First time in the valley and not sure where to start? This is the trip we'd send a friend on — the three unmissable mountain experiences, paced sensibly, with the best places to eat and drink woven in. Built for summer; see the notes for the winter version.
Begin where the locals do. Moody has roasted the valley's best coffee since 2014 — grab a flat white and a fresh pastry before the day starts. It's right by the Aiguille du Midi lift, so you're perfectly placed.
Tip: tiny place, limited seating — take it away and walk the two minutes to the cable car.
The headline experience of any Chamonix trip. The cable car climbs from 1,035m to 3,842m in about 20 minutes — the second stage is a single 2.8km span with no pylons. At the top: jaw-dropping terraces, the glass "Step into the Void" box, and Mont Blanc close enough to touch.
Tip: book the timed ticket a day ahead, go on the first lifts for clear air and small crowds, and bring a warm layer — it can be -10°C up top even in summer.
Back in town, settle into this beautiful rebuilt Savoyard farmhouse for the valley's mountain cooking done properly — meats turning on the open fire, the famous house quenelle. A relaxed, celebratory first-day lunch.
Tip: the prix-fixe is excellent value for this level. Book ahead.
Wind down with the locals at the Micro Brasserie de Chamonix — beers brewed on-site, generous burgers and often live music. The easy, unpretentious heart of valley nightlife.
Ride the charming 1908 rack railway up to Montenvers and the Mer de Glace — France's largest glacier. Walk onto the ice, visit the Ice Cave carved fresh each year, and take in the Grandes Jorasses. It's also a sobering, moving look at how far the glacier has retreated.
Tip: check seasonal opening before you go — the gondola and Ice Cave close for maintenance in spring and autumn.
Hop on the train up the valley to the laid-back village of Argentière. Lunch at BigHorn or grab a bakery picnic from L'Al'pain — one of the best bakeries in the whole valley.
An easier afternoon: stroll the valley-floor path along the Arve, take a dip in a mountain-fed lake in summer, or recover legs at the QC Terme spa. You've earned a slower pace before tomorrow's hike.
The valley's signature walk, and the perfect finale. Take the Flégère lift to start high, then climb through the Aiguilles Rouges reserve to a turquoise lake at 2,352m that mirrors the entire Mont Blanc massif. Three to four hours return; the view is one you don't forget.
Tip: go early to beat crowds and afternoon cloud. It can hold snow into early summer — check the conditions first. There's a refuge at the lake for a drink or lunch.
Last night, go all-in on the cliché done well: a proper Savoyard fondue or raclette at La Calèche, a 1946 institution hung with cow bells and old skis. The most Chamoniard way to end a trip.
Tip: book ahead — it's deservedly popular, and Tuesdays in season bring a folklore group.
Swap the hike for a ski day — Day 3 becomes Brévent–Flégère for the Mont Blanc views, or Le Tour if you're building confidence. Keep the Aiguille du Midi (clear-day magic) and the Mer de Glace, and if you ski strongly and hire a guide, the Vallée Blanche off the Midi is the experience of a lifetime. Everything else — the coffee, the fondue, the MBC beers — stays exactly the same.
Every stop here is in our directory with links, hours and detail. Mix and match to your own pace — and if you live here, tell us what you'd send a first-timer to do.