The valley is slowly shifting back to its winter rhythm. The lifts are being inspected, the snow cannons are being tested, and the official opening dates for the 2026-2027 season are now out. As every year, the season starts high above Argentière and Chamonix at the end of November, then spreads to the whole valley over the first three weekends of December.
Below, the full calendar area by area, followed by what each weekend means if you are planning a trip or your first lessons with Skibex.
In this article
Opening dates at a glance
Three Saturdays to remember: November 28 for the first lifts, December 12 for most of the valley, and December 19 for everything else, just in time for Christmas.
Les Grands Montets
Argentière, 2 765 m
Opens 28 Nov 2026 · closes 2 May 2027
New Argentière to Lognan gondola
La Flégère
Chamonix, 2 396 m
Opens 28 Nov 2026 · closes 11 Apr 2027
Partial opening, snow permitting
Megève
Evasion Mont-Blanc, 2 350 m
Opens 5 Dec 2026 · closes 4 Apr 2027
Partial opening, full area from 12 Dec
Le Brévent
Chamonix, 2 525 m
Opens 12 Dec 2026 · closes 18 Apr 2027
Linked to La Flégère by cable car
Balme
Le Tour and Vallorcine, 2 270 m
Opens 12 Dec 2026 · closes 11 Apr 2027
Long blues, gentle bowls
Les Planards
Chamonix centre
Opens 12 Dec 2026 · closes 29 Mar 2027
Beginner area
Les Houches
Prarion and Bellevue, 1 900 m
Opens 19 Dec 2026 · closes 4 Apr 2027
Partial opening, snow permitting
La Vormaine
Le Tour, 1 464 m
Opens 19 Dec 2026 · closes 11 Apr 2027
Beginner area
Le Savoy
Chamonix centre
Opens 19 Dec 2026 · closes 15 Mar 2027
Beginner area
| Ski area | Opens | Closes | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Les Grands Montets Argentière, 2 765 m | 28 Nov 2026 | 2 May 2027 | New Argentière to Lognan gondola |
| La Flégère Chamonix, 2 396 m | 28 Nov 2026 | 11 Apr 2027 | Partial opening, snow permitting |
| Megève Evasion Mont-Blanc, 2 350 m | 5 Dec 2026 | 4 Apr 2027 | Partial opening, full area from 12 Dec |
| Le Brévent Chamonix, 2 525 m | 12 Dec 2026 | 18 Apr 2027 | Linked to La Flégère by cable car |
| Balme Le Tour and Vallorcine, 2 270 m | 12 Dec 2026 | 11 Apr 2027 | Long blues, gentle bowls |
| Les Planards Chamonix centre | 12 Dec 2026 | 29 Mar 2027 | Beginner area |
| Les Houches Prarion and Bellevue, 1 900 m | 19 Dec 2026 | 4 Apr 2027 | Partial opening, snow permitting |
| La Vormaine Le Tour, 1 464 m | 19 Dec 2026 | 11 Apr 2027 | Beginner area |
| Le Savoy Chamonix centre | 19 Dec 2026 | 15 Mar 2027 | Beginner area |
Dates published by Mont-Blanc Natural Resort for its areas, and by the operators of Le Savoy and Les Planards. All dates are indicative and can change with snow and operating conditions.
Partial openings: La Flégère, Les Houches and Megève are announced as partial openings. They usually start with a handful of pistes and extend the area as the snow builds up, so check the lift status the day before if you come early in the season.
November 28: Grands Montets and Flégère open first
As tradition goes, Les Grands Montets opens first. From Saturday November 28, 2026, the slopes above Argentière welcome the season's earliest skiers. The altitude and the north-facing pistes guarantee the best early snow in the valley, and the terrain is demanding enough to suit confident intermediates and experts looking to find their legs again before winter fully settles in.
This opening has a special flavour: the new gondola from Argentière to Lognan, designed by Renzo Piano, is in service this winter, replacing the lift lost in the 2018 fire. The summit cable car to 3,295 m will follow in December 2027, so the skiing stays on the mid-mountain for now, which is where most of the pistes are anyway.
On the same day, La Flégère opens, snow permitting. It is a beautiful place to start the season, with open slopes facing Mont Blanc and the morning sun. For novices, it is an excellent playground to regain control and rhythm. Complete beginners can also take their first lessons here from opening day, though we recommend lessons of one or two people to ensure close attention on terrain that rewards focus and careful guidance.
