Accommodation Options in Chamonix

Whether you're looking for something cheap-and-cheerful or a spot of glamping, there are plenty of great options for camping in Chamonix and the surrounding villages.

Family Fun

Camping is a great family holiday experience, providing the site has something to suit everyone. Camping Les Marmottes in Les Bossons does pretty well with picnic tables and BBQ areas for al fresco dining and an indoor hall for when the weather is bad, ping-pong and table football to keep the kids entertained, snack kiosk serving ice creams, pizzas and all the usual holiday treats, daily delivery of fresh bread and croissants so that you don't have to trudge all the way to the nearest boulangerie for breakfast. Along very similar lines is Camping Les Ecureils, which is right next door and provides very similar facilities at much the same price; both campsites are close to bus and train services into Chamonix centre. Close to Flegere in the quiet village of Les Praz is Camping Mer de Glace, a friendly 3* campsite with a children's playground, baby facilities and lots of easy walking trails nearby. It is also very close to Paradis des Praz, an idyllic clearing in the forest where part of the river has been dammed to create a safe swimming area for children, with a playground, snack kiosk and pony rides.

Best On a Budget

If all you need is somewhere to pitch up for the night, a warm welcome and a great view then you could do worse than Camping Bellevue in Les Houches; it doesn't have much in the way of facilities but it is calm, peaceful and inexpensive with 20 pitches for tents and motor homes. Likewise, if tranquility and a cheap place to rest your head is what you're after then Camping Pierre Semard in Le Tour is in a fairly rural spot; it has a restaurant and bar on-site though for that essential evening nightcap. Motorhome drivers can find cheap and extremely basic facilities in the Grepon car park behind the Aiguille du Midi lift station; all you'll find there are toilets and a "Flot Bleu" sewage disposal point but you're literally within a few minutes walk of the centre of Chamonix.

Location, Location, Location

If you want the back-to-nature vibes of camping but also the convenience of being close to town then Camping Les Arolles is perfectly placed; it is the closest campsite to the Aiguille du Midi and only about 10 minutes walk from Chamonix centre. It has fairly basic facilities but with the "big smoke" so near by, you're not exactly cut off from civilisation. The hiking, biking and climbing crew will love Camping du Glacier d'Argentiere for it's close proximity to Les Grands Montets and the endless outdoor activities that are right on the doorstep; the charming little village of Argentiere is conveniently close for restaurants, bars and shops.

Creature Comforts

If roughing it isn't really your thing then give one of the mini-chalet options a try. Camping Ile des Barrats in Les Pelerins is a stone's throw from the civilisation of Chamonix and offers a choice of either camping or staying in pretty little wooden cabins with private bathrooms and self-catering facilities, surrounded by trees and colourful gardens. A little further out of town is Camping Les Deux Glaciers in Les Bossons; open all year round this campsite offers 120 pitches for tents and caravans as well as a number of mini chalets, or "mazots", as they are known in France. This campsite has a nice restaurant and has won awards for its flower gardens.

For more information on motor homes and camping please see our Guide to Camping in Chamonix, to find a particular campsite please see our Chamonix Campsites page.