Photo: Ximonic , Simo Räsänen, CC BY-SA 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons
A week with Chamonix as the base: an easy first day in town, then one big mountain thing a day. The Aiguille du Midi, the Mer de Glace, Lac Blanc, the Brévent and the tramway side of the valley, with a day by car to Annecy. The weather decides the order, so the days are easy to swap.
From average weather, 2021 to 2025: days that are warm but not hot, with few rainy days, score highest. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
A gentle first day in the valley town. The center is flat and small, so it is a walk around the square, a museum for the history of climbing and an easy lake to end on.
The square in the center of Chamonix, with a statue of Balmat, one of the first two climbers of Mont Blanc in 1786, and the scientist Saussure pointing to the summit. Look up at the peaks over the roofs.
Go when Morning, with a coffee and a first look at the peaks.
Local tip Stand in the middle of the square and turn slowly. On a clear day Mont Blanc is straight above the roofs.
A small museum on the history of the valley, climbing and the first people to explore the mountains. A good hour, and a good place to be on a cloudy morning.
Go when Late morning, or on any day the cloud sits low.
Local tip A good wet-weather plan. It tells the story of the first climbers, so it helps to know the names before you go up the lifts.
Cured sausages, ham and a wedge of local cheese with bread, the simplest mountain lunch. Look for it in a small cafe off the main street.
Local tip Share a plate and add a salad, because dinner will be heavy.
A small lake at the edge of town with a flat path around it and a clear view of the Mont Blanc range. An easy way to loosen your legs.
Go when Afternoon, then a slow walk back to the center.
Local tip Walk the flat path around the water at an easy pace. It is a gentle first walk if you have just arrived from sea level.
The dish of the Alps: potatoes, onions and bacon baked under a thick layer of melted reblochon cheese. Rich, warm and filling.
Local tip Order it after a walking day and share a green salad with it.
The big one. A cable car takes you from the valley floor to a rocky peak among the glaciers. Save it for the clearest day you have, and expect cold and a queue.
A cable car climbs to a rock needle among the glaciers, with a view across to Mont Blanc. The top is over 3,800 meters, so dress warmly and take it slowly. Check ahead for the lift and the weather.
Go when First thing in the morning, on the clearest day of your week.
Local tip Pack a warm coat, gloves and a hat even in July. Go early for shorter queues, walk slowly at the top, and check ahead for the lift, the wind and the cloud. If you feel unwell, go back down.
The middle station on the same cable car, with open meadows, a start for paths and a wide view down the valley. A calmer place to stop on the way down.
Go when Midday, on the way down.
Local tip It is a good place to have a snack and let your head clear after the top. Paths start here too, so ask locally about conditions before you walk.
Bread, cheese and fruit from a village bakery, eaten on a bench or a meadow. The easiest lunch before or after a high lift.
Local tip Buy it the evening before so you can leave early for the lift.
A long river of ice that flows down towards the valley. Stay on the marked paths and look from a distance, because crossing a glacier needs a guide.
Go when Afternoon, when the ice catches the light.
Local tip Look from the marked path and do not step onto the ice. A glacier hides crevasses under snow, and only a guide with the right gear should lead you onto it.
A half wheel of cheese melted at the table and scraped over potatoes, with pickles and cured meat. A good evening after a cold day.
Local tip Go with a group, because it is made to share.
A day on the other side of the valley. A small red rack train climbs from town to a view of the largest glacier in France, then it is a quiet evening in a village.
A rack railway that has run up from the center of Chamonix for more than a century. The ride goes through the forest to a terrace above the glacier. Check ahead for what is running.
Go when Morning, when the train is quieter.
Local tip The ride is part of the day, so sit on the valley side and watch the forest fall away. Check ahead on what is running and take a warm layer.
The largest glacier in France, a wide river of ice between steep rock walls. It has been getting smaller for years, so the way down changes. Stay on the marked paths and check ahead.
Go when Late morning, once the light is up over the ice.
