Please find below a list of 5 of our favourite day trips from the Chamonix valley.

3 Countries in 1 Day

With Chamonix being located so close to the border of both Switzerland and Italy, we have created a day trip for guests to enjoy it all aptly named  – ‘Three Countries in One Day’.

We will pick you up from your accommodation in the morning and provide transport to Switzerland and Italy in one of our comfortable 9 x seater minibuses.

The day starts by heading over the col des Montets and across the border and over into Switzerland.  We descend on a spectacular route down into Martigny (photo opportunities available) before making our way to the very beautiful Swiss mountain town of Champex … here we have the chance to enjoy some breakfast or morning tea besides the lake.

We then continue deeper into the Swiss mountains before climbing the infamous Great Saint Bernard Pass.  On the top of this historical mountain pass, you will have the opportunity to visit the (still operational) Great Saint Bernard hospice and museum or if you prefer, you can also visit the Great Saint Bernard puppy sanctuary – where you can see and pet some Saint Bernard puppies, actual descendants of the original Saint Bernard pedigree.

We then continue over into Italy and down the Italia side of the Great Saint Bernard pass until we reach the medieval town of Aosta.  Here, you will have the chance to enjoy a superb Italian lunch and some time to explore the charming old town of Aosta with its many small cobbled streets.  For those looking for lunch spot recommendations, we can happily provide you with some of our favourite restaurant choices.

After lunch, we take the castle route back up towards Mont Blanc, before making a final stop in the chic mountain town of Courmayeur.  Here, guests have the chance to enjoy an afternoon gelato or an expresso on a café terrace whilst exploring the picturesque old town.  For those people wanting to stock up on some local Italian produce before heading back into France, we will go via a great Italian delicatessen where you can purchase many different local Aosta cheeses, yogurts and locally made cured meats.

Marmotte Mountain Adventure offers day trips for guests to enjoy the ‘Three Countries in One Day‘ and tours can be booked throughout the year for groups of 4 pax or more.  For more details, please make an ENQUIRY or check out our CHAMONIX DAY TRIPS page.

Check out our Instagram post HERE

Check out our Facebook post HERE

Day Trip to Annecy

Thanks to its charming old world architecture and its network of canals, Annecy is often referred to as ‘the Venice of the Alps.’ This beautiful lakeside city is definitely worth a visit in the summer.  You can relax by the water on one of Annecy’s many sunny beaches where you can take a refreshing swim in the turquoise waters of the lake or you can hire a pedallo boat / motor boat for you and the family. Annecy also offers a good selection of lakeside restaurants and a lively and vibrant old town to explore and discover.  Annecy is approximately an hour and a half away from Chamonix by car and if visiting in August, be sure to catch the Fête du Lac, Europe’s largest fireworks display.

Marmotte Mountain Adventure offers return day trips to Annecy throughout the year for groups of 4 pax or more.

We take you to Annecy via the scenic mountain route … taking in some of the famous Tour de France mountain passes.  When we reach lac Annecy, we stop at one of our favourite lakeside beaches to give you some time to take a swim and a small relax in the sun before heading into the old town for lunch and exploration.  Lunch recommendations available upon request.

For more details on our ‘Day Trip to Annecy’, please make an ENQUIRY or check out our CHAMONIX DAY TRIPS page.

Check out our Instagram post HERE

Check out our Facebook post HERE

Taste of the Aosta Valley

Come join us on for our gastronomic day tour of the Aosta Valley in Italy – aptly named the ‘Taste of the Aosta Valley‘.

We will pick you up from your accommodation and provide transport to Italy via the Mont Blanc tunnel.

In the morning you, will have the chance to discover 2 x local wineries where you will get to taste some outstanding locally produced wine.  Much of the wine that you will taste is made purely from rarely known local indigenous Aosta Valley grapes, providing you with a great opportunity to discover some new and exciting styles and flavours of wine, unique to the Aosta Valley.

