What to See and Do in and Around Chamonix – Other Than Skiing

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post, I paid for this trip myself. All recommendations and opinions are my own.

We recently spent seven very enjoyable days in Chamonix over the Christmas and New Year period. We had originally planned to go to the Swiss alps, but when we went to book accommodation, we quickly realised how expensive it was and that you really need to book early. Disheartened, we continued to search for alternatives and discovered there was still accommodation available over on the French side of the Alps in Chamonix, and the accommodation was more reasonably priced (as was the rest of the holiday -Switzerland is expensive!).

In the end I’m glad we found ourselves in Chamonix, because it was the perfect winter holiday destination. Not only does it provide great skiing, but it also has lots of activities to enjoy off the slopes too. And of course, as you come to expect in France, there are also lots of delicious bakeries, patisseries and restaurants in which to gorge yourselves on, which we certainly did. During our stay we had several days of skiing, but then spent the remainder of our time enjoying the sites and attractions. I’ve included a list of all the fabulous places we visited in my post below. If you are planning on doing some skiing whilst in Chamonix, then read my post on Everything You Need to Know About Skiing in Chamonix.

Aguille Du Midi 3842m

I’m going to start with the most popular and magnificent attraction, Aguille Du Midi. Chamonix’s highest point has been turned into a tourist attraction and it isn’t cheap at over €60! It is also extremely popular in both summer and winter, so you can expect a long wait in the line to the cable cars and once you are up there, there is also a line to enjoy their popular ‘Step into the Void’ attraction (more on this later). Be aware that these cable cars can close for periods of time to allow for maintenance work to be carried out. It was actually closed leading up to our holiday, but thankfully it opened again just before we arrived. However, if this does happen whilst you are visiting, you can take the bus over to Courmayeur in nearby Italy and take the Skyway Monte Bianco up the mountain (this was our back-up plan in case it didn’t reopen in time).

Be aware that the cable car closes in bad weather – which given the extreme conditions, does happen fairly regularly. In fact it closed whilst we were up there. It was lovely weather when we went up, but then the weather closed in (even though the weather forecast had been favourable) and they immediately closed it as we came back down. However, it did reopen again within a couple of hours, so be prepared for all eventualities.

In order to avoid the crowds, we got up first thing in the morning and headed over to the ticket booth at 8am. We were the first ones to arrive, so were first in line for the cable car alongside a few other keen tourists and some brave skiers (the off-piste slopes up there are only for the very experienced!). There is actually two cable cars that you need to take to get to the very top, both are super fast. The first one takes you to Plan De L’Aguille at 2317m high. You can stop and have a look around here before getting on the next cable car which takes you up to Aguille Du Midi at 3842m.

Once you get out of the cable car, you cross a very exposed bridge and then enter the main building. We decided to head straight up the lift to get to the highest viewing platform before more tourists arrived. At the top was an outdoor viewing platform (extremely cold!) with stunning views of Mont Blanc, and the French, Swiss and Italian Alps. It was so cold that we weren’t able to stay outside for long. We then headed inside to visit the Step into the Void, a glass cage that juts you out over a 1000m void beneath your feet. The waiting zone is heated (yay!) and whilst lining up there are glass panes under foot to get you prepared for the void. Since we were the first ones up for the day, we didn’t have to wait long. It also meant that the staff were quite relaxed about letting us stay in the glass box a bit longer. Before stepping into the box, you will need to take your shoes off and put on a pair of slippers, I guess its to stop the glass from getting scratched up. A staff member takes photos of you using your camera/phone, then they give you a short time to enjoy looking down into the great void beneath your feet.

We then headed back down the lift to visit the other attractions. The Vertical Area had a small, interesting exhibition on the mountaineering history up until present day, but I found the Hypoxia Level, which provides some information about the effects lack of oxygen has on the body, quite boring. However, I loved the seating area called the Mont Blanc Space which has large bay windows with magnificent views of the three peaks Mont Blanc du Tacul, Mont Maudit and Mont Blanc.

