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Chamonix Climate

A year in Chamonix is a round of glori­ous seasons — fresh springs, warm summers, golden autumns and white winters — with a six month skiing season. Like all mountains, Mont Blanc is a weath­er­maker, and condi­tions can change very quickly, so these are just general guidelines…Here’s a rundown of what to expect…

January is usually a big snow month. It’s normally very cold — temper­a­tures rarely get much above freez­ing, so the condi­tions are great with the cold keeping the powder light. This is my favourite time of year for skiing and snowboard­ing — after New Year, the slopes are very quiet. The ice climb­ing season is in full swing and the cross-country ski tracks open.

Febru­ary is a few degrees warmer, but still very cold, with increas­ing snow depths — in good years, we’ve had a metre and a half in the garden at this time! It’s a busy time with school half terms, so make sure you book well in advance.

March brings steadily warmer weather, and still great snow, with more sun and clear views. Ski touring season begins in earnest with the longer days, better weather and well filled glaci­ers. A really good month to come if you want to do some off-piste, as the better snow depths (around 2.5m on the higher slopes, occasion­ally reach­ing 4m at Grands Montets) mean that more of the classic routes are likely to be in good condi­tion.

April — spring skiing, and Easter holidays bring every­one out to enjoy the sun and snow. This is often a very beauti­ful time in the valley, with early blossom start­ing to appear on the trees as spring begins, and still great condi­tions on the slopes, since most are above 2000m. Don’t forget the sunblock! Also an excel­lent time for ski touring.

May is when the lifts finally close — look out for the Freeride Days closing party, usually early in the month. It can still be a good time to do high altitude off piste like the Vallee Blanche and ski touring such as the Haute Route to Zermatt. The lower hikes start to be acces­si­ble. Ski or board in the morning, then hike, climb, golf or mountain bike in the after­noons! The Aiguille du Midi remains open, and possi­bly Montenvers.

June is sunny and fresh, with flowers every­where, it’s perfect hiking and climb­ing season, and the best time of year for water­sports like rafting, hydrospeed­ing and canyon­ing. The mountains are quiet and it’s a lovely time for tranquil hiking, though many high walks will still be inacces­si­ble due to snow. Around the middle of June, the lifts restart. A great month for mountain biking as it’s not too hot and all the trails are open (In July and August, some of them become pedes­trian only)

July brings beauti­ful sunny clear days. Walk through shady woods or take the cable­cars and mountain railways for spectac­u­lar scenery. It’s lively, but not as busy as August, and an excel­lent time to visit. All lifts are open for mountain biking on the bike-specific downhill and cross-country trails in July and August.

August is the busiest time of year for Chamonix, and it’s usually hot and sunny, though there are sometimes dramatic summer storms in the late after­noons, which freshen every­thing. A wonder­ful time to take shady hikes to beauti­ful viewpoints, and enjoy the lively, cosmopoli­tan atmos­phere. The trails are still all open for mountain biking. My perfect August day is to hike, cycle or climb in the fresh early morning air, cool off with a swim in the outdoor pool, then come back to enjoy a tranquil and lazy after­noon between the hammock and the hot tub at the chalet, before an evening barbecue.

Septem­ber is a great time to visit — it’s usually still very sunny, with lovely temper­a­tures and a brilliant time for mountain biking and climb­ing. The lifts close mid-September, apart from the Midi and Montenvers.

October is quiet and autum­nal — there are still some beauti­ful days and wonder­ful light in the valley as the larches turn golden. The lifts gener­ally open for weekends through­out October and Novem­ber. The high walks become an amazing sight as the larches turn gold and carpet the ground with their wonder­ful colours.

Novem­ber has a feeling of antic­i­pa­tion as winter begins to make itself felt — though even now you can get some beauti­ful autumn weather.

Decem­ber brings winter — sometimes there can be thick snow all over the valley floor by early Decem­ber, other years the snow level can be higher, but there’s normally snow in the town for Christmas.