Chamonix and the French Alps

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc lies at 1,035 metres in a valley ringed by peaks, beneath Mont Blanc, the highest summit in western Europe at over 4,800 metres. It hosted the first Winter Olympic Games in 1924 and remains the place for skiing in winter and for walking and mountain adventures in summer.

From the town centre a cable car climbs to the Aiguille du Midi at 3,842 metres, with the glass Step into the Void and views over the peaks of France, Italy and Switzerland. From a station nearby, the Montenvers rack railway climbs in 20 minutes to 1,913 metres above the Mer de Glace glacier.

The nearest airport is Geneva, about an hour and a quarter by road. Summer, June to September, suits families, and the ski season starts in December. Bring warm clothes even in summer for the summits, and book the Aiguille du Midi in advance.