My favourite attraction was The Pipe, a circular walk around the summit. We entered via a snow cave which was fun to walk through. By this time the weather was really closing in, but it was fascinating watching the clouds and snow roll in. However, parts of this walk are exposed, so it was extremely cold! The temperature had dropped down to -18°C (-0.40F), the coldest we had ever experienced.

On our way back to the cable car, there is also an exhibition of the construction of the cable car. There were glass walls so you could see its working parts which was interesting. If you get hungry whilst you are up there, there is a cafe and restaurant. There is also the obligatory gift store.

Tip 

• Allow about 2-3 hours for your visit if it’s busy.
• Check the weather forecast in advance because if the weather is not reasonably clear, then you won’t get to see much and also the cable car may close. We did check the weather forecast and it was scheduled to be clear, however, whilst we were up there, unexpected weather swept in and temporarily closed it, so you never can never be sure!
• Save money by purchasing the Mont Blanc one-day pass and visiting Aguille Du Midi, the train du Montenvers and Mer de Glace on the same day (more on these below). The person at the ticket office should recommend this to you, but just in case they don’t, make sure you ask about it.
• Aguille Du Midi is extremely cold! When we first arrived, it was -10°C, however, after the weather closed in it dropped very quickly to -18°C which is the coldest I’ve ever experienced. We wore our wool thermals and leggings under our trousers, thick wool socks, boots, and long down jackets. However, I could happily have worn my ski pants too. Read my post on what to How to Stay Warm on a Winter Vacation.
• Don’t forget to take your sunglasses. On a nice day it is very bright up there due to the sun reflecting off the snow. Don’t forget to apply some sunscreen before heading out as well.
• If the cable car is closed due to maintenance, then take the bus/ drive over to the Italian side and take the Skyway Monte Bianco up the mountain. I’ve included more details on this option below.

Train du Montenvers 1913m

35 Place de la Mer de Glace, 74400 Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France

After our trip up to Aguille Du Midi, we headed over to Train du Montenvers. The station is near the Chamonix train station and there is a bridge that crosses over to it. This train has been taking tourists up the mountain since 1909 and it continues to be a popular tourist attraction due to it offering passengers the most magnificent views of the valley and mountains. The trains were originally drawn by steam locomotives, but were electrified in the 1950’s. The train ride is 5.1 km (3.2 mi) long. It takes about 20 minutes to get to Montenvers where there is also the gondola for the Mer de Glace – the ice cave (more on this below).

When we turned up at the train station there was a sign that advised the ice caves were closed due to the bad weather that had rolled in. We asked the rather grumpy staff member whether there was any chance that it would reopen during the day and they responded with a very stern ‘non’. We were bitterly disappointed but made the decision to at least enjoy the train ride since we had already paid for the expensive Mont Blanc one-day pass. However, when we got to Montenvers 20 minutes later, we were happily surprised to see that the gondola was running as the weather had blown through. So don’t rely on getting any helpful advice from the staff!

When you get on the train, make sure you sit by the door, as this side gets all the views. On our way up, as well as stunning views, we spotted a red squirrel sitting on a log by the tracks and then a herd of deer grazing amongst the trees near the bottom part of the mountain.

At Montenvers there is a large building that has toilets, a restaurant, gift store, and The Glacorium, an exhibition that provides historical information about the glaciers and area. It was interesting to see the old photos of tourists doing exactly what we were doing, however, it was sad to see how far the glacier has retreated. There are also some viewing platforms which overlook the glacier which were super icy when we visited. It had turned into an ice rink (we witnessed lots of people slipping over), so we had to support each other to shuffle out.

If you head down to the lower viewing platform, which is also where the gondola returns you, there is a crystal museum built into the side of the mountain which features all of the types of crystals that are found in Chamonix and around the world. It’s not the most exciting exhibition, but it doesn’t take long to view.

