Argentière, Les Houches, Vallorcine, Les Bossons: which village should you choose in the Chamonix valley?

The Chamonix valley is more than its town. From the entrance at Les Houches to the Col des Montets, a dozen villages and hamlets are strung along the Arve, each with its own ski area, atmosphere and constraints. Your choice of village shapes your days as much as your budget.

This page compares what each village offers to live and to visit. Night prices by area are in our guide to choosing where to stay in Chamonix, and distances on our map of the valley.

Each number is a village or hamlet, in valley order, from Servoz to Vallorcine. Tap it, then Go for directions.

Which village suits which kind of stay?

These travel times are indicative: they vary with the stop, the traffic and the wait. The quick choice: serious skiing, Argentière; a family learning to ski, Les Houches; peace and scenery, Vallorcine; La Flégère on foot, Les Praz; a quiet night close to town, Les Bossons.

Is Argentière the village for serious skiers?

Yes, it is the village most associated with skiing with character. The Grands Montets ski area draws advanced skiers for its terrain, its off-piste routes and its high-mountain atmosphere; in 2026-2027, you go up via the Plan Joran gondola. Some sectors depend on works, wind and snow: check the state of the lifts on the day.

Argentière is a real village, with shops, ski shops, schools, bars and restaurants, at international resort prices. You can also ski cross-country there, from 1 December 2026 to 3 April 2027 snow permitting, for €10 for an adult day and €8 with the guest card.

For a ski trip, it deserves at least a full day; for a simple look around, two to three hours are enough. The ski area is covered in our page on Les Grands Montets.

Is Les Houches the best choice for a family?

It is the most defensible choice for a family that wants to ski without paying central Chamonix's premium. The ski area is easier to read than Les Grands Montets, with learning slopes and wooded sectors that are precious in bad weather. An adult day costs €60 from 19 December to 26 March, on a separate pass from Chamonix's.

The downside: a less spectacular experience for an expert, and queues on the beginner slopes during the holidays. Private lessons are offered there from €79 per person for a 90-minute session for up to five, and up to €219 for a two-and-a-half-hour individual lesson.

The village has its shops, restaurants and rental outlets, and it is the classic starting point of the Tour du Mont Blanc. Allow half a day for the village and its surroundings, at least two days to get your money's worth from the pass and rental. Activities with children are in Chamonix with kids.

Is Vallorcine peace and quiet at the cost of timetables?

Vallorcine is the quietest and most unspoilt village in the valley, beyond the Col des Montets, towards Switzerland. It suits people who want nature, cross-country skiing and an atmosphere far from town. The Balme-Vallorcine ski area is more family-oriented than Les Grands Montets, with fine routes when conditions are good.

Restaurants, shops and rental outlets exist, but in limited numbers, and some close on certain days in low season. A car is not essential, but the time of the last train becomes decisive in the evening: a delay or an early closure quickly complicates the return. The Mont-Blanc Express links Vallorcine, Argentière and Chamonix; its timetable is in getting around Chamonix.

You can see the village in two to four hours, but a full day lets you combine skiing, walking and a meal.

Le Tour, at the end of the valley?

Le Tour is the highest hamlet in the valley, at the foot of the Balme ski area: you set off from here to ski the wide open spaces of the Col de Balme, between family and intermediate skiing. The Le Tour car park has 230 spaces in winter, which fill up quickly on sunny days.

In summer, the gondola takes you to the Col de Balme, at €41.50 for a pedestrian return, for hikes towards the Swiss border. The ski area is described in our guide to skiing in Chamonix.

Is Les Praz the upmarket compromise?

Les Praz is a sought-after hamlet, more residential and more elegant, with the golf course, La Flégère gondola and quick access to central Chamonix. The area suits anyone who wants to limit journeys without sleeping amid the bustle of the centre, and it is well suited to intermediate skiers.

Restaurants and accommodation are good quality, but often expensive, especially during the holidays and at weekends. Allow half a day for the village, the golf course or a stroll, and set off from the hamlet for Lac Blanc in summer. The ski area is covered in our page on La Flégère.

Is Les Bossons a village for sleeping?

Photo: Gadmer Frédéric, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Mostly. Les Bossons is not a resort: it is a residential area between Chamonix and Les Houches, at the foot of the Bossons glacier, interesting for sleeping away from the bustle and reaching several ski areas. It suits people who have a car or are happy with buses and trains, less so anyone who wants a lift outside their door.

There is no reason to spend a whole sightseeing day there: one to two hours are enough, more for a hike. The Bossons glacier chairlift is closed from 14 September 2026 to 11 June 2027. Glaciers and waterfalls often look better in brochures than from the accessible areas, depending on visibility and which trails are open.

And what about central Chamonix?

It is the only place where you can do everything on foot: restaurants, bars, shops, the station, and the Aiguille du Midi, Montenvers and Brévent departures. It is also the liveliest, noisiest, most expensive and most crowded. For a first stay without a car, it remains the simplest choice; for a targeted ski week, the village at the foot of the ski area you want saves time every morning.

The centre also has most of the restaurants and nightlife, see our guide to eating in Chamonix and après-ski and bars.

How do you get around between the villages?

The Mont-Blanc Express serves Les Houches, Chamonix, Les Praz, Argentière and Vallorcine; it is free with the guest card between Servoz and Vallorcine. The valley buses link villages and lifts, free with a lift pass. The train is practical, but it does not run at city frequency: check the last return every day.

The map of the ski areas, and what skiing from one village or another changes, is in our piste map guide.

Drawbacks, village by village

• Argentière: a prestigious ski area whose experience depends on which lifts are open, the wind and the snow.
• Les Houches: queues and busy slopes during the holidays.
• Vallorcine: few shops and few fallback options in case of closures.
• Les Bossons: no skiing on foot, and a dependence on transport.
• Les Praz: comfort, but high prices.
• The centre: lively, but noisy, expensive and crowded.

The valley's other outings are in the What to do section.

Sources

Sources: Chamonix Tourist Office (villages, lesson booking platform), Compagnie du Mont-Blanc (Chamonix Le Pass 2026-2027, ski areas, Les Bossons chairlift, Balme), the valley's cross-country areas (2026-2027 prices and season), Les Houches-Saint-Gervais (2026-2027 pass), Chamonix Mobilité and SNCF for the Mont-Blanc Express.

Not published: a price list by sector separate from Chamonix Le Pass, the full Mont-Blanc Express timetables and fares for the whole season, guaranteed travel times between villages. Visit durations are estimates. Research carried out on 27 October 2026.