A Weekend Trip in Chamonix, France
Ahhh Chamonix. One of our favorite towns in France! It is exactly how I pictured a town in the Alps. Everywhere we looked were majestic views of mountains and beautiful landscapes. There was an abundance of Alpine shops and restaurants. Everything was walkable. It was one of my favorite weekends of our European journey so far! If you are near Chamonix on your next holiday, you absolutely cannot miss it.
Enjoy the outdoors in an Olympic Ski Town
As Chamonix was the host of the 1924 Winter Olympics, it is the perfect place to challenge yourself to the impressive ski slopes. Everywhere you look are majestic views of snow capped mountains. No, we did not ski (skiing is not my thing), but if you enjoy skiing, this is the place for you! You can also enjoy paragliding, which I highly recommend. Paragliding is amazing! If you need some new hiking boots, ski goggles, or yoga pants, Chamonix has you covered. There was an abundance of activewear and outdoor shops, including our favorite, Helly Hansen.
Visit on shoulder season
Chamonix is a tourist and skier hotspot. Luckily, we went during shoulder season, which made it much less busy and did not feel touristy. We never experienced crowds. This did mean that some of the shops and eateries were closed, but there were still plenty of options to choose from. Another huge advantage of traveling during shoulder season, is the cheap hotel rates. We had a fantastic hotel with a balcony overlooking the Alps, for just 87 euro a night!
Our accommodation
So let’s talk about this great hotel mentioned above, Chalet Hotel Le Prieure. From the friendly staff, comfy room, and amazing balcony views, we really enjoyed it all! The receptionist was very patient as I practiced my novice French during check in. We utilized their free baggage storage to explore the city without having to deal with the hassle of carrying our luggage around. Always a good idea to ask your hotel if this is an option- it is so helpful! The lobby had plenty of books and games to entertain guests, including a pool table. They also had a bar and restaurant. It was a lovely stay!
Aguille De Midi
Taking a cable car up to Aguille De Midi is hands down a MUST DO! This was definitely a highlight of our time in France, if not THE highlight. Splurge and spend the 70 euro. The first stop has a small cafe to enjoy a beer or hotdog and watch the paragliders take off. The real impressive spot is the second stop. At an elevation of 3842 meters, this is where the majestic snowy panoramic views happen. I cannot express enough to how breathtaking these views were. We could see the Matterhorn, Mont Blanc, and so many other snow capped mountain peaks!
Food and drink
With so many good looking spots to choose from, I doubt you can go wrong, but our personal favorite find was Poco Loco. We were quite impressed how they made this small narrow space into a restaurant! They really maximized every inch of space. We shared a kickin' chicken sandwich. It was massive and delicious! Normally they do not allow you to share meals, but they made an exception since they were not busy. Climb the stairs and you will find a uniquely decorated dining room (pictured above).
As in every city, we try to find an Irish pub. Well we found one (The Beckett and Wilde) and went there 3 times! Once to get our friend a desired Guinness, once for early happy hour, and once for late happy hour. For late hour, we also stayed to watch Eurovision. If you are like us and had never heard of this… it is worth a google search!
What are one of the best weekend trips you have taken? Comment below!