Local tip The glacier has been shrinking for years and the way down changes, so follow the marked paths and the signs. Do not walk onto the ice without a guide.
A blueberry tart, a favorite of the Alps in summer. Look for it in a cafe near the terrace or in a village bakery.
Local tip Eat it with a cup of coffee and look at the glacier.
A quiet village on the way up the valley towards Argentière, with chalets, open fields and a good view of the Aiguille du Midi.
Go when Evening, around sunset (about 9:20 PM).
Local tip Walk to the edge of the village and look back at the Aiguille du Midi with the evening light on it.
A pot of melted mountain cheese and white wine, eaten by dipping cubes of bread on long forks. A classic of the region.
Local tip Share one pot between two or three people, and leave the dessert for another night.
A longer day of walking: a lift to a high ridge, a mountain lake with the Mont Blanc range behind it, and Argentière in the afternoon.
A lift station on the north-west side of the valley and the usual start for the walk to Lac Blanc. The view from the terrace is already large.
Go when Early morning, before the walkers.
Local tip Take the first lift if you can, and have a coat for the top. Check ahead on the lift, because wind or low cloud can pause it.
A mountain lake high in the Aiguilles Rouges, with the Mont Blanc range reflected in it on a still day. It is a real hike. Ask at the tourist office or a guide about the path and any snow before you go.
Go when Early start, on a clear day.
Local tip Ask at the tourist office or a mountain guide about the path and snow before you set out, and turn back if the cloud comes in. Bring water, a hat and a warm layer.
Mountain refuges and lift stations serve simple hot soups and omelets at the top. Welcome after a climb.
Local tip Carry some food and water as well, because a small place can run out.
A working mountain village at the head of the valley, with a church, narrow lanes and an easy feel after the big views.
Go when Afternoon, after the hike.
Local tip Walk through the old part of the village and find a table on the main street. It feels more like a working village than a resort.
A glacier above the village, best seen from the valley side or from a lift viewpoint. Do not walk onto the ice without a guide, because the crevasses can be hidden.
Go when Late afternoon, around sunset (about 9:20 PM).
Local tip Take the view from a distance. The ice here is steep and broken, and anyone going onto it needs a guide.
Diots are the sausages of Savoy, cooked slowly in white wine and served with polenta or potatoes. A plain, honest mountain supper.
Local tip Order it in a small restaurant in the village after your walk.
A day on the sunny side of the valley, where the views look across to Mont Blanc. A lift to a peak, a walk along the middle of the slope and a village at the end.
A peak on the north-west side of the valley with a wide view across to Mont Blanc and the Aiguille du Midi. The best look at the whole range from one place.
Go when Morning, when the other side of the valley is clear.
Local tip This is the best place to see the whole range at once, from the Aiguille du Midi to the glaciers. Bring a coat, because the wind can be cold at the top.
The middle lift station on the way up, where paths run across the slope. Ask at the tourist office about the path and its condition before you set off.
Go when Midday, then walk along the slope or take the lift down.
Local tip Ask at the tourist office about the path along the slope. Walking down is hard on the knees, so take the lift if they are tired.
Eggs, cheese and a green salad on a terrace with a view. A simple lunch on a slope.
Local tip Ask about a vegetarian version if you do not eat cured meats.
A village at the west end of the valley, quieter than Chamonix, with farms, chalets and an easy view up to the peaks.
Go when Early evening, with the light low on the slopes.
Local tip You can come by the valley train and walk from the station. Sit near the church and watch the slopes turn gold.
Tomme de Savoie is a mild mountain cheese, served with bread and a glass of the local white wine. A light supper in a quiet village.
Local tip Ask the server for one soft cheese and one hard cheese.
A day on the west side of the valley, on a small mountain train that climbs towards a glacier. The tramway line is old, so it is a slow, scenic day.
A mountain pass where the tramway stops, with walking paths over open slopes. The line climbs from the valley below. Check ahead for what is running.
Go when Morning, before the line fills.
