Activity Reviews in Chamonix

Some more mixed weather here in Cham, it's been pretty warm when the sun is out but when it isn't, especially up here in Argentiere with cooler winds coming in off the glacier, it has been pretty chilly and the need for a jumper has become necessary! It's a great time of year to be out, over the next few weeks we will start to feel the seasons change a little with more autumnal weather higher up the mountain but still the elements of summer shall remain further down the valley and in to Passy. Even if it's feeling a wee bit too chilly to jump in some water for a swim up here in the valley, down in to Lac Passy will be lovely and warm, and the temperature of the water will remain swimmable for a good while yet.

It's with a mixture of relief and smug selfishness that I read the UK weather reports. Today: "..outbreaks of rain and brisk winds spreading eastwards across all parts". I don't know about you, but I prefer the Chamonix version: "Sunny - clear all day - period of sunshine close to 100%". What better way to enjoy such excellent weather than a visit to our favourite haunt of Le Tour - this time on foot rather than by bike!

It's that time of year again; clouds are gathering, the temperature is dropping, wind is picking up - it can only mean one thing... it's Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc time!

Summer is starting to fade now and autumn is definitely in the air; it is still plenty warm enough to enjoy sunny afternoon hikes and al fresco lunches but the mornings are getting a bit nippy and there have been a few more rainy days of late than we've been accustomed to recently.

The weather in Chamonix has taken a turn for the better! Its been getting warmer every day with less clouds poking their heads in to the valley, which is great for clearing some of the snow of the higher trails for hiking and biking along with some of the higher climbs in the valley that might become possible if the hot weather hangs around.

Autumn is well and truly on us now and the trees are a blaze of russet and golden hues. With the exception of a couple of fairly miserable days at the end of last week, we're still enjoying some pretty beautiful weather. Whilst the temperature has noticeably dropped in the morning, I haven't had to scrape my car windscreen yet but you can tell that it won't be long. It's currently about 4 degrees first thing but then it was still getting up to a very pleasant 25 degrees down the valley last week if the temperature reading in Passy is to be believed. It certainly felt very warm and humid as we popped down for a quick trot around the lake last Wednesday evening.

We're back! And after 2 weeks sunning ourselves on far flung beaches we've clearly gone a bit soft and are finding Chamonix decidedly chilly at the moment. It's definitely just us though as the thermometer has been hovering at a pretty respectable 20-25° most days, but flip flop season is definitely drawing to a close. The mornings now have that “Back to School” nip in the air reminiscent of the first day of term but once the valley has had a chance to warm up a little, the afternoons are still plenty warm enough to sit out with a coffee and take in the much quieter pace of life in Cham.

Summer seems to be passing by quite quickly, it only seems like a couple of days ago that it started but now we are in the last bit of July and with a fresh dump of snow on the Brevent this morning we can almost smell the winter beginning to stir! There is still plenty of time left to get some summer fun in the mountains with lifts staying open until mid-September, so get booking and get out here!

Chamonix is well known for it's hard core mountaineers, who think nothing of spending the night attached to a rock face as they attempt the summits that surround the valley. But for those of us who, for any number of reasons (kids, injury, self preservation), prefer a more accessible way to enjoy a night away from civilisation, then you will be pleased to know that Chamonix's version of Glamping has arrived!

We are now well into September and summer finally looks like it has arrived! No, just kidding but we have been having a bit of a heat-wave (like a lot of places apparently). Having said that the weather this weekend has been touch and go.

The last week has thrown up a mixed bag of weather in Chamonix. Apart from a couple of cloudy days at the beginning of last week, we have had standard late spring weather here with some warm sunny spells, interspersed with late afternoon showers – some of which have brought some impressive thunder and lightning displays. On Sunday night the forecasted rain seemed to have missed us, unfortunately it came eventually in the early hours of the morning just as I was walking the 20 minutes to home from a night in town. This was true Chamonix rain that came down in bucket loads, luckily I had a waterproof, a friend of mine didn't, instead he managed to fashion something out of shopping bags and cling film after a quick nightcap at another friends in town. Whilst the result wasn't 100% Gore-Tex in its waterproofing, it was nonetheless 100% hilarious and kept us entertained for the journey home.

There’s much more to Chamonix than skiing and snowboarding - there’s also a thriving arts scene with regular exhibitions, workshops, concerts and more.