Tip 

• The complete tour, including the cave and travelling time, takes about 2 to 3 hours, but this could be extended in really busy periods. We were lucky when we visited as we didn’t have to wait for the train or gondolas.
• When you get on the train, make sure you sit by the door, as this is the side that opens up to all of the views.
• If you are up for some further adventures, you can hire snowshoes for free (included in your ticket) and explore the trails around Montenvers.
• Be aware that the trains can stop running in bad weather or for maintenance. You can check their website for the latest timetable and for maintenance closures.

Mer de Glace

When we arrived at Montenvers, we were so relieved to see the gondola running after being told at the train station it was closed, that we jumped straight in. The gondola does not take you to the ice cave. Instead, it takes you to the top of a long set of stairs which gets longer as the ice retreats. Unfortunately it is not very accommodating for those with limited mobility.

On the walk down you get the most stunning views of the valley and the retreating glacier. The entrance to the ice cave is at the bottom of the steps I feel like this site is the kind you need to plan to visit soon, because the speed in which the glacier is retreating means it won’t be around for long.

I had been really looking forward to visiting the ice cave, and it didn’t disappoint. The ice was amazing, it was such a beautiful blue colour, but up close, it was so clear and you could see the debris that had been frozen in it many years ago. Inside the cave they had several ice sculptures and some historic photos of the cave and the glacier.

Tip 

• Be aware that the gondola and ice caves can close due to bad weather or maintenance. For example, it had been closed for several months from late September until mid-December. You can check their website for the latest timetable for maintenance closures, but for on the day weather closures, you will need to contact their office or check with the Chamonix Tourist Office.

Day Trip to Italy

The Italian ski resort town of Courmayeur is only a short 40 minute bus ride/drive from Chamonix. They call themselves the ‘sunnyside’ because this side of the mountain gets a lot more sun. As we didn’t have a car we took the bus that leaves from Chamonix bus station which runs about every 2 hours. Make sure you check the schedule in advance and plan your return trip accordingly.

Our trip should have been relatively straight forward, however, when we tried to purchase the tickets online the website wasn’t working properly. The night before we headed down to purchase the tickets from the Chamonix bus station. However they advised us that they had run out of paper to print tickets. They stated that without this paper they couldn’t sell tickets and it had been like this for a few days. They hoped to get some paper the following day, but it wouldn’t arrive before our planned early morning departure. They advised that the bus driver would sell us a ticket but we would need exact change in cash.

A fellow tourist we met who regularly holidays in Chamonix, advised us that these kind of issues are a regular occurrence at this bus station and the reviews on Google also support this. So I recommend you have some euro on you in case you have to purchase your ticket from the bus driver, as they only accept cash. There are no ATM’s nearby. We saw a very panicked tourist attempt to get on the airport bus to catch his flight and didn’t have any euro on him to buy a ticket.

We turned up the next morning and as soon as the bus driver arrived we asked him if we could buy tickets. He advised us that we would need to wait for the people with tickets to board first, then if there were spare seats he would sell us a ticket. We of course were not the only people in this predicament and the ticket office person came out and spoke to the driver who didn’t appear very impressed with the situation. However, we did eventually get tickets, but they would only sell us a single ticket, not a return, so it ended up costing us about €16 extra since the return tickets are much cheaper than two singles.

The bus heads up and over the mountain pass that then passes through a toll/border control (this can cause delays). There are nice views as you drive up to the border crossing, but after that it is mostly tunnel. When you pop out, its a short drive to the first stop.

Important Tip 

Make sure you have your passports with you for this trip. I didn’t think we would need them, but thankfully at the last minute I had grabbed them so we had ID with us. The bus driver will check them and won’t let you board without them. We did see someone miss the bus because they didn’t realise they needed it and had to go back for it.

Skyway Monte Bianco

The first bus stop is at the Skyway Monte Bianco, which is the cable car to the top of the mountain on the Italian side. We didn’t go up this side since we were able to get up Aguille Du Midi in Chamonix (see above), however, from their website it looks very modern and a similar experience. So if Aguille Du Midi is closed for maintenance, the Skyway Monte Bianco is a good back-up option.