Whilst tasting some of the local varieties of wine, you will also have the opportunity to taste some locally produced cured meats as well as some fresh local cheese from the Aosta Valley.

After the wine tasting is complete, we will then transport you to the historical town of Aosta where you will have the chance to enjoy an amazing degustation lunch of 5 or 7 courses.  The chef creates a delicious locally inspired menu, based on using regional products only, with each course being accompanied by a local wine.

After lunch, we have some moments to wonder the beautiful pedestrian streets of the old town of Aosta before heading back up into the mountains to visit a local distillery.  Here, you will have the opportunity to taste and purchase some great quality Genepi or one of two different types of gins, that are all distilled in nearby Saint Bernard mountains.

Marmotte Mountain Adventure offers day trips for guests to enjoy the ‘Taste of the Aosta Valley‘ and tours can be booked throughout the year for groups of 4 pax or more.  For more details, please make an ENQUIRY or check out our CHAMONIX DAY TRIPS page.

Check out our Instagram post HERE

Check out our Facebook post HERE

Tour of lac Leman

Our day starts with an early morning pick up from your Chamonix accommodation before heading to our 1st stop to the magical medieval village of Yvoire.

Situated on the French shores of Lake Geneva, Yvoire is part of the independent association – the most beautiful villages in France. Locally nicknamed the “Pearl of Lake Geneva” (la Perle du Lac Léman). The preserved fortified village is well known for its floral display and has been awarded by the International Trophy for Landscape and Horticulture. Its pedestrianised narrow streets are an invitation for a historic stroll, leading to the calm and tranquil waterfront with splendid views of Lake Geneva, the Alps of Chablais and the Jura Mountains.

We then head onto Evian les Bains where we will have the chance to enjoy a nice lunch and the possibility to visit the famous water spring that has become a world wide household name.

From Evian, we take a short drive before catching a ferry over lac Leman to beautiful Swiss lakeside town of Montreux … made famous by the world class Montreux Jazz festival, held during the 1st half of July each year.  Montreux also became the home of Freddie Mercury of the rock band Queen, choosing Montreux because of its serenity.  A statue monument of Freddie can be visited along the lake shore.

From Montreux we then drive back to Chamonix by taking the scenic mountain route, going via the col de la Forclaz and later the col des Montets before arriving in Chamonix.

For more details on our ‘Tour of lac Leman’, please make an ENQUIRY or check out our CHAMONIX DAY TRIPS page.

Travelling the Heights of the Alps

Chamonix is home to l’Aiguille du Midi.

A visit to this iconic peak that towers over the Chamonix Valley is a must for most who visit Chamonix.   The Aiguille du Midi still holds the record as the largest vertical ascent of any cable car in the world … starting at an altitude of 1035 m’s in Chamonix and climbing to an altitude of 3842 m’s, with a total ascent of 2807 m’s.  The cable car is made up of 2 sections.  The 1st section is from Chamonix to Plan Aiguille at 2317 m’s and the 2nd then goes directly from Plan Aiguille to the peak of l’Aiguille du Midi.

Our day starts with an early morning pick up from your accommodation where we transport you to the base of l’Aiguille du Midi.  You will then take the cable car via Plan Aiguille and up to the summit of l’Aiguille du Midi where you have the chance to enjoy the incredible panoramic views on offer.

You will then continue your adventure by taking the spectacular Panoramic Gondola from France to Italy … this gondola travels over the top of huge glacers below where you have the chance to view the large seracs and crevasses below.

Next you will arrive at Punta Helbronner … you are now in Italy .. here, you will have the chance to photograph even more spectacular alpine panoramic mountainscape … this time looking down into the Aosta Valley and beyond.

You will then descend from Punta Helbronner on the Skyway Monte Bianco … this newly installed cable car slowly rotates as it descends … allowing you to view the full 360 degrees of the Italian side of the Mont Blanc massif.

You will depart the Skyway Monte Bianco in Entreves where we will meet you and pick you up and take you into the nature park of the Val Ferret where we will organise lunch at a local aosta style restaurant.  After lunch you will have some moments to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of the val ferret before heading to Courmayeur for a gelato and an afternoon coffee.

