comScore pixel
Ski France

Chamonix Resort Reviews



ski hire exclusive discount link
Chamonix Forecasts
Users Viewed Next:(Advanced)
Users Viewed Next:(Live)
Popular Chamonix Pages
Users Viewed Next:(Maps)
Popular Chamonix Pages

Visitor reviews for Chamonix Ski Resort

Chamonix Ratings

Overall: 4.1. Based on 56 votes and 92 reviews.

Rate this resort

Snowsure: 4.1

  • Occasionally gets enough snow for skiing
  • Is often closed due to a lack of snow
  • Occasionally suffers from a lack of snow
  • Rarely suffers from a lack of snow
  • Chamonix is snowsure even in the poorest seasons

Variety of pistes: 4.4

  • The ski runs are featureless and unvaried
  • The ski runs are varied but not extensive enough for a week
  • Chamonix has diverse and interesting pistes including forests and high alpine terrain

Off-piste: 4.9

  • No off-piste worth mentioning
  • Off piste is out-of-bounds
  • Some varied offpiste that stays fresh for one or two days
  • A vast array of off-piste routes that can stay untracked for several days

Scenery: 4.7

  • An ugly resort in a bland setting
  • Average mountain views and resort
  • A spectacular setting and a beautiful / historic resort town

Access: 4.5

  • At least one overnight stop
  • Requires a whole day
  • Requires more than half a day – you may have time for a few turns
  • Arrive by lunchtime and ski all afternoon
  • There is a main airport within an hour of Chamonix

Public Transport: 4.1

  • There are no buses or taxis to Chamonix
  • There are slow or infrequent buses / trains available
  • Getting to the resort is easy with frequent bus / train connections

Accommodation: 4.6

  • No places to stay in/near Chamonix
  • A few places to stay in the resort
  • A wide variety of accommodation suitable to suit all budgets

Cheap Rooms: 3.9

  • No budget accommodation available
  • Just one or two hostels so book ahead
  • Several cheap hostels and pensions available

Luxury Hotels: 4.7

  • No luxury accommodation available
  • Just one or two luxury hotels so book ahead
  • Several up-market hotels in Chamonix

Ski in/Ski out: 3.1

  • The ski area is located far from any accommodation
  • A free ski bus takes you to the ski area in a short trip
  • Ski-in ski-out accommodation is available

Childcare: 4.0

  • There are no child care facilities at Chamonix
  • The resort has limited child-care facilities
  • the resort has excellent child-care facilities including at least one reasonably priced creche

Snowmaking: 3.4

  • Chamonix relies entirely on natural snow
  • There are just a few snow cannons
  • There are snowmaking facilities on all pistes

Snow Grooming: 3.8

  • There are no snow groomers at Chamonix
  • Occasionally some pistes are left ungroomed and in a poor state
  • All the runs at Chamonix are groomed daily

Shelter: 3.4

  • There is nowhere to ski when it is windy or visibility is bad and lifts often shut
  • There are some trees for poor visibility but main lifts sometimes close
  • Chamonix is mostly in forest where you can ski in flat-light and windy days, lifts rarely close

Nearby options: 4.0

  • If snow conditions are poor at Chamonix, it will be poor everywhere nearby
  • There are good alternatives within an hours drive
  • Other locations on the same lift pass provide a rich variety of snowsure ski conditions

Regional rating: 4.0

  • Chamonix usually has poor snow conditions compared to other resorts in region
  • Has average conditions for the region
  • Usually has the best snow conditions in the region

Lift Staff: 3.9

  • The staff at Chamonix are rude or unhelpful
  • Lift staff at Chamonix are pleasant, cheerful and eager to help

Crowds/Queues: 3.3

  • The resort is always busy and there are usually long lift queues
  • It is quiet apart from occasional weekends and school holidays
  • It is uncrowded and lift queues are very rare

Ski Schools: 4.3

  • No ski schools available
  • One or two ski schools but local language only
  • A few ski schools but book early for multi-lingual instructors
  • Plenty of ski schools and multi-lingual instructors available
  • Excellent ski schools with friendly multi-lingual ski instructors

Hire and Repairs: 4.7

  • Nothing can be sourced, not even ski-wax or ptex
  • There are some ski shops but rentals need to be booked in advance
  • Good quality ski equipment can be purchased or hired and overnight repairs are possible

Beginners: 3.2

  • Beginners can only watch others ski and snowboard
  • A few gentle slopes but beginners will get bored in less than a week
  • Vast areas of gentle terrain

