Top 5 Reasons to Visit Chamonix in Summer

A thrilling resort for outdoor enthusiasts, Chamonix has over 350 km of hiking trails with several glaciers to explore too. Varying in difficulty to suit everyone’s needs including family walks and more strenuous hikes, all of Chamonix’s trails are well sign-posted and maintained for everyone to enjoy.

Complete with a breathtaking mountain backdrop, Lac Blanc is one of the most popular hiking destinations in Chamonix, whilst Cascade du Dard also provides another easy route for the whole family to enjoy. For those looking to rise to the challenge, an alternative itinerary to this spectacular 20m waterfall is available with a more strenuous elevation gain of 400m.

Offering a large number of mountain biking trails for all abilities, Chamonix’s biking routes have a colour coded system which correlates with that of ski runs -green being trails for absolute beginners, red for intermediates and black for advanced cyclists. A popular area for families, the beautiful cross-country trails along l’Arve river pass through many of the valley’s villages allowing you to stop for a refreshing break and enjoy your picturesque surroundings.

A popular activity during the summer months, Chamonix has cultivated two dedicated mountain bike zones in the quieter ends of the valley; these zones can be found in both Les Houches and Le Tour. With well maintained trails in Chamonix, both medium skilled and advanced bikers have plenty of tracks to choose from.

The mecca of alpine climbing, Chamonix is home to the world famous Mont Blanc with 27 peaks and a vast variety of alpine routes to explore. A world-class area for mountaineering and rock climbing, Chamonix is famous for the granite towers to the left of Aiguille de Midi where lovers of classic rock climbing have plenty of routes to choose from.

For fans of bouldering, Chamonix also has some excellent bouldering areas offering a variety of rock to explore including mountain limestone and granite.

The equestrian centre of Mont Blanc is the ideal place to enjoy horse riding during your stay in Chamonix. With an indoor arena and paddocks, the centre has plenty to keep you entertained. From beginners to advanced, everyone is welcome at the equestrian centre of Mont Blanc with lessons ranging from introductory classes to show jumping and dressage.

For those looking to discover the resort in an alternative way to on foot, the equestrian centre also offers half-day and full day trekking sessions on horseback. Whatever your needs, you can rest assured the equestrian centre is able to help.

Rafting, kayaking and canyoning are all popular water sports during the summer months in Chamonix. For rafting, both the Arve and the Giffre rivers offer a white knuckle ride, whilst those looking for a more relaxed water sports experience can practise both windsurfing and swimming in many of the local lakes or at the Centre Sportif Richard Bozon which has four pools to choose from.

To experience kayaking during your stay in Chamonix both the Giffre and the Dranse offer a range of levels to enjoy.