We then return to Chamonix via the Mont Blanc tunnel.

For more details on our ‘Travelling the Heights of the Alps’, please make an ENQUIRY or check out our CHAMONIX DAY TRIPS page.

The post The 5 Best Day Trips from Chamonix appeared first on Marmotte Mountain.

With so many mountains and so many countries to choose from, where is the best place to go skiing? Here is our handpicked countdown of some of the most supreme mountain resorts across Europe.

Chamonix, France

For the best skiing in the Alps, surely you have to visit its tallest mountain – Mont Blanc. Chamonix Valley has something to offer for everyone, whether you’re a winter sports novice or have been skiing for years. Impressively, it’s also the location of the first ever winter Olympics. You won’t get bored here as there are five ski resorts in the valley and a fine selection of restaurants and nightlife along with other activities if you don’t fancy the slopes.

St Moritz, Switzerland

Think of this as the ‘St Tropez’ of skiing destinations! This high end resort has a local airstrip and a selection of five star hotels for the rich and famous to enjoy. It may have a glamorous reputation but St Moritz is also serious about skiing – it’s hosted the Alpine Skiing World Championships four times and the Winter Olympics twice. It’s also one of the most reliable ski resorts in Europe for real snow, elevated at 5,906- 10,837 ft.

St Anton am Arlberg, Austria

With a reputation as the ski capital of Austria, St Anton am Arlberg is undoubtedly one of the best places to ski in the Alps – especially if you’re into off-piste. The challenging terrain generally attracts advanced skiers, however there are more family friendly ski areas for beginners to get to grips with the slopes. This destination is also known for its vibrant apres-ski scene, with an abundance of bars to choose from after a hard day on the powder.

Grindelwald, Switzerland

This picture perfect Swiss resort is beautiful any time of year, but mountains aren’t just for admiring from afar. There are three airports which allow fast access to Grindelwald resort, so it’s a good destination for a short ski or snowboard holiday. This is arguably the best place to ski in the Jungfrau region – so put it on your list.

Where do you love to ski in the Alps? Let us know.

The post Best Places to Ski in the Alps appeared first on Marmotte Mountain.

It’s a difficult decision, but we may just have found the answer. Head to the Chamonix Valley, one of the oldest ski resorts in France, and you are but a short distance away from other exciting European slopes. Located in the heart of the French Alps, Chamonix is where the French, Swiss and Italian borders meet. Stay in Chamonix Valley and you could enjoy access to slopes in three different countries.

Of course, Chamonix is so large that you don’t actually have to venture outside of France to have a thrilling ski experience. The 16km valley is made up of five major ski resorts, many of which are linked by cable car. From La Vallee Blanche to Le Tour, the valley offers a variety of pistes suitable for beginners right up to advanced skiers and boarders.
However, if you’d like to tick off as many countries as possible from your European bucket list, then it couldn’t be easier from Chamonix. A detour to the other side of Mont Blanc will lead you to the Italian resort of Courmayeur, which offers slopes for all abilities. You can also venture into Switzerland for a day trip to the Verbier ski resort, for a change of scenery. The best thing about visiting all of these slopes is that it won’t cost a fortune – these extra resorts are included in the Mont Blanc ski pass, so you won’t have to pay any extra for using the non-French pistes.

Other Activities

As you can see, the ski opportunities in this area are endless. If you fancy a break from the slopes one day, you can also take a day trip to the Italian or Swiss mountains to relax in thermal pools. Take some time out to rejuvenate your muscles in these naturally hot pools. Choose from the Pre Saint Didier Spa in Italy’s Aosta Valley or the thermal pools in the nearby Swiss mountains – Le bains de Lavey or Le bains de Saillon.
All of these breath-taking locations are easily accessible from Marmotte Mountain’s luxury ski chalets.

The post How to Ski in Three Different Countries on your Trip! appeared first on Marmotte Mountain.