What can you do in Chamonix if you don't ski?
Chamonix Without Skiing, in Winter and Summer
People often come to Chamonix for the mountains, without necessarily putting on skis. The valley has long been a popular destination: long before the ski lifts were built, travelers came here to see the glaciers, hike, and admire Mont Blanc.
Glaciers accessible by train, museums, winter trails, villages: here’s what you can do in Chamonix without skiing, in both winter and summer.
You can go from the city to the high mountains without any mountaineering experience. The cable car departs from downtown Chamonix, at 1,035 m. It reaches the summit in about 20 minutes, with a stop at Plan de l'Aiguille (2,310 m).
At the top, the “Pas dans le Vide”—a glass cage—places visitors high above a 1,000-meter drop. The cable car operates almost year-round, with a scheduled shutdown between November and December.
The Montenvers rack-railroad carried its first passengers on August 9, 1908. It still connects Chamonix to the Montenvers site (1,913 m) in about 20 minutes, passing over the Mer de Glace. Since 1993, it has also operated in the winter.
At the site, a cable car that opened in 2024 takes visitors down to the glacier. From there, it’s a 170-step walk to the ice cave. The Glaciorium, an interactive space dedicated to glaciology, rounds out the tour.
Please note: The train, the gondola, and the cave are closed for maintenance during part of the fall. The dates are published each year by the Compagnie du Mont-Blanc.
The former Alpine Museum reopened on July 11, 2026, under a new name: the Mont Blanc Museum. It is housed in the former Chamonix Palace, a grand hotel built in 1914, located at 89 Avenue Michel-Croz. The museum holds the “Musée de France” designation and is open every day except Tuesday.
Through April 2027, its first temporary exhibition, “Metamorphoses of the Gaze,” explores how the Alps have been viewed and depicted.
Two other places round out the tour:
- The Crystal Museum – Espace Tairraz, featuring pink fluorite and smoky quartz from the Mont Blanc massif.
- The Janny Couttet House of Memory and Heritage, on Rue des Moulins, which houses the valley's photographic archives.
On gray days, the Richard Bozon Sports Center is always a safe bet. It features a 25-meter indoor pool with a 130-meter slide, a 60 × 30-meter indoor ice rink, and a climbing wall. In the summer, a 50-meter outdoor pool is also available.
This winter, an outdoor ice rink will also be set up at Place du Mont-Blanc, where it will remain until March 7, 2027, weather permitting.
To help you relax, QC Terme Chamonix offers an outdoor pool, whirlpools, saunas, and steam rooms, spread over approximately 4,000 m².
In the winter, the tourist office compiles a list of walking trails designed for walking in the snow. Among them are:
- the Bois du Bouchet and the Désert Blanc, in Chamonix;
- the Argentière moraine, all the way to Les Chosalets;
- the Diligences Trail, in Vallorcine;
- The Village Trail, in Les Houches.
Depending on snow conditions, you can also go snowshoeing at La Flégère, L'Index, Le Prarion, or Montenvers.
There are other activities that are easy to enjoy as a family:
- Sled dogs, from late December through mid-April.
- The Planards toboggan run, a 1 ,300-meter descent, for children ages 3 and up, open almost year-round.
- Cross-country skiing, for those who want to glide without going downhill: about 50 km of trails in the valley.
When the summer ski lifts reopen—usually from mid-June to mid-September—the valley is best explored on foot.
- Lac Blanc (2,352 m): about a 1-hour-45-minute hike from La Flégère, with a 500-meter elevation gain. Swimming and dogs are prohibited: the lake is located within the Aiguilles Rouges Nature Reserve.
- The Grand Balcon Nord: 5.7 km between Plan de l'Aiguille and Montenvers, about 2 hours and 30 minutes, mostly downhill.
- Le Brévent (2,525 m): a 360° panoramic view facing the Mont Blanc massif.
- The Dard Waterfall: a waterfall about 20 meters high, with a view of the Bossons Glacier.
- The Floria Chalet: about a 45-minute walk from Les Praz or Le Brévent.
A Day Without Skiing at Lizzie's
At the Lizzie, a 4-star hotel in Les Tines, you can also enjoy a day without skiing right on the premises. The wellness area features a sauna, steam room, hot tub, and treatment rooms. On sunny days, the outdoor pool takes center stage.
The restaurant serves seasonal cuisine for both lunch and dinner. In between meals, the tea room welcomes guests in the afternoons, after a walk or a spa treatment.
The Mont Blanc Museum, the Crystal Museum, the swimming pool and ice rink at the Richard Bozon Center, or some time at a spa.
Yes. The Montenvers train has also been running in the winter since 1993, except during its annual maintenance shutdown in the fall.
Almost. The cable car closes for a few weeks each year for maintenance, between November and December.
Yes, an outdoor pool, open on nice days.
In Les Tines, in the Chamonix Valley, a short distance from downtown. The hotel is housed in a Belle Époque building from the 1900s, facing Mont Blanc.
Yes. The restaurant serves seasonal cuisine for both lunch and dinner.