Chamonix is a resort in Haute-Savoie (France) skied between 1035 and 3842 metres, with 110 km of pistes and 43 lifts.
Chamonix is in Haute-Savoie, France, with the base at 1035 m and the top at 3842 m.
Chamonix has not announced its opening date for the 2026/27 season yet. Our own estimate, based on the resort's altitude and its past seasons, puts it around December 6, 2026: that is a forecast, not an announcement. The resort confirms the date each autumn and we keep it up to date at https://www.caranva.app/en/esqui/fechas-apertura/chamonix.
Chamonix is expected to close for the 2026/27 season on May 3, 2027. The real date depends on how the snow holds up at the top (3842 m) late in the season, and the resort usually announces it only a few weeks ahead: the up-to-date version is at https://www.caranva.app/en/esqui/fechas-apertura/chamonix.
It changes daily and the resort itself publishes it every morning: snow depth by altitude, open runs and open lifts. The Chamonix daily report and forecast are at https://www.caranva.app/en/nieve/francia/chamonix, and the live cameras at https://www.caranva.app/en/webcams/esqui/chamonix. When it blows hard, the most exposed lifts are usually the upper ones (3842 m), so it is worth checking before driving up.
Between 1035 and 3842 metres, a vertical drop of 2807 m. That difference is why the snow is not the same across the whole resort on the same day: the upper slopes hold up better late in the season, while the lower part, at 1035 m, is the first to feel rain or warm weather. That is why the Chamonix report is read by altitude band, at https://www.caranva.app/en/nieve/francia/chamonix.
Chamonix has 110 km of pistes and 43 lifts, between 1035 and 3842 m of altitude.
On Caranva you book the full kit for Chamonix — skis, boots and poles, or a snowboard if you prefer — at https://www.caranvasports.com/products/chamonix-ski-rental: you pick the dates and give your height, weight, shoe size and level, and the gear is waiting assembled with the bindings set to those figures. You pay online, you skip the sizing counter, and you can swap the gear in the shop if something does not fit. The alternative is walking into a shop at the resort on a first-come basis, which over a bank holiday or at Christmas means queuing for whatever is left.
52% of Chamonix's terrain is beginner level, according to the breakdown the resort itself publishes. That share tells you far more about whether it works for a first time than the overall size of the ski area: a huge resort with 5% easy terrain makes a worse first day than a small one with 30%.
The resort breaks its terrain down like this: Beginner 52%, Advanced 31% and Expert 16%. The difficult terrain sits mostly up high, to 3842 m, which is where the snow keeps best and where visibility goes first in bad weather.
Yes. The live Chamonix webcams, with piste conditions and the snow report, are at https://www.caranva.app/en/webcams/esqui/chamonix.
The rental shops we have found in Chamonix, with address, opening hours, phone and Google rating.