Chamonix
At the foot of the majestic Mont Blanc, Europe's highest mountain at 4807m,
lies Chamonix, which since its discovery in 1741 has been Europe's capital of
mountaineering and skiing. Skiing has been pioneered here since
the early 1900's, hosting the first ever Winter Olympics in 1924.
With the mountain ranges of Brévent and Flégère to the North and the river Arve carrying the glacial meltwater through the centre of town, Chamonix is perhaps one of the most picturesque resorts in the Alps. Take a ride up the railway to Montenvers and admire the Mer de Glace (sea of ice), or take the cable car up to the Aiguille du Midi for a unique viewpoint of Mont Blanc and its surrounding glaciers.
With a resident population of 15 000, Chamonix boasts facilities that can only be found in a town of this size. When combined with the excellent transport links (less than an hour's drive from Geneva airport with numerous coach and rail transfer services) you can understand why, despite it's reputation for skiing, Chamonix is actually busier in the summer than it is in the winter!
Activities & Facilities
Chamonix boasts some of the best facilities to be found in any ski resort in the world but for those looking for something slightly different in Winter, why not try ice driving parapenting, snow-shoeing or ice-climbing?
In addition to the traditional Alpine shops and cafes, you can find the following in Chamonix...
| Restaurants | You can find all the local specialities such as Fondue Savoyarde, Raclette and Pierrarde, as well as nearly every other type of cuisine imaginable. |
| Bars and Nightclubs | Chamonix has more than enough bars, pubs and nightclubs to keep the most ardent apres-skier happy late into the night. |
| Sports Centre | Indoor and outdoor pools are available, depending on the time of year / your inclination!, tennis courts, indoor climbing and the usual array of activities. |
| Casino | For those enjoy blackjack and roulette. |
| Swimming Pool | There is a full-size pool with slides and a separate children's pool. |
| Ice Rink | As well as being perfect for practising your toe-loops, the local ice-hockey team can frequently be seen in action here along with the occasional international match. |
| Bowling | There is a 10-pin bowling alley along with snooker and pool tables. |
| Cinema | The local cinema shows English films (V.O. for Version Originale) |
| Cyber Cafe | For those more technologically-inclined, it's possible to check your e-mail or surf the web. |