QC Terme Pré-Saint-Didier

Allee Des Thermes, 11010 Pré-Saint-Didier AO, Italy

QC Terme are a chain of luxury spas. This company also has a spa in Chamonix, but we decided to go to the one in Italy because it was larger and we also wanted to have a day trip out of Chamonix. Entry to the Chamonix spa comes free if you have a Mont Blanc Unlimited Pass (which is a very expensive – make sure you consider whether you will get your monies worth before buying it), otherwise their entry fees are the same as the Italian spa.

I went online to book the spa day prior to going on holiday. Now this is where it gets confusing. When I tried to book the ‘Daily Relax Entrance’ which is the day time entry to the spa, it was booked out. I was so disappointed. But then I noticed it was selling tickets for a ‘Wellness in Altitude’ which included day access to the spa and also a trip on the Skyway Monte Bianco and this was showing as being available. At this point the Aguille Du Midi was closed for maintenance and I had been worried that it would open in time for our holiday, so I figured we may as well book this. However, (and this is where it gets a bit strange) they don’t actually charge you on your credit card for this. You just pay if and when you turn up. So in the end, we just went to the spa and never ended up going on the Skyway Monte Bianco.

The Italian spa is in the town of Pré-Saint-Didier which is just out of Courmayeur. As we didn’t have a hire car, we took the bus from Chamonix to Courmayeur, then purchased a return ticket for the local bus to Pré-Saint-Didier that departs from the station soon after the bus from Chamonix arrives (you can purchase tickets at the bus station ticket office). It’s only a 10 minute bus ride from the station and the bus driver was helpful in ensuring we got off at the correct stop. Google maps also does a good job of directing you. The drop off point was on Strada Statale 26 dir della Valle d’Aosta, but on our way back we caught the bus from the centro bus stop which is a street over on Avenue du Mont blanc.

From the bus stop it was a further 10 minute walk up a hill to get to the spa, but it was a nice walk through the town. We eventually got there at about 09:55am, as the bus had been late leaving Chamonix and there are no earlier buses. I had been really stressed about arriving after 09:30am as on the communication that the spa had sent me, it stated that they could not guarantee you entry after 09:30am. I had emailed them regarding the public transport issue but had not been reassured that we would get in. I had also tried to ring them in the morning to advise of our bus being late, but they never answer their phone. However, in the end I had wasted time worrying about this because my name was on the list and people were just arriving when they wanted.

On arrival we checked in and paid and were given a plastic card which is used for the lockers. You can also book a treatment if you want. We then headed downstairs to line up for our towel, robe, and rubber sandals (make sure you know your Euro shoe size as they will ask you in order to get the correct sized sandal).

After getting changed, we headed out to explore. We have visited several small spas before, but never anything like this. I must say that the entry price was very reasonable for what you get. They had a staff member giving out free Lindor chocolates which was nice. This place is huge and has lots of hot outdoor spas overlooking the beautiful mountains, a couple of indoor ones (including a dark room), several saunas, a cold plunge bath, steam rooms, salt scrub room, and a sleep room (they really should time these because the same 8 people stayed in them our entire stay so noone else ever got a chance to use them). We thought we would only stay for a few hours, but we ended up staying there the whole day. You can stay the whole day if you want to. We kept exploring and finding more and more places to enjoy. I liked that this place didn’t place time restrictions on your stay like other spas we’ve been too.

There was an upstairs room that served snack like food which is included in your entry fee. It wasn’t anything spectacular. At lunch they also had a soup or pasta you could purchase, but it looked pretty average for the price they were charging. I did love the Italian hot chocolate though and had several of those. The eating room was continually overcrowded which was annoying. They really need to provide more seating. In fact the entire spa was a bit too crowded for me.

