January in Chamonix: What's on and weather
Quiet slopes, great atmosphere and some special events
It's very cold and the days are short, but the skies are blue and the pistes are quiet.
After the Christmas holidays are over, January is the quietest part of the main winter season in Chamonix. This means you have the slopes to yourselves, rarely have to queue for a lift and can enjoy pistes in great condition. So wrap up warm and get outside to find new year adventures.
The quiet conditions on the mountain don’t translate to quiet nights in the town. There are fewer families and more adult visitors, meaning it can be easier to get a table at a restaurant, and the bars are buzzing with plenty of live music and party nights to keep you entertained whilst you warm your hands on a glass of vin chaud.
Read on for a look at what we like to do in resort throughout January.
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What are the weather and snow conditions like?
There is regular snowfall - on average 13 days - and subzero temperatures keep it nice and fresh. In January the average daytime temperatures generally fall between a high of 4°C and a low of -4ºC, getting around five hours of sunshine. Definitely pack those thermals!
What's on in Chamonix in January?
Ski races
Chamonix has been hosting winter sporting events since the very beginning, starting with the first winter Olympics way back in 1924. This tradition continues today, and every month during the winter season there are a number of world-class events happening here.
Skiing
With all those empty pistes, no lift queues and perfect conditions, we like to get out into the mountains on our skis and snowboards as much as possible.
If you visit the resort in January you can buy a lift pass and join one of the local ski schools' many ski or snowboard lessons taking place around the resort.
Things to do
Cross-country skiing at night
Why not give this a try during your stay, the track in the beautiful Bois du Bouchet is floodlit once a week.
Alternative winter sports
It doesn't just have to be piste based adventures you take part in. Ski-touring and split-boarding have become extremely popular in recent years, and there's nothing that gets the heart pumping like gaining altitude under your own steam. When it's a 'white out' you'll find us changing tack entirely, pulling on some raquettes (snowshoes) and venturing forth into the wilderness on one of the many snowshoeing routes around the valley, all the while dreaming of tomorrow's bluebird powder day.
Family fun
Families go first in the charming ski area of Les Houches. To keep everyone entertained after the lifts have closed, the town hosts some special nighttime events. You can ski in the floodlit beginner's piste of Le Tourchet every week and for those with a more adventurous soul, whizz down the pistes on a traditional paret sledge.
If you're lucky enough to be here when Mini-Boom is on, it's a great fun disco to take the kids along to when they need to blow off some steam.
Bars and clubs
At this time of the season we are looking forward to some live music sessions, whether from local bands or even one of the open mike nights and jam sessions that the local bars often hold. So, whether you fancy yourself an Adele, Bob Dylan or a Satriani, there's definitely somewhere you can 'entertain' the crowds.
Of course, that's if we've made it home from one of the many après-ski events taking place every evening across town.
More inspiration...
This is only a small selection of the events taking place in Chamonix during the first month of the year. Take a look at our events calendar for a full rundown and to find some accommodation for your stay.
