Ski resort in Haute-Savoie, France
Chamonix
A historic mountain town beneath Mont Blanc, with steep, high skiing spread across several separate areas.
Chamonix snow forecast at 3,842 m (top lift)
Out of season.
Forecasts for Chamonix pause outside the snow season and start again in October. The lifts usually run from mid-December to early May. The snow record below shows when it usually snows here.
Chamonix snow forecast at 1,035 m (village)
Out of season.
Forecasts for Chamonix pause outside the snow season and start again in October. The lifts usually run from mid-December to early May. The snow record below shows when it usually snows here.
Where is Chamonix?
- Department
- Haute-Savoie
- Country
- France
- Mountains
- Alps, Mont Blanc massif
- Area
- Chamonix Valley
- Village
- 1,035 m
- Top lift
- 3,842 m
- Vertical
- 2,807 m
- Season
- Mid-December to Early May
- Airports
- Geneva (GVA)
- Official
- Lifts open, Webcams, Avalanche bulletin
- Passes
- Ikon Pass, Mountain Collective
- Website
- en.chamonix.com
About Chamonix
Chamonix hosted the first Winter Olympics in 1924 and remains one of the best-known mountain towns in the world. It is known more for steep and off-piste terrain than for long cruising runs.
The skiing
The valley’s ski areas are not all linked, so most visitors travel between them by bus or car. The Vallée Blanche, reached from the Aiguille du Midi cable car, is a famous glacier descent that should only be skied with a guide.
Getting there
Geneva is the nearest major airport.
The snow
Chamonix’s town sits at 1,035 m, low for the Alps, but its lifts reach 3,842 m on the Aiguille du Midi, one of the highest lift-served points in Europe. The valley’s ski areas are separate mountains: Grands Montets above Argentière, the Brévent-Flégère on the sunny side, Le Tour at the head of the valley, and the Vallée Blanche glacier descent from the Aiguille du Midi. In our record it snows on about 14 days at mid-mountain in January and 13 in December and March, the highest figures in the northern French Alps, and snow was on the ground every Christmas Day in the last ten years. The town itself can be green in a mild winter.
Who it suits
Experts and mountaineers: Chamonix is the world capital of off-piste and ski touring, and its pistes are secondary. Intermediates get long descents but must drive or bus between areas. The town is a real town, with life beyond skiing.
Getting there
Geneva airport is about an hour and a quarter by road, the shortest transfer of any major Alpine resort. Trains reach Saint-Gervais and continue up the valley on the Mont Blanc Express.
When does it snow in Chamonix?
In Chamonix, snow falls on about 14 days in January in a typical year, the snowiest month. Snow is regular from September to May.
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 days | 11 days | 13 days | 10 days | 10 days | 1 days | <1 days | <1 days | 3 days | 6 days | 12 days | 13 days |
Average days each month with at least 1 cm of snowfall at mid-mountain, 2016–2025. Calculated from ERA5 reanalysis data.
Snow in Chamonix month by month
Averages for 2016 to 2025 at mid-mountain, from ERA5 reanalysis data.
| Month | Snow days | Share of the year's snow | Low to high |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 14 | 18% | −12 to −5 °C (10 to 23 °F) |
| February | 11 | 11% | −11 to −3 °C (12 to 27 °F) |
| March | 13 | 13% | −10 to −2 °C (14 to 28 °F) |
| April | 10 | 9% | −7 to 1 °C (19 to 34 °F) |
| May | 10 | 8% | −3 to 4 °C (27 to 39 °F) |
| June | 1 | 1% | 3 to 11 °C (37 to 52 °F) |
| July | <1 | 0% | 5 to 13 °C (41 to 55 °F) |
| August | <1 | 0% | 5 to 13 °C (41 to 55 °F) |
| September | 3 | 2% | 1 to 9 °C (34 to 48 °F) |
| October | 6 | 5% | −2 to 5 °C (28 to 41 °F) |
| November | 12 | 13% | −9 to −1 °C (16 to 30 °F) |
| December | 13 | 19% | −10 to −4 °C (14 to 25 °F) |
Snow in Chamonix in September
In September, Chamonix gets snow on about 3 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 2% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from 1 to 9 °C (34 to 48 °F).
