Chamonix is not a single, self-contained resort. Its tourist office describes a valley “organised around a mountain town and four village resorts”, with ski areas that, according to the lift operator, are not linked to one another, apart from Brévent and Flégère. Where you sleep therefore decides the skiing you do in the morning, and the mood of your evening. Here are the villages of the valley, from the town out to the hamlets, so you can choose yours.
The Chamonix valley at a glance
- Chamonix centre, at 1035m: the town, Brévent straight from the centre, the Aiguille du Midi.
- Les Praz, 3km away: the Flégère gondola.
- Argentière, 8km away at around 1250m: Les Grands Montets.
- Le Tour, 11km away at 1450m, and Vallorcine, at 1250m: the Balme ski area.
- Les Houches, at 1000m: the Les Houches-Saint-Gervais ski area and the Famille Plus label for family-friendly resorts.
- Servoz, at 815m: no lifts, cross-country skiing when the snow allows, and peace and quiet.
Separate ski areas, a connected valley
Since the ski areas don’t connect, you move between them by bus or train. The valley buses are free with a valid lift pass between Servoz and Vallorcine, though not after 8.30pm, the operator points out, nor on the night lines. Your lift pass, on the other hand, is not a train ticket. The Mont-Blanc Express serves the valley from Servoz to Vallorcine, and according to the tourist office, accommodation providers hand out a guest card that makes this train free between Servoz and Vallorcine: ask when you book. To reach the valley in the first place, our guide how to get to Chamonix covers trains, shuttle buses and car parks.
As for lift passes, CHAMONIX Le Pass covers Brévent, Flégère, Les Grands Montets and Balme, but not Les Houches. To ski the whole valley, the operator offers the MONT BLANC Unlimited, which adds Les Houches-Saint-Gervais and the Évasion Mont-Blanc ski area.
Chamonix centre, the town at the foot of Mont Blanc
At 1035m, Chamonix is a proper town, which the tourist office’s press kit presents as “a vibrant, cosmopolitan world town”. The centre is pedestrianised, and this is where evening life gathers: every bar and club listed by the tourist office is in town. Over the festive season, from 17 December 2026 to 3 January 2027, the Christmas village sets up on Place du Mont-Blanc, next to an open-air ice rink that stays open until 7 March.
The skiing starts in town. A gondola runs from the centre up to Planpraz, at 2000m, then a cable car climbs to Brévent, at 2525m, which is linked to Flégère. The Aiguille du Midi cable car reaches the high mountains in 20 minutes, and the little Montenvers train runs up to the Mer de Glace. For beginners, two areas are close at hand: Le Savoy, at the foot of the Planpraz gondola, where the magic carpet is free according to the tourist office, and Les Planards, 2 minutes from the centre, with night skiing during the school holidays. Cross-country skiers have around twenty kilometres of trails from the Bois du Bouchet, a short walk from the centre.
Les Praz, at the foot of Flégère
The village of Les Praz, 3km from the centre, has its own way into the skiing: the Flégère gondola, which passes over the Chamonix golf course. The Brévent-Flégère ski area, which the tourist office describes as “facing due south”, can therefore be reached without going through town. A Mont-Blanc Express station and the terminus of bus line 1 complete the transport links.
Argentière and Le Tour, the top of the valley
Argentière, 8km north of Chamonix, is, according to the tourist office, “an authentic mountain village clustered around its remarkable baroque church”, at the foot of the Aiguille Verte. This is where you ski Les Grands Montets, reached this winter by the Plan Joran gondola, with the summit remaining closed. For the 2026 Christmas holidays, the tourist office announces the new gondola between Argentière and Lognan, at 1972m, where a beginners’ area opens. The tourist office calls it “France’s freeride heartland”: off the pistes, always go with a high-mountain guide. For first turns, Les Chosalets is at the entrance to the village, and some fifteen kilometres of cross-country trails face the Drus.
Higher up, at 1450m and 11km from Chamonix, the hamlet of Le Tour is, in the tourist office’s words, “frozen in time with its old traditional farmhouses”. The Charamillon gondola rises from here towards the Balme ski area, with its “wide, gentle pistes facing the whole Chamonix valley”, as the tourist office puts it. At the bottom, La Vormaine bills itself as “the biggest of the small ski areas”, away from the experienced skiers: good terrain for children. Le Tour has no railway station; the nearest is at Montroc.
Vallorcine, the secret side of the valley
The last village before Switzerland, Vallorcine, at 1250m, strings its hamlets along the foot of the Aiguilles Rouges. The tourist office’s press kit calls it “the secret side of the valley”: a village that “keeps an old-fashioned winter: wooden hamlets, larch forests and silence”. A gondola has linked Vallorcine to the Balme ski area since 2004. In the hamlet of Le Buet, the small family ski area of La Poya welcomes beginners, with the snow garden of the ESF, the French ski school. To get to Chamonix, the Mont-Blanc Express runs every hour in high season, according to the tourist office.
