nice !
If you are there on a Saturday, which is unlikely when I read your post, but their market is not to be missed! We planned our next visit around being there on a Saturday so we could visit the market, again!
If you decide that you want to stay in Chamonix, my family really enjoyed the SuperU grocery stores! There are at least 2 locations in Chamonix. It was "super" -yes, a pun- looking and buying all things French that we simply have not seen where we live in the states. I don't know what your accommodations are like but we had an apartment so went back and made an afternoon of snacking and preparing foods we weren't very familiar with. And, they have a couple charming (!!) bookstores. My daughter is an author and loves all books. I got to see an array of shops throughout our Alps adventure. There was a particular one in Chamonix that had an extensive Little Prince section and a unique gift area where the books were all offered in several languages but they all highlighted the Mont Blanc region and what it had to offer (foods, wildlife, etc.) My son loved all the marmots around so finding him a calendar featuring the marmots of Chamonix was so fun!

Also, 2 of us went to the gem museum and thoroughly enjoyed it!!

Also, I don't know how crowded it is in Cham right now, but usually there are openings on
the Aiguille du Midi as the day goes on. So if the weather improves, you may be able to
walk on in the afternoon. Or, take your tickets to the little ticket office in the plaza (not
in the main gondola building) and see if you can rebook your existing tickets for the
afternoon if the weather in the morning is bad.

On my RS Alpine Europe My Way tour in early June Chamonix was the last stop. Our forecast was also for rain but sometimes the sun still came out!
I went for a drizzly morning walk along the pretty Arve River- very level forested path - apparently you can go to Les Praz and get a coffee before circling back.
Those in the group with tickets went ahead up the mountain anyway.
I enjoyed the small gem museum and also, the skies cleared, the view was jaw dropping and I watched the hang gliders soaring around the church. It's a perfect place to just sit and people/mountain watch!
This is maybe too long for a day trip. but it's only a couple hours by (very pleasant) bus to Lyon, if it really is constant rain.

the skies cleared, the view was jaw dropping and I watched the hang gliders soaring around the church.

2 of my adult children did the hang gliding in Chamonix! They felt it was an incredible experience! We were also on the RS my way Alpine tour and several other members did hang gliding experiences but chose to do so in the Lauterbrunnen Valley instead of Chamonix. My 2 were so glad they waited because it was less crowded and they loved the setting featuring Mont Blanc.

QC thermes spa in Chamonix is excellent for a rainy day but maybe not what they want...

If you have a car, drive to St Gervais or Megève, walk around the cities maybe some farmers market there

Drive to Annecy and visit the old town or some casltes (Annecy/Menthon St Bernard or Montrottier)

Drive the scenic drive to Annecy https://www.taxi-massingy.com/en/scenic-route-from-annecy-to-chamonix/ and stop at Resistance Museum in Thônes