I don’t have any photos of our spa visit because it was a very busy day with people everywhere and I didn’t think it was appropriate to snap photos that would surely capture other people. Also, I would have needed a waterproof case for my camera, which I don’t have, otherwise it would have gotten very wet. There is also a good chance it would have been stolen too because people didn’t seem to have a problem stealing other peoples sandals and robes etc… I had my sandals taken, even though my husband and I had placed our items over in a separate corner. When we came back it was just my sandals that had been taken.

Tip

• It is cheaper to visit on a weekday if you can accommodate this in your schedule.
• Don’t forget your bathing costume.
• They only give you one towel and one robe when you arrive. Of course these get soaking wet from getting in and out of the pools all day, but you will really want a dry towel when you go to have a shower before getting dressed. You have to pay extra for an additional towel, so if you want to avoid this cost, then pack a small travel towel like this one that packs up nice and small in your bag and dries quickly.
• You might want to bring a badge with you to attach to your robe so you can easily identify it. They do have small name badges available but you have to pay for them.

Courmayeur Village

We got back into Courmayeur at about 3pm, so had just over an hour to wait for our bus back to Chamonix, so walked into the town to explore. It is not as big as Chamonix so we managed to see all of it before we had to get back for the bus. I liked how everything was concentrated around the main street. There is a nice selection of stores which included some rather expensive high-end ones. There were also some nice looking restaurants and cafe’s. It is a good place to pick up some Italian goods and it also has a nice lookout over the valley and mountains.

Tip

• There are (free) toilets at the bus station.

Chamonix Amusement Park

(351 Chemin du Pied du Grepon, 74400 Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France)

We were up for some fun, so headed down to the Chamonix Amusement Park which is near the train station. It is walking distance from Chamonix Village, though there is also onsite parking. There is a small ski area (however, most of it was closed due to lack of snow), an area for tobogganing (you can hire them onsite), and some other general fun park type activities. However, we were there for the luge on rails. After purchasing a ticket for a couple of runs, we joined the short line. We decided to go as a double. I will say that it was actually quite fun and it really didn’t cost very much.

Tip 

• If you are going there for the luge, be aware that the luge has limited opening hours. On the day we went it wasn’t open until 1pm. Check their website for more details.
• You purchase your luge tickets from a machine which is near the line for the luge.
• You will need to leave your bag with the staff. However, I got away with my small purse which I tucked between us.
• If you like to go fast, then be aware that people get quite scared and tend to go slow, which means you end up catching up with them and it ruins your fast ride. So at the top, hold the breaks to give you a reasonable gap between you and the person in front of you before letting go. I love going fast and I can honestly say we were going so fast it felt like we were going to fly off it! I loved it.
• They do take photos of you that you can pay to have printed out. However, the machine is old and the example one they had really wasn’t very good quality. They really need to upgrade it so you can get it emailed to yourself.

Chamonix Village

Chamonix was actually much larger than I thought it would be, and of course, the mountains surrounding it give it an amazing atmosphere. There are lots of shops, restaurants, and of course bars. This is a popular party location, however, it also has a family vibe too. If you are a dog lover, then this is a great place for cute dog spotting as there were lots of super cute mountain dogs enjoying some family time out.

There is a good variety of shops including your typical European high street stores as well as lots of outdoor stores. There are also some nice (but expensive) homeware stores and grocers selling delicious traditional French foods. For those New Zealanders living in overseas, there is also an Icebreaker store where you can get all your NZ merino knitwear.

As it was the holiday period, they had also decorated it and it looked lovely in the evening with the Christmas lights on. They also had some events such as a small local market (head to the amazing cheese stand), fireworks for new years, and some evening performances down the main street. The Chamonix Tourist Office provides a list of the events.

Horse-Drawn Carriage Ride

Taking a horse-drawn carriage ride around the streets of Chamonix with Dr Zhivago is a popular thing to do in Chamonix in both winter and summer. We didn’t get time to do this, but saw passengers being taken around Chamonix and it did look fun. Head to the small square in the centre of Chamonix for a ride.

