Your property in Chamonix
From deluxe chalets full of technological innovations to modern and convenient resort centre apartments, there is a vast array of choice when buying property in Chamonix.
Whether it’s a more secluded base or a pied-à-terre in the heart of the resort with access to good communal facilities, prospective buyers will find what they are looking for in Chamonix.
Inside Chamonix
Chamonix is the true year-round resort of the French Alps, sought after for its proximity to Europe’s highest mountain, Mont Blanc, its large local population and high-altitude ski resorts.
The Chamonix Valley, birthplace of the Winter Olympics, spreads from towns in the north such as Vallorcine, down to Les Praz, Les Bois, Les Nants and Chamonix itself, southwards to Les Favrands and Les Houches.
Just as the mountains here never close, its shops, restaurants and cafés offer a constant buzz, which makes buying a property in Chamonix a desirable purchase.
Landscape
With Mont Blanc at its centre, Chamonix offers a particularly high and steep terrain for skiing in winter and hiking in summer.
The area hosts several nature reserves, including Réserve naturelle de Carlaveyron near Les Houches, alongside a wide selection of beautiful Alpine lakes.
Small towns and villages capture the region’s long history with fantastic historical monuments and architecture but also cater to modern demands.
Activities and Entertainment
Chamonix and the surrounding valley offers superb skiing, with the area being widely regarded as one of the best free-riding resorts in the world, thanks mostly to the Vallée Blanche, which encompasses a 24-kilometre trail weaving across the Col de Gigante and Mer de Glace glacier.
Once the snow recedes, the area becomes a hiking and biking utopia, perfect for nature lovers who can explore its numerous trails in all seasons outside winter.
Away from the outdoors, Chamonix is brimming with Michelin-starred restaurants, shops boasting artisanal produce through to the leading sports equipment, and resplendant hotels and bars.
Arts and Culture
Skiing is intrinsically part of the Alpine culture but the area’s museums delve deeper into its past, with outstanding examples including the Musée Alpin, which covers the history of mountain guides and the first female alpinists, through to the Memory and Heritage House, which charts the area’s history largely through film.
The Espace Tairraz, a remarkable building half buried in a concrete bunker, houses the Musée des Cristaux, showcasing crystals including those found around Mont Blanc.
For a truly wonderous experience, the Ice Cave, or Grotte de Glace, hosts an exceptional array of ice sculptures.
Food and Drink
Just as skiiers from around the world seek out the slopes of Chamonix, the resort is an unrivalled international foodie hub.
An enviable cluster of Michelin-starred restaurants, from the Italian-inspired L’Impossible to the modern-fusion skewed cuisine at Akashon, give diners an abundance of high-end culinary expertise.
But even the simple is done well in Chamonix, from delicious pizzas at Pizzeria des Moulins, to Scandinavian-inspired seafood at Le Comptoir Nordique, to Japanese-style dishes at Satsuki. Even the hot drinks go above and beyond, with Le GouThé offering more than a dozen types of hot chocolate.
With dinner, local Savoyard wines are the drink of choice.
Accessibility
The closest commercial airport to Chamonix is Geneva, approximately 90 kilometres away.
To drive to Chamonix, the Mont Blanc tunnel links the resort to Courmayeur in Italy, nearly two hours from Torino Airport in Turin, and more than two hours from Milan.