Au revoir Chamonix!

Insane views from the Aiguille du Midi 3842m

The views from the Aiguille du Midi were breathtaking. Both figuratively and literally. At 3842m (approx. 12,500 ft), you get insane panoramic views of the Italian, Swiss and French Alps, an up-close and personal visit with the Alps tallest mountain, Mont Blanc and a bird-eye view of Chamonix valley.

I've never been one to say that I have a fear of heights—it's never really been my thing—but I definitely struggled/had a mini panic attack stepping out onto the exposed platform of the Aiguille du Midi. It was just sooooo open! After taking a few deep breaths, I pulled it together and I ended up really enjoying myself up there. I think it just took my body a little bit of time to get used to the altitude, but I was definitely holding on to the railing tighter than I normally would!

ABC's of Chamonix

A— APRÈS SKI: In Chamonix, they take their après ski very seriously, so make sure to get in an appearance at the most popular spots after hitting the slopes. Bars like Chambre Neuf, Monkey, Moo and Elevation 1904 do a big business between 4-6 PM, so don't lollygag getting down the mountain!

B— BAGUETTES and BEERS: A common combination when stopping for lunch on the slopes.

C— CONNECTED: Chamonix is not a ski-in/ski-out resort, but they do a good job of keeping you well connected with buses that take you to and from the different mountains. With bus stops scattered all over the valley, you don't have to walk too far to find one, and they are free! More information here. 

D— DOG-FRIENDLY: Chamonix appears to be a very dog-friendly village—dogs off leash, and in and out of shops—so go ahead and bring Filo along too!

E— ESSENTIALS IN YOUR BACKPACK: SPF, sunglasses, bottle of water, gum/Haribo gummies, breakfast bar, ID, money, chapstick, map, extra hat and socks, hand/toe warmers, emergency gear (if you're expert/off-piste.)

F— FROMAGE, FONDUE & CHARCUTERIE: You're in France. Fill up on meat and cheese. You'll like it.

G— GENEVA: The closest airport to Chamonix. You can rent a car, take the train or book a transfer to the resort. We had great success with Alpybus.com, and they had dropped us off at our hotel in 1 hour and 15 minutes. *If you are booking a transfer, they will ask you for you flight times. Make sure to add some additional time there and back just to be safe. You wouldn't want a delayed flight or bad traffic to make you miss your transfer/flight home!

H— HAPPY HOUR: Monkey has the best happy hour deals in Chamonix. Located in the Chamonix Sud, you'll get 2-4-1 beer & wine from 4-6 PM, 2-4-1 cocktails from 9-10 PM EVERYDAY, and on Mondays you get half-priced burgers from 6-8 PM. Monkey Mondays is a MUST!

I— ITALIAN/INDIAN: If you're looking for good Italian food, you don't have to look far in Chamonix. Casa Valerio is highly recommended and has amazing pizza and pasta dishes, and if you want something even more authentic, cross the border, ski a full day at Courmayeur and eat up on the mountain at Chiecco—you won't be disappointed! And if you are craving something spicy, check out Annapurna, one of the only curry shops in Chamonix.

J— JAPANESE FOOD: Japanese food and France might seem like an odd combination, but after all that cheese you might be craving something lighter... Try Satsuki for typical Japanese and sushi options, Munchie for an Asian fusion menu, or Le Cap Horn for a combo of sushi, seafood and French cuisine.

K— KOOKY/KNACKERED: How you will feel after leaving Cha Cha Cha's wine-tasting starting at 6:30 PM. Not only did we get to try some really great wines, we had a blast chatting it up with locals and travellers alike. Trust me, this is a great way to get some inside information about the town!

L— LEGENDARY SLOPES: Chamonix Valley is comprised of more than five different ski areas all with varying terrain and difficulty. Domaine de Balme (Le Tour) and Brévent are great for beginner skiers with 20+ blue runs. La Flégère and Les Houches are great for intermediate skiers with 19+ red runs, and Les Grands Montets and Brévent-Flégère are great for expert skiers with six and seven black runs respectively.

M— MONT BLANC: For amazing panoramic views of the valley, take the Aiguille du Midi cable car up 3842m and experience the enormity of the tallest mountain in the Alps: Mont Blanc at 4810m (15,781 ft.) Though, the ride up is not cheap. If the 57€ per person puts you off, Le Panoramic Restaurant (on the top of the Brévent Summit) will suffice with views at 2525m. Just take the Plan Praz gondola up and connect with the Brévent cable car.

N— NEIGHBOURHOOD GROCERIES: If you're looking to save some money on food, pop into the Super U on the main street, or one of the many 'Casino' grocery shops and grab some stuff for PB&J's.

O— OFF-PISTE: Chamonix has some great off-piste skiing. If you're an advanced skier, feel free to head out on your own. If you're an intermediate skier, think about hiring a guide to keep you in the safe zones. Avalanche gear advised!

P— PROXIMITY: Chamonix's best feature is its close proximity to Italy and Switzerland. The Courmayeur Resort in Italy is a 45-minute bus ride, and it's just slightly longer to the Verbier Resort in Switzerland. This is a great option for people who visit Chamonix during poor ski conditions— they can book a seat on the shuttle and go ski somewhere else for the day.

Q— QUEUES: Luckily, we didn't run into any queues while we were skiing (!!) but we did have to wait in a long queue for our EasyJet flight home in Geneva. We were about 45 minutes late getting to the airport due to bad traffic, but since we added extra time to our transfer pickup we made our flight just fine!

R— RENTALS: Renting gear in Chamonix is a cinch. There's plenty of rental shops around town and the equipment in is great condition. You can find skis, poles and boots for about 25€ per person/day.

S— STUDENT HOLIDAYS: Should be avoided at ALL costs. Check this chart for dates when booking your ski holidays!

T— TRADITIONAL SAVOYARD FOOD: An absolute must while in Chamonix! Fondue, Raclette, Tartiflette, Fondue Bourguignonne, Braserade—there are so many delicious options! Atmosphere, Le Monchu, La Caleche are just a few of the restaurants that offer this menu.

U— UNLIMITED SKI PASS: You have two options for ski passes: the Mont Blanc Unlimited or the Chamonix Le Pass. With the MBU you gain access to all of the ski areas in Chamonix, including the Aiguille du Midi and access to Courmayeur & Verbier (with terms!), and with the Le Pass you only have access to the three main ski areas in the Chamonix valley. You can find out more information and pricing here.

V— VALLE BLANCE: A bucket list item for most expert skiers! This 20km off-piste glacier run is only available to advanced skiers with an assigned guide to help navigate the rough terrain. You start up at the top of the Aiguille du Midi and make your way back down to Chamonix. For more information: click here!

W— WALKING DISTANCE: Chamonix City Centre is not very big, so everyone walks everywhere. Don't worry if you feel like you booked your accommodation further out than you would like, there are great restaurants and bars all over. We stayed at the Le Morgane Chamonix and had a 10-minute leisurely walk to the town square.

X— XTREME SPORTS: If extreme sports are your thing, Chamonix has something for you. From speed skiing to mountain climbing to base jumping to off-piste skiing, this resort makes sure even the biggest adrenaline junkies are challenged.

Y— YUM: You're bound to be tempted by the macaroons, tarts and cakes lining all the windows on the main streets, so if you're in the mood for something sweet, pop into one of the many patisseries! We enjoyed Aux Petits Gourmands and Pie on the main street.

Z— ZILCH: This is about how much WiFi access you are going to have in Chamonix. Your hotel should have access (ours did), but other places I've heard have free WiFi are Bar'd Up, McDonald's, the Tourist Office and Super G at Courmayeur.