Time in Chamonix + Day-Trips from Paris?

We were in Chamonix for two nights last September, and while we loved it I did not feel we needed more time. With our day, we took the gondola to Aguille du Midi, and then on the way back down, we stayed half way up for a short hike and a fabulous lunch at the "hut" where we had the best omelet ever. The mountains vistas are wonderful, but we were fortunate to be there on a clear day.

You have two things working against you on this trip: time and the Bastille Day traffic back to Paris on Sunday the 16th. So you need to think about that for any day trip. In reality you have 4 nights if the 16th is the day you leave, or 5 if it's the 17th. Is it possible to fly rt Geneva instead of Paris and spend your time in Chamonix, Annecy, and Lausanne or Geneva. Otherwise, flying to Geneva via Paris is a good idea if it's all on one itinerary. You may have some hiccups with such a tight schedule, but if it's all ticketed as one itinerary, you'll be ok.

Depending on what you want to do there, there is plenty to fill your time in Chamonix. We've spent as little as 3 nights there and as long as 8 nights. If you like to hike or engage in any kind of outdoor adventure sport there is TONS to do. Of course there's the Aguille du Midi which is good for 1/2 a day if you just go up and back. If you like to ice hike with crampons you can hire a guide and go out of the main station at the very top across the ice fields - it's quite stunning! There are also several small lakes that are an easy hike from the next to the last station from the top....the trails that run out north from the station lead to them. Extremely blue water and quite rugged...lots of people like to swim in them but they are too cold for me!
The cog-wheel train up to the Mer du Glace is a unique trip. It ends at the old stone lodge there that was built in the 1800s. Unfortunately the glacier has receded dramatically in the 30 years since we've been visiting but it is still quite amazing sight. If you hike down the steel ladder to the glacier there are beautiful ice caves you can walk through.
Across the valley from Mont Blanc are gondolas up to Lac Blanc - it's a medium level hike either up from the second station or down from the third station (if there's too much snow sometimes this route is blocked) - this is my favorite view in all of the Alps. Sweeping views of the mountains and numerous glaciers. There is a beautiful mountain hut with a large deck overlooking the lake and the views - great place for lunch! If you take a small backpack with a change of clothes you can make a reservation to spend the night...haven't done this yet but it's on my bucket list!
There are many other spectacular hikes in the area...we keep going back for more!
Depending on how adventuresome you are, there are several paragliding companies that will take you up for a flight. Can't imagine a better place to try this!
In Paris I would highly recommend Vaux-le-Vicomte - try to go at night for their candle-light evenings. They light the entire chateau as well as the gardens with thousands of candles. It's magical!

I'll let others respond to your No. 1. I've always just driven to Chamonix from my home.

As for No. 2, I'd vote for all three nights in Chamonix. There is plenty to do, some of which has been mentioned in preceding comments by others. www.chamonix.com is a useful resource. The alpine glacial landforms you can see on the way to Aiguille du Midi and beyond to Helbronner in Italy are astounding. Not to be missed. The Musée Alpin explains the early days of Alpine mountaineering. There are plenty of active things to do as well.

For No. 3, my wife and I visited Vaux-le-Vicomte and Fontainebleu a couple of weeks ago on a short overnight trip. I liked them both, especially as a pleasant contrast to the insanely-crowded Versailles, and would not hesitate to recommend them. It was a cold winter and it looked to me as if the extensive ornamental boxwood plantings in the gardens may have taken a mortal hit, but it may have greened up by the time you visit. If I could do only one, I would do Fontainebleau. If you'll have a car, a quick drive over to Provins will introduce you to some of the best-preserved ramparts in this part of France, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Kyla,

You might check the RS France guidebook or websites regarding the various activities in Chamonix, to determine how many you'd be interested in. That will provide an idea of how much time to spend there.

One caveat to mention if you're planning to visit the Aiguille du Midi and/or Pointe Helbronner. The top of the Aiguille du Midi is about 12,600 feet, so if you're susceptible to altitude related issues it would be a good idea to limit your time there. I stayed a bit too long, and experienced a few problems there.

Thank you all for the advice! I have 5 days on the ground in France (leave US on 7/11, flying back 7/17). I had not thought about the traffic back to Paris because of Bastille Day! (I got caught in returning-to-Rome Sunday traffic two years ago--no fun!) Two days in Chamonix sounds like what I'll do (watching out for altitude, which I have only a little experience with from Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado and did reasonably OK), and both Vaux-le-Vicomte (candle-lit visit! WOW!) and Fontainebleau sound great. (Maybe I'll try to hit both?) (Oh, and neither is covered in RS France 2017.) I am so excited!

Consider how you would feel if you only spent 2 nights in Chamonix and if on the 1 full day you had there the weather was poor.

I was in Chamonix for four days in first week of May and had a clear day on a Friday and went to Aiguille du Midi and the views were spectacular,the best I have seen and we have been to the Matterhorn and the Jungfrau.The cograil to Mer de Glace is also worth the trip to see the Glacier,it is 440 steps to the Glacier,worth the visit.We had a car but there are shuttles from Geneva Airport.We were never bored and had snow one night.
Mike

I have only a little experience with from Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado and did reasonably OK

I don't know how long you were there . . . that is, how long you had to get acclimated, or how high you went. Chamonix is at about 3000 ft. After an overnight, you'll ascend straight up to Aiguille du Midi, around 12,000 ft.