Ikon Pass
$80/day
Europe
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France★4.8editor's rating
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc sits at the foot of Western Europe's highest peak and is the spiritual home of alpinism, famed for steep, high-altitude and serious off-piste terrain rather than a single linked piste network. Its separate ski areas (Brevent-Flegere, Les Grands Montets, Les Houches, and the Vallee Blanche) are reached from the valley town, with the Aiguille du Midi cable car opening access to legendary glacier descents.
Lift Ticket
$80/day
Vertical Drop
9,209 ft
Skiable Area
115 km pistes
Annual Snowfall
204"
Best For
Experts & Off-Piste
Terrain Breakdown
Beginner 25% Intermediate 36% Advanced 39%
Mountain Stats
Base Elevation
3,396 ft
Summit Elevation
12,605 ft
Vertical Drop
9,209 ft
Skiable Area
115 km pistes
Lifts
49
Annual Snowfall
204"
Season
Early December – Early May
Pass
Ikon Pass
Night Skiing
Yes
Terrain Parks
Yes
Nearest Town
Chamonix, France
Highlights
Vallee Blanche - ~20km off-piste glacier descent from the Aiguille du MidiAiguille du Midi cable car rising to 3,842m for high-alpine terrainLes Grands Montets - steep, legendary advanced and off-piste skiingBrevent-Flegere with classic views straight across to Mont BlancOn the Ikon Pass for international skiersVibrant historic town with year-round mountaineering culture
Pros
- ✓World-class expert and off-piste terrain unmatched in the Alps
- ✓Stunning Mont Blanc massif scenery from every slope
- ✓High summit elevation (3,842m) gives long, dramatic vertical
- ✓Lively, authentic town with great dining and apres-ski
- ✓Included on the Ikon Pass
Cons
- ✗Ski areas are separate and require bus/lift transfers, not one linked domain
- ✗Limited dedicated beginner terrain near town
- ✗Much of the best skiing is off-piste and needs a guide
- ✗Valley base can be low and snow-marginal early/late season
Photo: Daniel Simpson / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
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