Chamonix in the Summer?

shazziere · 10 December 2007 at 10:42AM

i want to use my tesco deals to get a very cheap holiday in france,flying easyjet to geneva then using car hire to travel and to stay in Chamonix.The only thing imworried about is will there be stuff for our 3 children to do as i think it is more of a winter ski resort type of place?Has anyone been there in the last week of August that could give me any info?Thanks in advance.

Mark_Fulham · 10 December 2007 at 11:27AM

Chamonix is one of the most beautiful places in Europe!
Looks like the Himalayas but with French food.
Best weeks to go are first few weeks in Sept when all the french families have gone back to the cities and you will have the place to yourselves.

There is the highest cable car in Europe, a train that goes up the mountain to a glacier where you can walk through tunnels in the ice. Think there is one of those summer toboggan (?) runs too.

Lots of other villages in the valley and if you book ahead you could stay overnight in a mountain hut and have breakfast watching the sun rise over Mont Blanc.

It will be v busy in Aug until the end of the French summer holidays. Won't be many people from the UK there but lots from all over Europe.

If you can get to Annecy this town is more touristy but really really worth visiting. Medieval town on the side of a lake. Everyone will be swimming in it or taking boat trips.

JoeyEmma · 10 December 2007 at 11:29AM

We are going to Morzine in the summer. There's loads to do in the Alps. Do they enjoy cycling as you can rent mountain bikes and go out for days on them?

loobs40 · 10 December 2007 at 12:00PM

Chamonix and the surrounding areas are wonderful in the summer. We first went on a walking holiday in Chamonix three years ago and have been back for the last two summers with the kids

There is loads to do around the area, especially Annecy.

Try the Forest Adventure near Talloires, but book first. Best to go in the morning. Kids love it, much harder for the adults. My daughter aged 11 and barely 1m40cm did the whole course.

My son and partner have done tandem hang gliding over the Lake Annecy. Loads of places offer this.

In Chamonix, before you go up the cable cars make sure its a perfectly clear day and you get the most glorious views from the top.

Its not a cheap holiday in terms of some of these activities, but there is plenty else to do

shazziere · 10 December 2007 at 3:30PM

thanks for your replies.can i ask which hotel you guys stayed in?we are looking to stay in the residence mgm la ginabelle but it has bad reviews on some websites.Also,we were looking to hire a car at geneva airport but they state "exit switzerland".We were looking to travel from france to switzerlane and others etc.is this going to be a problem with car hire?

loobs40 · 10 December 2007 at 3:50PM

We didn't hire a car, but I seem to remember there is some issue about cars hired in Geneva that are to be driven in France. I am sorry I can't be more specific

Browntrout_2 · 10 December 2007 at 4:01PM

Geneva Airport has a French and a Swiss side to it.

Just make sure you hire the car from the French side and you'll be okay, the most difficult thing though is returning the car without travelling on Swiss roads by not following the road signs for the Airport (you have to pay a toll without swiss road tax on a french car). They'll give you a map and explain this, just make sure your not rushed on the return, refill the tank etc.

Last time I went I used chamshuttles.com to collect and drop me off at my hotel in central cham, the Prieure, views over Mont Blanc from the balcony.

The Chamonix valley bus is very good, probably free for tourists with hotel pass, but won't take you to Annecy though.

The lifts to Agi Midi altitude 3800m, Flegere, Brevent, Le Tour, Argentiere - 3300m are all open for walkers (and downhill cycling if you're mad enough).

You can walk into Switzerland from Le Tour, you can actually walk to Zermatt from Argentiere but thats a good few days staying in refuge huts with a guide etc.

The kids will love it, but be prepared for very hot weather and very wet weather, the mountains can change rapidly.

I am going in March plan on staying at the English owned Eden, just between Cham and Argentiere at the base of the Flegere lift.

http://www.hoteleden-chamonix.com/

The Prieure (priory) is here

http://www.bestmontblanc.com/en/prieure.html

loobs40 · 10 December 2007 at 4:34PM

Annecy is about 1 hours drive from Chamonix, and pretty much motorway all the way. Get there early and parking is easier. Take your swimming costumes so if its a nice day you can hire boats and swim in the lake, which is reputedly the cleanest lake in Europe.

Local food is great, the speciality in the area is Tartiflette which is cheese, onions and potaotes, but all the food is great

shazziere · 10 December 2007 at 5:11PM

thankyou for all your replies.i feel happier now although im still a little worried about the car hire issue..i have only been given a switz side option for car hire but obviously we will have to drive from geneva to france.i think my dh was also hopinh to visit italy for aday toocos the brochuresays its only 11 kms away.Anymore info greatly appreciated....especially the taxes mentioned earlier

loobs40 · 10 December 2007 at 8:33PM

You can visit Italy by going through the Mont Blanc tunnel which is just outside Chamonix. We have visited Courmayeur which is a ski resort, It was pleasant enough but not much different to Chamonix to be honest The toll is about €40 return I think.

There are very strict rules about travelling through the tunnel which you must observe, such as keeping a minimum distance between vehicles. These rules were brought in after the fire which closed the tunnel for three years

shazziere · 10 December 2007 at 10:31PM

thanks loobs40.think im gona go4 it and book it tomorrow.just have to order my tesco deals now for frenchlife.

Chamonix in the Summer?

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