The village of Vallouise-Pelvoux in a green valley beneath the mountains of the French Alps

The French Alps

Chamonix below Mont Blanc and the Vanoise for summer walking

The French Alps

The French Alps are France's summer mountain leg: Chamonix under Mont Blanc for the big views and the cable cars, and the Vanoise National Park for quieter walking and the best chance of seeing ibex. Both sit an easy drive from Geneva and pair well with Paris or Provence.

For winter skiing in Courchevel and the other big resorts, my Alps page covers the hotels; this page is about the mountains in summer.

Researched profile: this page is written from my planning research and partner knowledge rather than a stay of my own here, and when that changes, this line comes off.

What and Where It Is

The French Alps run along the borders with Switzerland and Italy in the east of the country. Chamonix sits in a deep valley under Mont Blanc, at about 4,800 meters the highest mountain in Western Europe, and is the oldest mountain resort in the Alps. To the south, the Vanoise National Park in the Savoie was created in 1963 as France's first national park, and it borders Italy's Gran Paradiso. Geneva is the gateway for both, about an hour and a quarter by road from Chamonix.

What You Do Here

In Chamonix the lifts do the climbing. The Aiguille du Midi cable car rises to about 3,800 meters for the closest view of Mont Blanc you can get without ropes, and the Montenvers rack railway runs up to the Mer de Glace, the largest glacier in France. The valley trails range from easy balcony walks with the whole range in front of you to full-day hikes between mountain refuges, and guides are on hand for anyone who wants to go higher.

The Vanoise is the quieter side. Villages such as Pralognan-la-Vanoise are the starting points for walks into high meadows and lake country, and the park is where France's Alpine ibex were saved: early morning above the tree line is the time to see them, along with chamois and marmots. It is a slower, more rural Alps than Chamonix, and a good choice for families.

Best Time to Go

The summer season runs from mid-June to mid-September, when the lifts and the mountain refuges are open; July and August are the most reliable months and the busiest, and September is clear and quieter. Winter, from December to April, is the ski season, which the Alps page covers. Between seasons, in May and from late October through November, many lifts and hotels close.

For July and August, book by the spring.

Month by month

  • January: Very good.
  • February: Very good.
  • March: Very good.
  • April: Mixed.
  • May: Not recommended.
  • June: Very good.
  • July: Excellent.
  • August: Excellent.
  • September: Excellent.
  • October: Mixed.
  • November: Not recommended.
  • December: Good.

Getting There and How Long to Stay

Fly into Geneva and drive about an hour and a quarter to Chamonix, or take the TGV from Paris to the Alps and a private driver from there. Three or four nights is the right length for a summer mountain leg, and it pairs naturally with Paris, Provence or a lake stay over the Swiss border.

Where to Stay

For summer in Chamonix and the Vanoise I choose hotels and chalets to suit each trip. For winter skiing, Cheval Blanc and Les Airelles in Courchevel 1850 are the two I would book, and the Alps page covers them alongside the Swiss and Austrian resorts.

Pairs with: Paris by train, Provence to the south, the Alps across the borders, and the France guide.

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Culture & Sights

  • Mont Blanc: the highest mountain in Western Europe, above Chamonix.
  • The Aiguille du Midi: the cable car to about 3,800 meters, facing the summit.
  • The Mer de Glace: France's largest glacier, reached by the Montenvers railway.
  • The Vanoise National Park: France's first national park, high meadows and lakes.

Wildlife note: Alpine ibex, chamois and marmots are common above the tree line in the Vanoise on summer mornings.

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