Les Houches, the family village
At the entrance to the valley, at 1000m, Les Houches holds the Famille Plus label, and the tourist office describes it as “naturally quieter than the town of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc”. The Les Houches-Saint-Gervais ski area is reached by the Bellevue cable car, which celebrates its 90th birthday this season, or by the Prarion gondola, now fitted with new panoramic cabins. The operator plans to open the ski area on 19 December 2026, snow permitting. On 30 January 2027, the Verte des Houches piste hosts the Kandahar, a men’s World Cup slalom.
For children, the Chavants nursery takes them from 3 to 11, the ESF snow garden welcomes 3 to 4-year-olds, and the small Tourchet area, in the heart of the village, is free for under-5s. Watch your lift pass: CHAMONIX Le Pass does not cover Les Houches.
Servoz, peace and cross-country skiing
At 815m, Servoz has neither a ski area nor a lift. The tourist office notes there is “no ski front”: winter here “moves to the rhythm of cross-country skiing, long snowshoe walks and open fires”. The Les Houches ski area is “a handful of minutes away by shuttle bus or the Mont-Blanc Express”. A choice for those who want a quiet stay and to ski as and when they please.
Which village suits whom
| Village | Altitude | Skiing from the village | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chamonix centre | 1035m | Brévent, linked to Flégère | Town life, restaurants, evenings out |
| Les Praz | Around 1060m | Flégère | Brévent-Flégère without going through town |
| Argentière | Around 1250m | Grands Montets | Experienced skiers |
| Le Tour | 1450m | Balme | Wide pistes and children |
| Vallorcine | 1250m | Balme | Nature and silence |
| Les Houches | 1000m | Les Houches-Saint-Gervais | Families, Famille Plus label |
| Servoz | 815m | No lifts | Cross-country skiing, snow permitting, and peace and quiet |
AEC tip. First choose the ski area where you will spend most of your time, then the village that serves it. With children, Les Houches has its nursery and small ski area in the heart of the village, and Chamonix centre has two beginners’ areas close at hand; for experienced skiers, Argentière; for silence, Vallorcine.
Where to unpack
Our chalets and apartments in the valley are gathered under our rentals in Chamonix and in Vallorcine. If you are still weighing up resorts, our comparison Megève or Chamonix sets out the differences, and our guide to renting a luxury chalet answers the practical questions. To compare the season dates of the valley’s ski areas with those of other resorts, see our guide to ski resort opening dates. To fill the week, skiing or not, see our guide what to do in Chamonix in winter.
The simplest thing is to write to us: tell us your dates, the number in your party and the ski area that appeals to you, and our agents will suggest a selection in the village that suits it.
On the first evening, whichever village you choose, the same spectacle: the highest peaks are the last to lose the light.
Frequently asked questions
Where should I stay in Chamonix for skiing?
It depends on the ski area. Chamonix centre gives you Brévent, linked to Flégère, plus town life; Les Praz gives you Flégère; Argentière, Les Grands Montets; Le Tour and Vallorcine, Balme; Les Houches, the Les Houches-Saint-Gervais ski area.
Are the Chamonix ski areas linked?
No, with one exception: according to the operator, only Brévent and Flégère are linked. You get from one ski area to another by bus or on the Mont-Blanc Express.
Are the buses free in Chamonix?
Yes, with a valid lift pass, between Servoz and Vallorcine, but not after 8.30pm or on the night lines. The guest card, for its part, makes the train free between Servoz and Vallorcine and gives discounts on bus passes.
Which Chamonix village is best for families?
Les Houches, which holds the Famille Plus label, with a nursery for 3 to 11-year-olds and the small Tourchet ski area in the village. Chamonix centre also has two beginners’ areas close at hand, Le Savoy and Les Planards.
Which lift pass covers the whole Chamonix valley?
The MONT BLANC Unlimited, which covers the Chamonix ski areas, Les Houches-Saint-Gervais and Évasion Mont-Blanc. CHAMONIX Le Pass does not include Les Houches.
Can you ski straight from Chamonix town centre?
Yes: a gondola runs from the centre up to Planpraz, at 2000m, then a cable car climbs to Brévent, at 2525m. Le Savoy and Les Planards, two beginners’ areas, are a few minutes from the centre.
Can you stay in Chamonix without a car?
Yes. The Mont-Blanc Express serves the valley from Servoz to Vallorcine, and buses link the ski areas. With a valid lift pass, the buses are free between Servoz and Vallorcine until 8.30pm.
