Chamonix:
Chamonix is dominated by the highest peak in the Western Europe, the Aiguilles de Chamonix. People refer to the town itself and the valley by simply saying Chamonix . The valley also consists of quite a few villages out of which the most famous after Chamonix are Servoz, Les Houches, Les Bossons, Les Praz, Les Tines, Argentiere, Montroc, and Le Tour.
The golf course in the Chamonix valley has a high standard with excellent facilities. It is situated next to the village of Les Praz. With 18 holes.
Buses and trains make the access to the other villages and resorts from the valley easier, and because the Chamonix is such a tourist town, there is Guest Card available for tourists. The Card gives discount to different places and activities in town as well as free rides on the local bus. Chamonix is also close to the borders with Italy and Switzerland thus one day trips are very common.
Summer in Chamonix:
When the snow has melted, Chamonix still has plenty of activities to offer, from mountaineering to white water rafting as well as more general sports and leisure activities such as tennis and squash, horse riding, bowling, swimming and fitness. The car-free centre of town is full of atmosphere and very cosmopolitan, with cobbled streets and squares, beautiful old buildings built around a fast-running glacial river. The atmosphere is lively and bustling with a good variety of shops, bars, restaurants and cafes. For trekking and hiking, the Chamonix valley has the most comprehensive and clearly indicated network of mountain paths in the Haute-Savoie. There are over 350km of marked paths along the valley leading up to the glaciers. Chamonix has a wealth of mountain biking opportunities for all ages and abilities. All the cable car systems run in the summer, giving opportunities for down hilling as well as numerous cross-country trails up and down the valley.
Apres Ski:
Chamonix's reputation as one of the liveliest after ski resorts in the Alps is justly deserved. With numerous bars, and even its own micro-brewery, you will find somewhere to cover every taste. Live music kicks off around 4pm in several venues, notably Chambre Neuf, MBC and South Bar, most days in the winter, but there are plenty of quiet and cosy meeting spots for a vin chaud and a chat. As the early evenings pass into night-time, you can carry on partying until 4am or later in several nightclubs around town. On several nights of the year, all night licences mean you are likely to still be out at sunrise, especially during the summer months.
Many bars offer great food menus, but there is a huge selection of excellent restaurants as well, up to the Michelin-starred Albert Premier. Whether traditional French, Savoyarde, Italian, Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Korean or just modern cuisine, Chamonix has it all.