Local tip Check ahead on whether the tramway is running and how far it goes, because the line is old and the weather can change it. Bring a warm layer.
The end of the tramway line, close to the Bionnassay glacier. A start for walks higher up. Dress warmly and check ahead before you go, because the line and the weather can change.
Go when Midday, if the sky is clear.
Local tip Walk a little way from the station and look up at the glacier. Do not go further without a guide, and keep an eye on the clouds.
A thick cup of hot chocolate in a cafe at a lift station or a mountain hut. Good on a cold day at height.
Local tip Carry a warm layer, because it can be cold even when the sun is out.
A mountain town known for its hot springs, and the place where the Mont Blanc Tramway begins. A good place for a slow afternoon after the high ground.
Go when Afternoon, after the tramway.
Local tip A good soft landing after the high ground. Walk through the old streets and find a warm place for a drink.
Crozets are small squares of pasta from Savoy, often baked with cheese and ham. Comfort food for a long day out.
Local tip Share a plate between two, because it fills you up quickly.
A day by car away from the high mountains, to a pretty old town on a clear lake. A rest from the cold and the climbing, with canals, a castle and the water.
A narrow old stone building that stands on an island in the middle of the canal, the symbol of Annecy's old town. Walk the lanes and the canal around it.
Go when Morning, before the lanes fill.
Local tip Walk both banks of the canal and cross the little bridges. It is the most photographed corner of the town, so go early.
The old castle on the hill above the old town, with views over the roofs and the lake. Walk up and look at the courtyard.
Go when Morning, after the old town.
Local tip It is a short climb up from the old town. Look out over the roofs to the lake from the terrace.
A little footbridge between the lake and the canal, with the green lawn of a park beside it. A good place to sit and watch the water.
Go when Midday, then a slow stroll by the lake.
Local tip Walk out onto the lawn beside the water and have a picnic. It is the heart of the lake shore in town.
Perch and char from the lake are on many menus in Annecy, served simply with a sauce and potatoes. A lighter lunch than in the mountains.
Local tip Ask what is fresh from the lake that day.
A lakeside village on the quieter eastern shore of Lake Annecy, with a small harbor and a view across the water to the mountains.
Go when Late afternoon, around sunset (about 9:20 PM).
Local tip Walk to the small harbor and look across the water. The east shore is quieter than the town and good for a swim in warm weather.
A crisp white wine from the hills of Savoy, good with fish or cheese. Try a glass at a table with a view of the lake.
Local tip If you are driving back to Chamonix, choose one small glass or let someone else drive.
By average weather from 2021 to 2025, July to October are the most comfortable months for walking around Chamonix. This plan is built for late July, which is one of the best months. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
It covers 7 days in Chamonix, planned for late July. Each day is built around a small number of stops, with room to rest.
It was planned for most travelers. The pace and the places reflect that, so check it fits how you travel.
No. Places marked "book ahead" need a reservation. Hours, prices and availability change, so confirm before you go.
Yes. Archie drafts a day by day plan for your dates and takes your pace, the weather and who is travelling into account. You can start one from the Archie app.
Yes. It is a starting point you can change to fit your own trip: swap a place, add a day or move the pace.
Each day has about 2.3 to 13.4 kilometers between its stops, and 56.0 kilometers in all across 7 days. A short hop is a walk and a longer one a ride. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
5 days in the Swiss AlpsAbout 140 km awayAn easy add-on
5 days in LyonAbout 150 km away
3 lazy days on Lake ComoAbout 200 km awayOther guides with a page about Chamonix. Each one opens in a new tab.
WikivoyageChamonix, the free travel guideRick StevesChamonix travel guideThe GuardianChamonix travel featuresPhoto: Garrondo, CC BY-SA 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Pieye Trains, CC BY-SA 4.0 on Wikimedia Commons · Photo: am the photographer of Ch…, CC BY-SA 4.0 on Wikimedia Commons
Make it yours in a minute, then move days around and add what you want.
A trip idea · Updated October 2026
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