Our favourite places to enjoy a picnic in the Chamonix valley
One of the nicest ways to enjoy Chamonix is to pack a picnic and head out into the mountains.
There are idyllic spots to suit everyone from families with kids to adventurous hikers. Here are a few of our favourites...
If you have little ones in tow, then you will be more than catered for by heading to any of these spots in the Chamonix valley.
An enchanted little clearing in the forests behind the golf course, this picnic spot is just a few minutes walk from the village of Les Praz. A small river has been dammed so that children have a safe splash pool to play in, with rope swings and pulleys rigged up over it. During the busier summer months there are pony rides and a small buvette selling drinks, ice creams and light meals.
About 10-15 minutes walk south of Chamonix town centre is Lac de Gaillands, a picturesque lake full of ducks beside a huge rock face that is popular with climbers. The forests are a great place for kids to run wild whilst you relax with some nibbles. If you fancy something a bit more adventurous then the Accro-Park is a treetop adventure playground suitable for children and adults, where you traverse the forest on a network of rope bridges, swings and climbing nets.
Packed full of flowers and teeming with wildlife, this beautiful spot is a great day out with plenty of picturesque picnic spots. The nature reserve centres around a chalet on the Col des Montets where you’ll find all sorts of information about the local flora and fauna, as well as toilets and a small café. There is a small picnic area outside the chalet, or you can find somewhere more remote to eat your sandwiches. Surrounding the chalet is a small flattish hiking trail where you can identify the various plants by their labels.
Venturing further afield, you can hike up to La Flégère or across to Le Buet via any one of the various trails that criss-cross the valley. Keep an eye out for marmots, bouquetin, chamois and various other alpine creatures that roam this area.
On a Saturday you can’t go far wrong with a trip to the Saturday market at Place du Mont Blanc, where you’ll find all sorts of local products - cheese, meat, fruit, bread, fruit juice, cakes, etc. Otherwise there are plenty of bakeries and cafés in Chamonix where you can pick up some freshly made sandwiches and snacks to throw in your backpack before you hit the trails - bon appetit!
When you want to get out into the wilds, here are some of our top picks of where to head to…
La Jonction is a steep 3–4 hour hike above Chamonix to the Glacier des Bossons, where you can see and hear the moving ice up close. Croix des Posettes offers a gentler शुरुआत before a narrow, exposed ridge climb to a summit cross with superb views. Fenêtre de l’Arpette, starting in Trient, is a demanding, high-altitude route on the Tour du Mont Blanc, rewarding hikers with spectacular alpine scenery—best tackled with care and good weather planning.
Lac Blanc is a stunning alpine lake at 2,352m, reached from La Flégère, with clear waters reflecting the Mont Blanc massif—ideal for a scenic picnic. Chalets des Chailloux offers a quieter walk across a flower-filled plateau with old shepherd huts and excellent glacier views. Lac du Brévent, about an hour from the lift, is a peaceful mountain lake facing the Rochers des Fiz, often uncrowded and perfect for combining with a ridge hike.
There are two ways to approach this beautifully renovated refuge. The steep path that skirts its way alongside the Le Tour Glacier, or via the chairlift to the top of the Le Tour ski area and making a long mellow traverse.
With having spent a few years exploring the trails of this valley, I thought I knew all the accessible routes so when someone mentioned one I’d never heard of I was excited to check it out - even more so when I was promised a good lunch along the way.
Cascade du Dard is a dramatic waterfall tucked away in the forest beneath the Aiguille du Midi.
This full day hike offers some stunning panoramas of the Chamonix Valley as well as some challenging descents and ascents, depending on which way you choose to do this walking loop from Vallorcine.
This hike is a pleasant stroll through the bucolic high alpine meadows of Les Houches, making life easy by using the lift system at either end.
This walk will take you on a complete loop bringing you back to the Vallorcine car park. You can choose to include the refuge de Loriaz as part of your loop or not. This beautiful family-friendly walk is suitable for all levels and has stunning views down towards the Swiss boarder and passes two waterfalls.
Find out all about what is happening in the Chamonix valley and how to make the most of your time here. The latest news, reviews of fun activities, current events and the trendiest restaurants, as well as interviews with leading locals, insider's guides and our top choices for things to do, see and experience in the valley. Plus, during the winter season, our famous snow reports and dump alerts all in the same place.
See allLatest News & ReviewsChamonix hosts a wide range of sporting events throughout the year. The biggest ones include the Mont Blanc Marathon in June and the UTMB trail running race in August. In March, the Unlimited Festival brings ravers to the mountains while Musilac Mont Blanc takes place a month later. At the end of July, the Cosmo Jazz Festival hosts concerts all around the valley.
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