Food in Chamonix

We love eating, so for us, food is also one of our favourite holiday experiences. As we stayed in an apartment, we self-catered for quite a lot of our holiday as this helped keep costs down, also I love buying and cooking local foods. We had a fondue and raclette set at our apartment which we made good use of, so we didn’t eat this when we went out. However, there are plenty of restaurants that offer this. If you do stay in a place with a raclette set, the supermarkets actually sell cheese in raclette shape! Here are the restaurants that we enjoyed most.

Restaurants

Cool Cats Artisanal Hot Dogs

116 Rue des Moulins, 74400 Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France

On the first night we attempted to eat out, we discovered that all of the nice restaurants were booked out. As we wandered the streets hungrily looking for something to eat, we came across this fast food restaurant serving artisanal hot dogs as well as other items such as sandwiches and nachos. The menu was interesting, serving hot dogs in a way I’ve never seen before. There were also vegan and vegetarian options available.

First you choose your topping – I went for the The Brick which included parmesan, bacon mayo, fried egg, ketchup and roasted onions. My husband went for the Chilli Cheese Dog with hot chilli con carne, melted cheddar, jalapenos, and topped with feta yoghurt, grilled corn and coriander. Then you choose your hot dog, we chose Cool Cats Porc. Then you choose your base, we both chose frites maison – home style potato fries. They also have sweet potato fries which I usually choose, but I thought it would be a bit sweet with the topping I had chosen. They sell alcoholic drinks so I enjoyed a glass of wine and my husband went for a local beer.

The flavour was amazing, it was like a party was going on in my mouth there was such a variety of flavours. The bacon mayo was to die for. I am going to try and recreate this dish as home because as I write this I am literally drooling at the memory of it. My husband equally enjoyed his as well.

La Tablée

75 Avenue de l’Aiguille du Midi, 74400 Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France

We booked a table at this restaurant after we realised how hard it is to get a walk-in sitting. We also thought that after our first day of skiing, we would probably be tired and not up to cooking for ourselves. This is a French restaurant and we enjoyed a fine dining experience, but for a reasonable price. From their winter menu, I had the roasted rack of lamb in walnut crust and truffled juice which was lovely and pink, just how I like it. I loved how it came with its own little cast iron pot of hot juice to spoon over it. My husband had the roasted duck breast with tangy-sweet blueberry sauce. We were also given some delicious little potatoes to share and had a lovely collection of vegetables on our plates. We enjoyed a bottle of red – Vin de Pays des Côtes de Thongue from Les Chemins de Bassac which was labelled as being organic.

For dessert we shared the semi-cooked chocolate with passion flowing heart and vanilla ice cream. It was delicious and I really enjoyed the tart sweetness of the passion fruit. I’m going to add it to my own chocolate fondant that I make at home.

Beurre Noisette

11 Rue Whymper, 74400 Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France

We enjoyed a delicious lunch at Beurre Noisette on our final day in Chamonix. It was a lovely way to end our holiday with some good French cuisine at a reasonable price. I liked that they create their menu each week from fresh seasonal produce. It’s the kind of place that I wished I lived near, as I often grow tired of those restaurants that never change their menu. The lunch had set pricing. We both ended up getting a starter and main as we had planned to head to the Pastry House Richard patisserie for an afternoon sugar hit.

For starters I had a delicious escargot risotto and hubby had a beautifully rich cheese souffle. For mains I had a pork pasta dish and he had fish in a lovely creamy sauce. We both enjoyed a glass of white wine from Bordeaux which reminded us of our holiday there several months back in September (when the weather was much hotter!).

Tip 

• During busy periods, the restaurants quickly get fully booked and won’t accept (even early) walk-ins, so make sure you book your restaurant in advance.

Bakeries and Patisseries

There are lots of good bakeries in Chamonix,. Unfortunately we didn’t get time to visit them all, but here are the ones we tried and enjoyed.