Intermediates: 4.1

  • No intermediate terrain at Chamonix
  • Intermediate skiers will get bored after a few days
  • Vast areas of cruising runs

Advanced: 4.7

  • Nothing for advanced skiers and snowboarders
  • Enough steep terrain for a few days with some good offpiste
  • Enough steep terrain and offpiste areas to entertain advanced skiers for at least a week

Snow Park: 3.4

  • Not even a kicker at Chamonix
  • Average sized park quite well looked after
  • Huge park area and expertly crafted pipes, jumps and boardercross trails

Cross-country: 4.0

  • There is nowhere to go for cross-country skiing around Chamonix
  • There are some cross country trails available
  • The area features many spectacular and well maintained cross-country trails

Luge/Toboggan: 3.2

  • No designated luge or toboggan runs
  • There are toboggan runs that open quite often
  • Chamonix has long and well maintained luge / toboggan facilities suitable for all ages

Mountain Dining: 3.5

  • Nowhere to buy food by the pistes
  • Some places to eat up on the mountain but they are often busy and expensive
  • There is a variety of excellent mountain eateries right next to the slopes to suit all budgets

Eating: 4.6

  • Bring your own food, there isn't even a shop
  • There are a few places to eat in the resort but nothing special
  • A wide variety of places to eat and drink in the resort, from fast food to fancy restaurants

Apres-Ski: 4.5

  • Nothing to do, not even a bar
  • There are a few bars in the resort but nothing special
  • Clubs and bars stay open until very late and have a friendly atmosphere

Other Sports: 4.6

  • No sports facilities at all apart from ski lifts
  • Resort has just a small public swimming pool
  • Resort has all kinds of sports facilities, including a full-size swimming pool

Entertainment: 4.5

  • Besides the snow and walking there is nothing to do here
  • The non-skier will find things to do for few days but may become bored after a week
  • The resort area is a fascinating place to visit, regardless of winter sports

Winter Walks: 4.4

  • Very limited walking and no snowshoe trails
  • A couple of designated scenic walking/snowshoe trails
  • Extensive and diverse winter walking trails for all abilities

Ski Pass Value: 3.6

  • A 1 week ski pass is overpriced compared to the number of lifts available
  • The ski pass is averagely priced and covers a reasonable number of lifts
  • Ski passes are excellent value for money and cover a lot of lifts spanning a big area

Value (National): 3.7

  • Overall, Chamonix is one of the most expensive ski resorts in the country and not worth the money
  • Overall represents average value for money
  • Overall offers the best value resort in the country

Value (Global): 3.7

  • Overall, Chamonix is one of the most expensive ski resorts in the world
  • Overall it offers pretty average value for money compared to resorts from other countries
  • Internationally the resort offers excellent value for money

