Chamonix

Viewpoint

The great rocky fang of the Aiguille du Midi (3842m), rising from the Mont Blanc massif, is one of Chamonix’ most distinctive features. The 360-degree views of the French, Swiss and Italian Alps from the summit are (quite literally) breathtaking. Year-round, you can float via cable car from Chamonix to the Aiguille du Midi on the vertiginous Téléphérique de l’Aiguille du Midi. Dress warmly: even in summer, temperatures at the top rarely rise above -10°C (in winter prepare for -25°C).

Glacier

France’s largest glacier, the 200m-deep 'Sea of Ice', flows 7km down the northern side of Mont Blanc, scarred with crevasses formed by the immense pressure of its 90m-per-year movement. The Train du Montenvers, a picturesque, 5km-long cog railway opened in 1909, links Gare du Montenvers with Montenvers (1913m), from where a cable car descends to the glacier and, 420 stairs later, the Grotte de Glace. Also worth a visit is the Glaciorium, an exhibition on the formation (and future) of glaciers.

Viewpoint

The highest peak on the western side of the Chamonix Valley, Le Brévent (2525m) has tremendous views of the Mont Blanc massif, myriad hiking trails through a nature reserve, ledges to paraglide from and some vertiginous black runs.

Museum

This diverting two-level museum allows you to wander through Chamonix history, from butter moulds and farming tools of yore to the dawn of the 18th-century tourism boom. There's mountain history galore, including the early days of the high mountain guides and fascinating stories of the first female alpinists, as well as 19th-century oil paintings of the valley's timeless landscape.

Museum

Beautifully lit collections of crystals, many from around Mont Blanc, are exposed within this small museum. The adjoining Espace Tairraz focuses on the art and science of mountaineering with creative interactive displays and photos and videos of seemingly impossible ascents. Situated behind the church.

Cave

Step directly inside the glacier at this tunnel of ice, reshaped every year for the past half-century, which sparkles with perennially recreated ice sculptures. To reach it, you'll need to get to Montenvers station (1913m), before jumping onto a cable car and then descending more than 400 steps.