Chamonix’s endless lift system extends up to 3,842metres (that’s 2,807 metres above the resort) with highlights including the 20km glacier run of Vallée Blanché. It’s little wonder that locals refer to Chamonix as ‘Le Grand Ski’. With the terrain divided between a number of smaller resorts, including Les Houchés and Argentier, no two days in Chamonix are the same.
Increasingly, Chamonix has also evolved into a mecca for extreme adventure sports, with expert providers offering everything from mountain climbing to paragliding, dog sledging, canyoning and speed-riding – the latest craze combining paragliding with skiing for die-hard daredevils.
Today, the resort combines fantastic restaurants with boutique hotels and a buzzing bar scene. It’s a treat to stroll through its pedestrianised town centre and stop for coffee and a pain-au-chocolat at one of the café’s bordering the tree-lined banks of the river, or visit its open-air market on Saturday mornings. The village is home to a fantastic selection of bars and restaurants, including Albert 1er which has been awarded a Michelin Star.
Its proximity to Geneva and its year-round active lifestyle has attracted a vibrant mix of locals and internationals to settle and set up shop, creating a uniquely cosmopolitan, colourful and dynamic entrepreneurial scene amongst the 10,000-something residents.
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