Chamonix · Les Houches · Megève
Plan your ski trip
Everything you need to plan a mountain week that actually goes to plan: honest advice on dates, passes, budgets and logistics, written by instructors who ski these valleys every day, checked and updated for the 2026/27 season.
- 1
Pick your dates
January quiet, February deep, March golden: each period skis differently.
When to go - 2
Choose your terrain
Five Chamonix areas, family Les Houches or 400 km around Megève.
The resorts - 3
Sort passes & budget
The right pass saves more than any promo code. Then count the real costs.
Budget tool - 4
Plan the journey
Geneva is 88 km away and you have five ways to cover them.
Transfers
When to go
The 2026/27 season runs from late November 2026 (first high areas) to early May 2027 at Grands Montets. Inside that window, the experience changes completely.
When should you come?
Every stretch of the winter has a personality. Pick one.
5 Jan → 31 Jan
Daylight : Cold and crisp (~9h15)
The connoisseur's month: cold dry snow, quiet lifts, the best price-to-conditions ratio of the season.
Watch out : Coldest weeks; pack proper layers for children.
School holidays cheat sheet
| 19 Dec 2026 to 3 Jan 2027 | All of France + most of Europe | Peak |
| Mid-Feb to mid-Mar 2027 (3 rotating zones) | French winter break | Peak, 4 weeks long |
| One week mid-Feb 2027 | UK half term | Chamonix noticeably busier |
| Early Apr 2027 (2 weeks) | French spring break | Mild |
Opening dates, area by area
Not every lift opens at once: high areas run almost two months longer than the valley floor.
| Ski area | Winter 2026/27 (expected) |
|---|---|
| Grands Montets | Late Nov 2026 → early May 2027 (new gondola in service) |
| Flégère | Late Nov 2026 → mid-Apr 2027 |
| Brévent | Mid-Dec 2026 → late Apr 2027 |
| Balme (Le Tour / Vallorcine) | Mid-Dec 2026 → mid-Apr 2027 |
| Les Houches | Mid-Dec 2026, preview weekend early Dec → mid-Apr 2027 |
| Beginner zones (Savoy, Vormaine) | Just before Christmas 2026 → end of season |
| Megève / Evasion | Mid-Dec 2026 → mid-Apr 2027 (sector-dependent) |
| Aiguille du Midi (winter ops) | ~19 Dec 2026 → end of May 2027 |
The official 2026/27 calendar is published by Mont-Blanc Natural Resort in early autumn. The pattern above follows the resort's steady rhythm; last winter for reference: Grands Montets and Flégère opened 29 November, most areas 13 December, beginner zones 20 December.
Build your budget
Passes are the biggest line after accommodation, and the easiest to overpay. Estimate the real total for your group, then dig into the full pass guide.
Estimate your ski budget
Passes, gear and mountain lunches for the whole group, before accommodation.
Getting here
Ninety percent of visitors land in Geneva. Compare every way up the valley, then see the detailed access guides for Chamonix, Les Houches and Megève.
Geneva → Chamonix: pick your transfer
88 km, five honest options. Tell us your group and priority.
Travellers
What matters most?
★ Our pick for you
Scheduled coach (FlixBus / Swiss Tours)
Up to 11 daily departures in season from the airport bus station to Chamonix Sud. Cheapest way up the valley; book ahead for the best fares.
Watch out: Fixed timetable, luggage limits, drops at bus station only.
- Duration
- 1h25–1h45
- Price
- €10–25 per person
- Group estimate
- €34 (one-way, whole group)
Also worth considering
- Train (Léman Express + Mont Blanc Express)2h45–3h15, 1–2 changes€64
- Shared door-to-door shuttle1h15–2h (with other drops)€76
- Rental car1h15 via A40 motorway€90
- Private transfer1h10–1h20€250
Pack like you have done this before
Altitude sun, minus fifteen wind chill and hotel spas, all in one bag. Tick items off as you pack; the list remembers where you left it.
The Chamonix packing list
Built by instructors who see what people forget. Ticks are saved on this device.
Documents & admin
On the mountain
In the village
Tech & extras
Chamonix
The world capital of alpinism, five ski areas under Mont Blanc.
Les Houches
Tree-lined family skiing with the best bad-weather visibility in the valley.
Megève
An elegant village at the heart of 400 km of linked skiing.
Frequently asked, honestly answered
When is the best time to ski in Chamonix?
January for cold snow and empty pistes, March for the best sun-to-snow balance. February has the deepest cover but coincides with European school holidays. The 2026/27 season runs from about 19 December 2026 to mid-April 2027, with Grands Montets usually open into early May.
Do I need a car in the Chamonix valley?
No. With a lift pass or the free Carte d'Hôte guest card, valley buses are free, and the Mont Blanc Express train links every village from Servoz to Vallorcine. A car only helps for day trips to Megève or Courmayeur.
Which lift pass should I buy?
Skiing Chamonix's areas only: Chamonix Le Pass (€74/day, 2025/26). Adding Les Houches, Aiguille du Midi, Montenvers or Italy: Mont-Blanc Unlimited (€100/day). Les Houches only: its own pass from €35.30. In Megève: Évasion Mont-Blanc (€63.50/day). Booking online early cuts 10 to 30%.
How much does a ski week in Chamonix cost?
Per adult, excluding accommodation: about €367–480 for a 6-day pass, €210 for equipment rental, €150 for mountain lunches and €80 for a return Geneva shuttle. Roughly €800–950 all-in; children pay 15–30% less. Our budget calculator gives a personalised figure.
Is Chamonix good for beginners?
Yes, with the right plan. Dedicated beginner zones (Le Savoy, Les Planards, La Vormaine) cost ~€27/day instead of a full pass, and Les Houches' gentle forest runs are ideal for the first full-mountain days. Baptism by Grands Montets is not compulsory.
What changes with the Grands Montets rebuild?
The new Renzo Piano-designed gondola from Argentière to Lognan runs for winter 2026/27, replacing the lift lost in the 2018 fire. The second section to the 3,295 m summit opens in December 2027. Skiing continues on the whole mid-mountain in the meantime.
Ski it with a local instructor
Our instructors ski these mountains every day. Book a private lesson and get the pass, area and timing questions answered for free.