Thibault Ravanel
Thibault led groups along the south balcony trails for eight summers, from Le Brévent to La Flégère. He builds his routes stopwatch in hand and cuts whatever does not fit into a real day. He would rather write that an outing is not worth the ticket than pad out a list.
Chamonix in summer: what to do, lift passes, weather and where to stay
Summer in Chamonix means high mountains from a cable car, glacier hikes and lakes, but also July crowds, afternoon storm…
Chamonix in summer with kids: outings by age, prices and safety
In summer, Chamonix works with children as a mountain valley, not as a theme park. Outings by age, what altitude changes…
Chamonix in 3 days: a day-by-day itinerary, summer and winter
In three days, Chamonix works around three big outings, one a day, never two. In summer, the Aiguille du Midi, Montenver…
Pointe Helbronner and the Skyway Monte Bianco: from Chamonix to Courmayeur over the glaciers
Crossing the Mont Blanc massif by cabin, from the Aiguille du Midi to Pointe Helbronner then down to Courmayeur, is one …
What can you do in Chamonix without skiing, or when it rains?
Chamonix's two big outings without skis, the Aiguille du Midi and Montenvers, depend on the sky. What is worth the trip …
Mountain restaurants in Chamonix: Brévent, Flégère, Aiguille du Midi, Montenvers
Lunch facing Mont Blanc needs planning like an outing: an open lift, service limited to two hours and weather that lets …
A weekend in Chamonix: an hour-by-hour itinerary, budget and what to give up
In two days, Chamonix works around two big goals, not four. A winter and a summer itinerary hour by hour, what you can d…
Paragliding in Chamonix: tandem flights, prices, take-off sites and safety
A tandem flight facing Mont Blanc is the most accessible airborne outing in the valley. The three take-off sites and who…
UTMB in Chamonix: 2027 dates, races, registration and where to stay that week
At the end of August, UTMB fills Chamonix for a week of racing and celebration. The races and their profiles, what is kn…
Chamonix with kids: skiing, alpine coaster, walks and activities by age
Chamonix works for families who build short days around small ski areas. Activities by age, 2026-2027 family passes area…
Lac Blanc in Chamonix: access from La Flégère, hiking time, mountain hut and tips
Lac Blanc is the finest viewpoint in the valley and Chamonix's busiest hike. The three ways up and their figures, the se…
The Mont Blanc Tramway from Chamonix: timetable, fares, stops and the Nid d'Aigle
The Mont Blanc rack railway leaves from Le Fayet, down the valley from Chamonix on the Mont-Blanc Express line, and clim…
The Tour du Mont Blanc from Chamonix: stages, duration, mountain huts, prices and season
The Tour du Mont Blanc circles the massif through France, Italy and Switzerland, starting from Les Houches. The real fig…
Argentière, Les Houches, Vallorcine, Les Bossons: which village should you choose in the Chamonix valley?
The Chamonix valley is a dozen villages with little in common. Argentière for serious skiing, Les Houches for families, …
Hiking in Chamonix: the finest walks, by real difficulty, with the useful lifts
Chamonix is a great hiking destination, not an easy one by default. Routes ranked by real difficulty, from family stroll…
Le Brévent in Chamonix: Planpraz gondola, cable car, skiing and the view of Mont Blanc
The balcony opposite: from Le Brévent you look Mont Blanc straight in the eye. The Planpraz gondola and the summit cable…
Les Grands Montets in Chamonix: the Argentière ski area, access via Plan Joran, lift pass and off-piste
The most alpine ski area in the valley, and the last to close. Winter 2026-2027 in practice: the historic cable cars clo…
La Flégère in Chamonix: gondola, skiing, Lac Blanc and restaurants
La Flégère looks straight at Mont Blanc from Les Praz. What it is worth on skis and on foot, the gondola and its 2026-20…
The Montenvers train in Chamonix: timetable, 2026 fares, journey time and walking alternatives
Twenty minutes of rack railway to the Mer de Glace viewpoint: the timetable, the five tickets and the one worth buying, …
What to do in Chamonix? The must-sees ranked, summer and winter
A day at altitude under clear skies, a hike or a day on the slopes, and a backup plan for rain: Chamonix's must-sees ran…
Compagnie des guides de Chamonix: practical guide
On place de l'Église, the oldest mountain guides company in the world runs mountaineering, the Vallée Blanche, hiking, c…
Les Planards: alpine coaster and amusement park at the foot of Chamonix
On chemin du Pied du Grépon, a leisure area open all year: an alpine coaster from age 3, an amusement park in summer, a …
QC Terme Chamonix: the baths facing Mont Blanc
On promenade du Fori, a bath and wellness centre independent of the hotels, open to anyone aged 14 and over. Chamonix's …
Albert 1er hut: the Alpine Club hut above the Tour glacier
At 2,707 metres, on the right bank of the Tour glacier, an FFCAM hut staffed in spring and summer. The goal of a big hik…
Cosmiques hut: the base camp at 3,613 metres
On the Col du Midi glacier, less than an hour from the Aiguille du Midi, the second-highest hut in France according to i…
Plan de l'Aiguille hut: the halfway stop on the Aiguille du Midi
At 2,207 metres, near the cable car's mid-station, a hut popular with hikers on the Grand Balcon Nord. 4.7 on Google, op…
Bellachat hut: the balcony at 2,152 metres below Le Brévent
Below Le Brévent, a small stone hut at 2,152 metres, with a dormitory, a bivouac area and one of the most complete panor…
Lac Blanc hut: sleeping opposite Mont Blanc, at 2,352 metres
On the shore of Lac Blanc, in the Aiguilles Rouges reserve, a half-board mountain hut open from June to November. Bookin…
Crystal Museum: the minerals of the Alps at the Espace Tairraz
On allée Recteur Payot, at the Espace Tairraz, a journey through the mineralogy of the Alps and the world, in a display …
Musée du Mont-Blanc: the former Alpine museum, renewed
On avenue Michel-Croz, the new Mont Blanc museum tells the story of people and the mountain. Admission price, autumn clo…
Skyway Monte Bianco: practical guide, Courmayeur side
In Italy, in Courmayeur, the rotating cable car climbs to Pointe Helbronner, as close to Mont Blanc as you can get on th…
Mont Blanc Tramway: practical guide, from Le Fayet to the Nid d'Aigle
Outside Chamonix, in Saint-Gervais, the highest railway in France climbs from Le Fayet to the Nid d'Aigle. Prices, journ…
La Flégère gondola: practical guide to Les Praz
In Les Praz, the gondola climbs to La Flégère, facing Les Drus and the Mer de Glace. The starting point for Lac Blanc in…
Brévent cable car: practical guide
From the top of central Chamonix, a gondola to Planpraz then a cable car to the summit, facing Mont Blanc. Pedestrian pr…
Montenvers train: practical guide to the Chamonix station
The departure station opposite the SNCF station, train and full pass prices, winter 2026-2027 dates and the ice cave: ev…
Aiguille du Midi cable car: practical guide
The departure in Chamonix Sud, ticket prices, winter hours and the December 2026 reopening: everything you need to go up…