Le Fournil Chamoniard

204 Avenue de l’Aiguille du Midi, 74400 Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France

This lovely bakery was closest to where we were staying so we ended up visiting most days for a fresh baguette. We also had lunch here on the day we arrived and they have nice salads, sandwiches and quiches. They also have a good selection of pastries.

Pastry House Richard

10 Rue du Dr Paccard, 74400 Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France

This is a classic French patisserie, you will start drooling just standing outside looking at the window display. We got a few delicious sweet treats from Pastry House Richard including a large filled raspberry macaroon and a pastry that had been dipped in caramel and filled with cream.

Aux Petits Gourmands

168 Rue du Dr Paccard, 74400 Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France

Aux Petits Gourmands has a beautiful window display of both chocolates and pastries. This place is expensive though, we only got a few small items each.

Accommodation Options in Chamonix

Search available accommodation in Chamonix

Budget

• La Croix Blanche
• Chalet Hôtel Le Prieuré
•  Hotel Le Chamonix

Moderate

• Les Balcons du Savoy
• Alpina Eclectic Hotel
• Mercure Chamonix Centre

Luxury

• Hôtel Mont-Blanc Chamonix
• Les Chalets Aquarelle
• Chalet le Bornian

Practical Tips for Visiting Chamonix

• What to Pack: Wondering for your ski holiday to Chamonix? Then follow my guide What to Pack for a Beginners Ski Holiday. If you have never experienced winter in a cold climate before, then use my guide on How to Stay Warm on a Winter Vacation.
• Tourist Office: For up to date information on sites and attractions, visit the Chamonix Tourist Office (85 Place du Triangle de l’Amitié, 74400 Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France).
• Getting around Chamonix: Chamonix has a bus and train service which runs up and down the valley and to the various ski resorts and hiking areas. Around the town centre, they run a free little mini bus called Le Mulet which translates to ‘the mule’. Apparently the service was named after the mules which were once used to transport the visitors to and from the scenic attractions in the valley. Visitors can get a guest pass called the Carte d’Hôte / Free Guest Card, which entitles you to free travel on the Chamonix Valley buses and on SNCF trains in the valley between Servoz and Vallorcine. It also provides discounts on some of the local attractions. Your accommodation provider needs to give you this card, so be sure to ask for it when you check-in. If you are staying in private accommodation you can get one of these passes for €10 from the Chamonix Town Hall or Chamonix Tourist Centre. Dogs are allowed to go on the buses, but need to be muzzled and leashed or in a basket. When getting on the bus, you are supposed to enter via the front door to show your ticket and exit out the rear.
• Language: French, however, as Chamonix is a tourist city most people speak English. Even so, do try your hand at a few French words:
  • Yes = oui (wee)
  • No = non (no)
  • Please = sil vous plait (seal voo play)
  • Thank you = merci (mare-see)
  • Hello = bonjour (boh(n)-zhoor)
  • Good evening = bonsoir (boh(n) swarh)
• Currency: Euro
• Tipping: The service charge is included in the bill, so there is no need to tip.
• Electricity: The electrical current is 220-240 volts, 50-60 Hz. Wall outlets take the European two round prong plugs. However, you are better off purchasing a worldwide adaptor that can be used in France as well other countries. At least then you can potentially get some further use out of it on future vacations. If you’re taking a number of electronics with you, then I would recommend purchasing a couple of these adaptors.
• Navigating: We used Google’s free Offline Maps. Google Offline Maps allows you to access free maps for navigating that can be used offline i.e. you don’t need WIFI, data, or roaming to be able to use them. Follow this detailed guide on how to use Googles Offline Maps. Using your phone as a GPS will drain your battery quickly, so use a portable battery charger which you can use to charge your phone and any other USB chargeable devices. If you prefer a paper map, then pick one up for free at the Chamonix Tourist Office (85 Place du Triangle de l’Amitié, 74400 Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France). Your accommodation should also provide you with one.