Camping and Things to Do in Chamonix, France

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I first heard of Chamonix on Instagram and let me just say: even Instagram doesn’t do it justice.

This small town in the Alps packs a punch. There are endless outdoor activities and panoramic views everywhere you go. You know what? Just watch the video below. You’ll see what I mean!

Why is Chamonix so popular?

Um, just watch this video and try to pick up your jaw off the ground. It’s beautiful!

If you visit in the winter, you’ll find that Chamonix is one of the top luxury ski resorts in Europe. In the summer, it’s popular for extreme sports like parapenting, rock climbing, via ferrata, and mountaineering. We saw dozens of people flying through the air every hour as we explored the town. I think we were the only people not sporting high-end hiking gear!

When to visit Chamonix

We visited in the fall and it was already COLD. In mid-September, the lows were just above freezing and our motorhome was quite chilly. We actually left Chamonix because there was a chance of snow!

We layered up to start our day. The temperatures during the day were sunny and cool, so we had a great time exploring. Luckily, we had picked up jackets in Annecy before climbing the mountains and definitely needed them.

But the cold weather is par for the course in Chamonix, whose major tourist season is the winter. Chamonix is known for incredible skiing and picturesque snowy mountains.

Is Chamonix kid-friendly?

Yes! There is plenty to do with kids in Chamonix. See Chamonix shares the best places to stay and things to do while you visit here.

What To Do in Chamonix with Kids

We only stayed in Chamonix for two nights, so we knew we couldn’t do everything the town has to offer.

Mer de Glace & Montenvers Cog Railway

After looking at pictures online, we decided to take the cog train up the mountain to the Mer de Glace. We hiked to an ice cave inside a glacier, but you need to watch the full video above to soak up the beauty of this experience! I cannot put the vast beauty of these mountains into words.

I would highly recommend the cog train if you’re traveling with young kids. Our toddler and baby loved the train ride and gondola rides. My daughter is Frozen obsessed so exploring the ice cave was like walking into Elsa’s magical ice castle. But there are a LOT of stairs involved, so be prepared to carry your children up.

Explore the Town

Filled with tourist shops, restaurants, and playgrounds, simply walking around Chamonix was fun for our young kids. Mostly because of the local playgrounds!

But like I said, winter is the time to visit Chamonix! This article from Families Love Travel has a great list of things to do with kids in the winter.

Where to Camp in Chamonix

We stayed at Les Cimes at hands down the most BEAUTIFUL campsite in the world. We’ve camped in nine countries now—including the stunning New Zealand—so that’s really saying something.

Tour our campground:

Is Chamonix France worth visiting?

A thousand times, YES. Please visit Chamonix and then comment below so we can all gush about how beautiful this corner of the world is!