Show all 35 ratings

Latest
Oldest
Most useful
Top rated
Lowest rated
February 12, 2025
Martin from Ski United Kingdom United Kingdom
This is from a piste skier’s perspective. Despite the smaller individual areas, Chamonix is still great. If you think carefully where to stay, you can use the quick reliable train to easily get to the Grand Montets, Flegere and Le Tour (Valloricine station). The buses are fine and really frequent but the train is easier. The Brevent-Flegere area is big enough to keep you happy for a couple of days and has terrific views. Le Tour (Balme) is better than I remembered. Grands Montets is really missing the top lift that’s being rebuilt. Food on the mountain has improved with more options than I remember from my last trip 10 years ago. Food in town is still really good with loads of choice. It’s easy to get to, I took an overnight bus from Paris which worked well. I arrived at 7, had breakfast in the Plan B hotel by the bus station and was skiing by 9. If that’s too extreme, Geneva airport is just over an hour away and there are good train services from Paris. If you’re a piste skier who occasionally ventures off-piste, Chamonix is poor as there are so many good powder skiers it gets tracked out in no time. The great off-piste is well away from the ski areas and quite serious.
December 08, 2024
Spencer from Ski United Kingdom United Kingdom
I have been going to Chamonix for several years now, both winter and summer, and it just gets better and better. The thing about Chamonix is not only does it have world class skiing, but it is a bustling beautiful town that has a huge array of bars and restaurants, fantastic varied accommodation and fabulous shops. I like to experience different resorts across Europe but whilst skiing may be great, the off-piste can be limiting and you will only go once. With Chamonix (and a few other bigger resorts) you get an ever changing resort, suitable to budgets of all sizes and plenty to do for non-skiers too. The summer there is also just as good as the winter! If you want a purpose built ski-in / ski-out ski resort, then Chamonix is not for you. If you want the original and authentic ski town, then I can't recommend enough..
August 10, 2024
JJ widman from Ski France France
If you want a idyllic mountain experience, forget Chamonix. If you like loud techno sound all night long on the streets, then Chamonix is perfect. For me I hated it. Will never come back! Worst experience ever.
March 03, 2023
Paul from Ski France France
First time in Chamonix and left disappointed because we where paying premium prices (340 for 5 day Mont Blanc pass) but not getting a premium product. lift system needs modernising and an increase capacity at a few pinch points. I was surprised that there's really only a day's skiing in each area and if you don't have a car you're reliant on the dreaded bus to get to the different areas in the valley, e.g Argentire and Les Houches. There should be a pass for just these areas as everywhere else on the Mont Blanc pass are too far away and would only be beneficial for those with a car on a touring holiday. A bug bear of skiing in France is the cost of dining on the slopes, big money for an inferior product and very few toilets. There was better value to be had down in the town and there is a good vibe in the town center. Becketts Irish bar was good, free pool and reasonable drink prices. We didn't have ideal ski conditions, too mild and also had a stomach bug so if we had fresh snow skiing would have been a better experience as there does seem to be plenty of off-piste here. So it would have made up for the deficiencies in the product here. Going to Les Arcs next, which is ski in-ski out so if that doesn't impress then back to Austria and Andorra.
April 01, 2022
Tom from Ski France France
I think many of these comments are clearly from people who are not well suited to Chamonix. If you want a soulless Disneyland style resort where everything is perfectly groomed, if you want everything managed for you, if you spend most of your time on pistes, if a massive gourmet lunch stop is an important part of the day and if it's important to be seen wearing your best Gucci fur in the evening then you're completely missing the point of Chamonix and would be better off in one of the many purpose built 'resorts' like the Porte du Soleil. But, if you're a good skier, if you actually want to experience skiing in the mountains, if you're happy skiing different types of terrain and snow because you appreciate this is the real world and not some manicured playground then Chamonix is unrivalled across the world. Simple.
December 23, 2021
Margaret B
Chamonix is the best! The skiing is terrific, views are insane and nightlife is terrific. There is lots to do for non-skiers.
January 05, 2020
Michael Griffiths from Ski United Kingdom United Kingdom
I really can't believe some of the miserable reviews below. I first really came to Chamonix 14 years ago and was blown away by the views of the mountains. Far, far better than any other resort in Europe. If you are a piste cruiser, don't come to Chamonix, it is not for you. If you like to ski steeper runs, push your skiing and like adventure it is for you. A real town, not a tinsel-town resort and very easy to completely fall for . I wouldn't choose to go anywhere else.
April 08, 2019
Simon cook from Ski France France
Don't expect a ski resort; Chamonix is a spectacular mountain town. it would be wrong to try to compare Chamonix with a huge purpose built "ski drome" such as Les Trois Vallees. It does have some of the most challenging world class free-ride terrain and off-piste potential, enough to challenge most people for a lifetime; world class skiing and ski touring but you will have to make an effort and give of yourself to make the most of it.. Hire a guide or join a guided group.
March 23, 2019
walter from Ski Switzerland Switzerland
Chamonix has excellent scenery, truly some of the best I have ever seen. The ski area makes the most of these views but the runs cannot compare to Zermatt, Verbier, Trois Valais, Arlberg or Dolomites. It's a busy town with antiquated lifts and unquestionably has the very worst restaurants I have ever been to on ski slopes in 35 years of skiing. Over priced, foul quality with the atmosphere of Soviet era railway stations. Indifferent service, lousy variety and very low quality. Tendance Foehn is the worst of the worst!
December 24, 2018
Bob from Ski Switzerland Switzerland
Chamonix is great for advanced off piste. There are some really classic routes, although with the glacier dropping some are getting quite dangerous, like the Pas de Chèvre. My advice would be to use a guide if you want to get the most out of Cham. Just join the ‘guide day’ group which you can book at the Guides Office. It’s quite cheap at around 85 euros and you just ski with whoever else has pitched up. You meet some interesting people and enjoy a guided day for a fraction of the price of hiring your own guide. Often the guides prefer to go through to Courmayeur and there are great off-piste routes there too. The food is better there too!