Mont Blanc's mountaineering capital
Chamonix sits in a deep valley beneath Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Western Europe, and it has been the heart of alpinism since the 18th century. The Aiguille du Midi cable car climbs to almost 3,850 metres for views across the massif, while the Montenvers rack railway reaches the Mer de Glace glacier. In winter it is a serious ski town, with the famous Vallée Blanche off-piste descent; in summer the trails and via ferratas fill with hikers and climbers.