Central Chamonix Bar Guide

However, even better than Austrian apres can be found at Chambre Neuf (the bar of Hotel Gustavia ) from 17.30-19.30pm. It’s not for the faint hearted. Packed to the rafters from Sunday to Friday with the legendary No Limits, blasting out our favourite rock and pop tunes, you’ll be swinging from the chandeliers, sweating, with beer drenched hair and will probably loose half your possessions as you get swept up into the crowd surfing. ….so don’t bother showering before you get there. Pitchers of beer are also just ten euros during apres so you will be more than revved up for a big night out…. ( or an early night if you overdo it.)

Then from 20:00 - 22:00, Chambre Neuf offer 2 for 1 on some of the best cocktails in town….If you hang around after apres ski there are various DJ nights - check their Facebook page for details of who’s on. Hotel Gustavia itself is open from 8.00am - 01-00am starting with a breakfast buffet, then lunch from 12.00-15.00 and dinner 19.00-22.00 serving classic international cuisine in the hotel restaurant and a la carte food in Chambre Neuf.

Just across the road is the stalwart of Chamonix nightlife Elevation 1904 - probably the closest you’ll get to a local French haunt- where people who actually live here, year round, as well as tourists and mountain guides frequent. It’s got everything, good bar food – try the Elevation salad - apres ski DJ’s playing till around 10pm and great characters behind the bar (including Alex, the man with possibly the biggest fro in town) and you may even get to practice your French…. if not your drinking shots! It’s also great first thing in the morning for your pre-ski espresso, to chilled lounging in summer on the terrace, and pumping parties into the early hours- both in and off season. Also not to be missed on Avenue Michel Croz is hotel Point Isabelle and Moo Bar, offering great value lunch time deals, live music , cocktails and a slightly more sophisticated feeling après…

If that all sounds a little too hardcore then a more mellow après can be found in Monkey and Munster bar, tucked away in Chamonix Sud. Munster is a relaxed, unpretentious Irish sports bar with the longest happy hour deal - 2 for 1 on beer and wine from 16:00-1900, then 2 for 1 cocktails from 2100-2200. It’s also a great place to watch live sports, including Irish channels and there are regular gigs…

Across the square is Monkey, the seasonnaires après-ski bar of choice, with live music, ping pong and really good food. Monkey now do breakfast and brunch from 9:00 – 12:00 with free coffee or tea with every breakfast or take out baps & muffins- perfect if you’re on a midi run. Breakfasts include things like eggs Benedict, granola, egg and soldiers and of course, the full english. The early week specials are also well worth it: burger bar Monday’s offer 1/2 price on all burgers from 1800 – 2000 and Tuesdays there is 50% off all their bottles of wine with an evening meal. During the week, lunch is from 12-3 with a 10 euro lunch break of burger, fries and soft drink. From 1600-1800 there are apres ski snacks, then happy hour beers from 6 . The evening menu runs from 1800 - 19:30 and on Sunday there are a range of Sunday roasts on offer. Then of course from 2100-2200 its 2 for 1 on cocktails. There are also regular parties at Monkey and events on year round: from 2200 there is live music and DJ’s from the likes of acoustic duo, No Way Jose, DJ Sammy Senior playing ghetto funk, DJ Kimba with hip hop , reggae, ghetto funk, breaks soul or Eleanor playing acoustic grunge to jazz.

If you’re willing to venture slightly out of town then Le Vert hotel - the riders' hangout, with its funky bar and lots of Cham's sponsored skiers, is the place to be. There’s a pool table, UK Sky TV, and a projector to watch your day’s footage. During the winter Vert Hotel has been host to some top international talent including Krafty Kutz, Gilles Peterson, The Cuban Brothers, Crazy P, Dreadzone, DJ Vadim, The Freestylers, Finger Lickin’ Records' Soul of Man, A Skillz, and the Utah Saints. It also has a great restaurant serving continental breakfast from 7.30am – 10.30am, bar snacks from 5.00pm and an international dinner menu from 7.00pm and roast dinners on sundays.

Also a two minute walk from the town centre is the Vagabar at the Gite Vagabond. The gite serves carb loading food between 5:30- and 9:30 with a curry night every Wednesday from 7pm; rice, curry, poppadum, mango chutney, raita and Bahji for just10€. A great place for a more relaxing après ski with a roaring log fire, DJ nights, regular quizzes and sports shown on their satellite TV.

From around 2300 people often move on to the the Rue du Moulin….Nightclub Amnesia’s sister bar, Privilege, has regular live sets including acoustic duos or home DJs, cocktails and a wide selection of wines, champagnes, and spirits.

If you've still got the stamina after the bars kick out at 1.30am then dark and dingy is the way forward….. Club Amnesia is open Tuesday until Sunday with various resident DJ’s on rotation in the front and back room. Although by the time that you get there (and the state you get there in) everything tends to sound the same - there are actually different nights - check their Facebook page for updates but generally on Friday nights its club Magix, Saturday is either “Famous” or the monthly house/techno residency with Greg Delon and DJ Maou. Sundays is the club Dawa- hip-hop and disco in the main room and resident DJ Phil Garner in the back room. New for Amnesia is ”The Take Over -the monthly residency of ‘The ChamFam collective,’ starting with a pre party in Monkey, DJ’s Iye-95, Sicknote, Mister Pop and Dj Kimba take over Amnesia’s back room, playing Hiphop, Funk, Reggae, Electro, UKGarage, Drum’n’bass, and Jungle.

If you find yourself wondering around Cham Sud in the early hours then another option is the ‘gay friendly’ Le Tof or at the other end of town The Bunker in the Rue Du Moulin. Also worth a mention is Sunday nights in the basement of the South Bar in Cham Sud- the turntableism and scratch action of DJ Skred from 2300-0200 are not to be missed!

Coming soon - our guides to nightlife in Les Houches & Argentiere!