Chamonix is a vibrant alpine town with a wonderful architectural heritage that bears witness to a wealth of history.
There is an excellent alpine museum and exhibition centre in the centre of Chamonix and by taking advantage of the free public transport, one may also discover the outlying villages and hamlets, each with their individual identity and charm. The centre of town offers a wide selection of shops and boutiques and plenty of restaurants.
As the highest European mountain west of Russia, Mont Blanc holds a special allure for mountain climbers, and is an ideal playground for almost all types of outdoor activity, such as ice climbing, rock climbing, extreme skiing, paragliding, rafting, and canyoning.
Chamonix is famous for its spectacular cable car up to the Aiguille du Midi (3842m). Constructed in 1955 it was then the highest cable car in the world. Together with a cable car system going up to the Point Helbronner (3462m) from Entréves in the Aosta Valley (Italy) it is possible to cross the entire Mont Blanc Massif by cable car.
In the summer months Chamonix is a mecca for alpine mountaineers, drawn to the area by challenges like the north face of the Dru, the Frendo Spur on the Aiguille du Midi, traversing the Alps on the legendary GR 5 footpath or more accessible challenges like summitting Mont Blanc (by a number of possible routes).
Apart from high-mountain summer sports, Chamonix is also a destination for the hardcore mountain biker. As well as the obvious lift-assisted areas for Freeriders there are hundreds of kilometres of challenging hidden singletrack trails - often only found with the help of guides.
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