March in Chamonix: What's on and weather
It's quieter, warmer, and there's some slushy snow to play in
Magical March is here with longer, warmer days in the sunshine.
As we put the madness of the half-term holidays behind us, a chilled party vibe settles on the town.
With fewer families around, you also tend to find far fewer ski schools on the hill which, of course, also means an end to those long, snaking trails of beginners making their way down. It also makes for much quieter lift lines. So, all in all, an ideal month to visit Chamonix to make the most of the near-perfect conditions.
Read on for a look at what we like to get up to when spring arrives in town.
What are the weather and snow conditions like?
There is regular snowfall - on average nine days - and temperatures still dip below freezing at night to freshen it up. In March the average daytime temperatures generally fall between a high of 6°C and a low of -3ºC, getting around six hours of sunshine.
What's on in Chamonix in March?
St. Patrick’s Day
March might be considered the party month here in Chamonix. Longer days and warmer weather make for better après ski, while more adults and fewer children mean bigger nights in the bars. Of course, one of the biggest parties of the season is on 17 March. For St. Patrick’s Day, even the beer turns green as the bars try to outdo each other with Irish themed nights. Expect promotions on Irish drinks, fancy dress and lots of live renditions of the Irish Rover.
Ski touring festival
Test equipment, attend meetings and yoga sessions along with a ski touring race and mountaineering course during the festival.
Chamonix Unlimited Festival
Join skiing and electronic music together and you've got events up the mountain in various spots, plus numerous venues throughout the resort. Keep an eye out for free shows alongside the ticketed events.
Check out our events calendar for more information on what's on in resort during March.
Skiing
Night skiing
Skiing is really good fun so, why stop when the sun goes down? Once a week the cross-country tracks in town will be open for torchlit night Nordic skiing. In early March you can also do some light alpine skiing on the Planards beginner slopes which will be floodlit for the occasion.
Lessons
Now is a great time to take a private lesson or join a group ski or snowboard lesson, with the quieter slopes there's less queues and the softening snow makes for a much kinder landing.
Things to do
Wildlife snowshoe walks
The Parc de Merlet is Chamonix's wildlife park, where local animals like chamois and marmots live. Closed during the winter, they only open their doors for guided snowshoe walks twice per week, on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. Small groups of five to eight people will explore the forests above Les Houches and learn more about the valley's fauna. Booking in advance is necessary.
Bars and clubs
When the lifts close for the day hundreds of skiers and revellers head down the slopes to find an après-ski party, and Chamonix has a variety of bars happily welcoming you with live DJs, live music and acoustic sets, aerial performances and much more.
One thing's for sure, you won't have far to stumble in your ski boots to find a jug of beer and some good snacks before you head home for dinner...or not! It's much easier to get a last-minute table for dinner now the school holiday crowds aren't here.
More inspiration...
There's a lot more than just skiing or snowboarding in the Chamonix Valley this month! Take a look at our events calendar for a full run down and check out all the things to do in resort.