December 12: the valley wakes up
Two weeks later, most of the valley opens. Le Brévent, with its reliable snow at 2,000 m and its view across to Mont Blanc, links again with La Flégère by cable car to form a wide and sunny playground for all levels. Balme, above Le Tour and Vallorcine, reopens the same weekend with its long, easy blues and gentle off-piste bowls, ideal for intermediates and relaxed skiers.
In the centre of Chamonix, Les Planards also opens on December 12, a convenient place for children and first lessons a short walk from town.
A little further down the road, Megève opens its first lifts on December 5, snow permitting, with the full Evasion Mont-Blanc area from December 12. Lessons with our Megève instructors are possible from that first weekend.
December 19: everything open for Christmas
The last pieces fall into place on December 19. In Les Houches, Prarion and Bellevue open for the winter, bringing back the long runs through the forest that families love and the Kandahar for the more ambitious. At the foot of Le Tour, La Vormaine opens the same day. Calm and sheltered, it remains the best spot for beginners in both skiing and snowboarding, with wide slopes and easy gradients. Le Savoy, in the centre of Chamonix, completes the picture, right on time for the Christmas holidays.
December 19 is also the day the Aiguille du Midi cable car and the Montenvers train resume their winter service, so the non-skiers in the family have their own high-mountain days to look forward to.
When the season ends
The valley closes the way it opens: the low beginner areas first, the high mountain last.
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March 15, 2027
Le Savoy
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March 29, 2027
Les Planards
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April 4, 2027
Les Houches and Megève
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April 11, 2027
La Flégère, Balme and La Vormaine
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April 18, 2027
Le Brévent
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May 2, 2027
Les Grands Montets
In other words, the Chamonix season runs for a good five months, with spring skiing at Le Brévent until mid-April and at Les Grands Montets into May. Skibex lessons run from November 28 to April 17.
Booking lessons and passes
Private lessons with Skibex begin on November 28, the day the first lifts turn. Whether you are discovering skiing for the first time or preparing for a new challenge, our instructors will help you start the season smoothly and safely.
The Christmas and New Year weeks (December 19 to January 3) and the February holidays (February 6 to March 7) are the busiest periods, and lessons in those weeks are booked for three consecutive days minimum. The quietest weeks are the first three of December and most of January: cold snow, empty pistes and the widest choice of instructors and times. Lessons are also at their lowest rate until December 18.
Lift passes this winter: the Chamonix Le Pass day pass is €76.50 and Mont Blanc Unlimited is €104, about 4% more than last year. Online dynamic prices are often lower than the ticket office. Full details in our lift pass guide.
Plan your first days of the season
Private lessons from €260 for 1 to 4 people, 3 hours, morning or afternoon, in Chamonix, Argentière, Les Houches and Megève.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the Chamonix ski season start in 2026?
The first lifts turn on Saturday November 28, 2026 at Les Grands Montets and La Flégère. Le Brévent, Balme (Le Tour) and Les Planards open on December 12, and Les Houches, La Vormaine and Le Savoy follow on December 19, so the whole valley is open before the Christmas holidays.
Which Chamonix ski area opens first?
Les Grands Montets, above Argentière, and La Flégère both open on November 28, 2026. Grands Montets has the valley's most reliable early snow thanks to its altitude and north-facing slopes; Flégère opens partially, depending on snow conditions.
When do the Chamonix ski areas close in 2027?
Le Savoy closes on March 15, Les Planards on March 29, Les Houches and Megève on April 4, La Flégère, Balme and La Vormaine on April 11, Le Brévent on April 18 and Les Grands Montets on May 2, 2027.
Can a beginner take a ski lesson in Chamonix in early December?
Yes. From November 28 complete beginners can learn at La Flégère in lessons of one or two people. From December 12 Les Planards, in the centre of Chamonix, is open for first lessons, and from December 19 the nursery areas of Le Savoy and La Vormaine are open too. Skibex private lessons start on November 28.
Are the opening dates guaranteed?
No. The dates are published by Mont-Blanc Natural Resort as indicative and can change with snow and operating conditions. La Flégère, Les Houches and Megève are announced as partial openings, so they usually open a few pistes first and extend the area as the snow builds up.
The snowline will move lower each day, the lifts are testing their cables, and soon the valley will be alive again with the sound of skis carving the first tracks of winter. See you on November 28.