Snow in Chamonix in October
In October, Chamonix gets snow on about 6 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 5% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −2 to 5 °C (28 to 41 °F).
Snow in Chamonix in November
In November, Chamonix gets snow on about 12 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 13% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −9 to −1 °C (16 to 30 °F).
Snow in Chamonix in December
In December, Chamonix gets snow on about 13 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 19% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −10 to −4 °C (14 to 25 °F).
Snow in Chamonix in January
In January, Chamonix gets snow on about 14 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 18% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −12 to −5 °C (10 to 23 °F).
Snow in Chamonix in February
In February, Chamonix gets snow on about 11 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 11% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −11 to −3 °C (12 to 27 °F).
Snow in Chamonix in March
In March, Chamonix gets snow on about 13 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 13% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −10 to −2 °C (14 to 28 °F).
Snow in Chamonix in April
In April, Chamonix gets snow on about 10 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 9% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −7 to 1 °C (19 to 34 °F).
Snow in Chamonix in May
In May, Chamonix gets snow on about 10 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 8% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −3 to 4 °C (27 to 39 °F).
Which winters were snowiest in Chamonix?
Of the last ten winters in Chamonix, 2017/18 was the snowiest, about 33% above the ten-year average at mid-mountain. The leanest was 2016/17, about 33% below average. The biggest single day of snowfall in the record was 4 January 2018.
| Winter | Compared with average | |
|---|---|---|
| 2016/17 | 67% of average | |
| 2017/18 | 133% of average | |
| 2018/19 | 101% of average | |
| 2019/20 | 112% of average | |
| 2020/21 | 111% of average | |
| 2021/22 | 79% of average | |
| 2022/23 | 96% of average | |
| 2023/24 | 126% of average | |
| 2024/25 | 81% of average | |
| 2025/26 | 93% of average |
Winters are compared with each other rather than given in centimetres. The ERA5 record is reliable on which winters were big and which were lean, but it underestimates absolute snowfall in the mountains, so the resort's own measured totals are the ones to trust for amounts.
Questions about snow in Chamonix
Does Chamonix have snow at Christmas?
Chamonix had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on Christmas Day in every one of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025 at mid-mountain. Fresh snow fell during 20 to 26 December in 8 of those years.
Does Chamonix have snow at New Year?
Chamonix had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on New Year's Day in every one of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025 at mid-mountain. Fresh snow fell during 27 December to 2 January in 7 of those years.
Does Chamonix have snow in mid-February?
Chamonix had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on 15 February in every one of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025 at mid-mountain. Fresh snow fell during 10 to 20 February in 9 of those years.
Does Chamonix have snow at Easter?
Chamonix had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on Easter Sunday in every one of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025 at mid-mountain. Fresh snow fell during Good Friday to Easter Monday in 8 of those years.
How many days a year does it snow in Chamonix?
It snows on about 93 days a year in Chamonix at mid-mountain, counting days with at least 1 cm of snowfall, averaged over 2016 to 2025. January has the most, about 14 days.
What is the snowiest month in Chamonix?
December is the snowiest month in Chamonix, bringing about 19% of the year's snowfall at mid-mountain, based on ERA5 reanalysis data for 2016 to 2025. January has the most snowy days, about 14.
Which recent winter was the snowiest in Chamonix?
Of the last ten winters in Chamonix, 2017/18 was the snowiest, about 33% above the ten-year average. The leanest was 2016/17, about 33% below average.
How cold does Chamonix get in winter?
January is the coldest month in Chamonix at mid-mountain, with average daily lows of −12 °C (10 °F) and highs of −5 °C (23 °F).
How high is Chamonix?
The village or lowest lift at Chamonix is at 1,035 m (3,400 ft) and the top lift is at 3,842 m (12,600 ft), a vertical drop of 2,807 m (9,200 ft).
When does the ski season start in Chamonix?
The lifts at Chamonix usually open in mid-December and close in early May. Exact dates change each year with the snow, so check the resort's own website before you book.
Snow forecasts near Chamonix
Compare Chamonix for snow
Sources: Chamonix.net lift opening dates