Chamonix Ski Passes and Lifts FAQs

1.   How many ski areas are there in the Chamonix Valley?
2.   How much is the lift pass?
3.   Which pass should I buy?
4.   Do I need a photo for my pass?
5.   Where can I buy my pass?
6.   Do I need to buy winter sports insurance with the pass?
7.   Do the lifts open during the summer season?

1.   How many ski areas are there in the Chamonix Valley?

There are 5 main ski areas in the Chamonix Valley:

Les Houches which is at the Geneva end of the valley and is about 9km from Chamonix town centre
Brevent is accessed within Chamonix town
Flegere is accessed from Le Praz just over 3km from Chamonix town centre
Grand Montet is accessed from Argentiere which is 8.5km from Chamonix town centre
Le Tour is accessed from Le Tour and is 12km from Chamonix town centre

2.  How much is the lift pass?
There are 2 lift passes in the Chamonix Valley; the main pass (Chamonix le Pass) covers the 4 main skiing areas, with a more extensive pass (Mont Blanc Unlimited) covering the higher.  There are various early booking deals each year, plus very good deals for families.  Please contact our in-resort teams can give you more details or follow the link at the bottom of this page for individual pass costs. 

3.  Which pass should I buy?
The Chamonix ski area caters for all levels and all types of groups and the choice of passes reflects that. Please contact our team if you are unsure of which pass to buy

4.  Do I need a photo for my pass?
You only need a photo for passes for 10 days or more. The pass is magnetic and should be kept on the left hand side for hands free access through the turnstiles. There is a small deposit for each card, which is refundable or you can keep the card as a souvenir!

5.  Where can I buy my pass?
Firstly, our team can organise your passes to be ready for your arrival (free service). Queues for passes, particularly on arrival days, can be long so that the best solution is to take advantage of this service.  

Otherwise, passes can be bought at the bottom of each ski area, or at the main ticket desk by the Montenvers rail station, just to the south-east of the town centre. You can also buy your passes online, direct from the Compagnie du Mont Blanc, but you will still need to queue to collect them, if they have not been pre-delivered to your home. Please note, family passes or special deals cannot be purchased online and there is a delay for delivery.

6.  Do I need to buy winter sports insurance with the pass?
Should you wish to, you can buy insurance (e-gloo-protect) when you buy your lift passes- either through our in-resort team or at the Compagnie du Mont-Blanc kiosks. This insurance covers a variety of things including rescue, evacuation and lift pass reimbursement.

7.  Do the lifts open during the summer season?

Chamonix is an all year resort with plenty of hiking, climbing and mountain biking to be done high up in the mountains. The lifts only shut for short periods of time in between the summer and winter seasons to allow for maintenance, upgrading and swapping from skiing to bike lifts. In the summer months not all the lifts are open – for example button lifts are not open. For maps, opening times and costs please go to http://www.compagniedumontblanc.fr