French Alps
Travelers come for Mont Blanc, alpine lakes and summer hiking, with ski towns that fill up in winter.
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The French Alps are the mountains of southeastern France, running along the borders with Italy and Switzerland. Mont Blanc, at 4,807 meters the highest peak in Western Europe, sits on the French-Italian border. Each valley feels different. Chamonix lies at the foot of Mont Blanc, Annecy is known for its lake and canal-side old town, Grenoble sits in the Isère valley with mountains around it, and Chambéry was once the capital of the Duchy of Savoy.
Most trips focus on hiking in summer, roughly June to September, when high trails and mountain lifts are open, or on skiing in winter, roughly December to March. Shoulder seasons are quieter, but some lifts and mountain huts close. Plan at least five to seven days to see one area properly, and a week or more to move between the lake, the city and the high mountains. Trains and buses link the main towns, but many mountain villages are easier to reach by car.
French Alps in five
- Get the Mont-Blanc Express to ChamonixChamonix is reached from Saint-Gervais-Le Fayet on the Mont-Blanc Express. Plan the change there with heavy luggage in mind.Chamonix
- Carry winter tyres or chains on mountain roadsIn winter, many mountain roads require snow chains or winter tyres under French rules, and signs show when they apply. Ask the rental desk whether the car has winter equipment before you leave the city.Getting around
- Hire a certified guide for glacier routesGlacier crossings and high routes around Mont Blanc need a certified guide and proper kit. Book through the Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix or another certified guides' office.
- Save 112 before you walk112 works from any phone in France for police, fire and ambulance, including mountain rescue. Mobile signal drops in side valleys, so write down the trailhead name and your planned route before you set out.
- Set up data and offline maps before the valleysMobile signal drops in side valleys and on mountain roads. Save offline maps for your route while you are still in Annecy, Grenoble or Chamonix.Phones and eSIM
Neighborhoods
Where to stay in French Alps, the full guide
Annecy
- Price band: $$
Grenoble
- Price band: $ to $$
Chamonix
- Price band: $$$
Chambéry
- Price band: $ to $$
Things to do in French Alps
See all attractions in French Alps
Need to know
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Entry
- Schengen short stays for many passports; check ETIAS status before you fly Read more
- Emergency
- 112 EU-wide; 15 ambulance (SAMU), 17 police, 18 fire
- Tipping
- Service usually included; rounding up or small change is common
- Time
- UTC+1 in winter, UTC+2 in summer; daylight saving applies
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Snowy days
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryRain13 rainy days3 snowy daysHigh5°Low-1°Ski season, coldJanuaryRain
Good
- High
- 5°
- Low
- -1°
- Precipitation
- 130 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 3
- Days with storms
- 0
Ski season, cold
- FebruaryPartly cloudy11 rainy days2 snowy daysHigh9°Low0°Peak snowFebruaryPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 9°
- Low
- 0°
- Precipitation
- 79 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 2
- Days with storms
- 0
Peak snow
- MarchRain13 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh11°Low2°Ski, longer daysMarchRain
Good
- High
- 11°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 116 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Ski, longer days
- AprilPartly cloudy11 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh15°Low5°Snowmelt, quietAprilPartly cloudy
Poor
- High
- 15°
- Low
- 5°
- Precipitation
- 94 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Snowmelt, quiet
- MayRain14 rainy daysHigh19°Low8°Trails reopeningMayRain
Mixed
- High
- 19°
- Low
- 8°
- Precipitation
- 138 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Trails reopening
- JuneRain13 rainy daysHigh24°Low13°Hiking, long daysJuneRain
Best
- High
- 24°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 109 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hiking, long days
- JulyClear10 rainy daysHigh26°Low15°Summer peakJulyClear
Best
- High
- 26°
- Low
- 15°
- Precipitation
- 88 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Summer peak
- AugustClear8 rainy daysHigh27°Low15°Clear, quieterAugustClear
Best
- High
- 27°
- Low
- 15°
- Precipitation
- 85 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Clear, quieter
- SeptemberPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh22°Low11°Autumn, quieterSeptemberPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 22°
- Low
- 11°
- Precipitation
- 100 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Autumn, quieter
- OctoberPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh17°Low7°Early snowOctoberPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 17°
- Low
- 7°
- Precipitation
- 131 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Early snow
- NovemberRain13 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh10°Low2°Ski season opensNovemberRain
Good
- High
- 10°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 141 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Ski season opens
- DecemberRain13 rainy days3 snowy daysHigh7°Low0°Holiday, snowDecemberRain
Good
- High
- 7°
- Low
- 0°
- Precipitation
- 139 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 3
- Days with storms
- 0
Holiday, snow
Average daily high and low in French Alps, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in French Alps
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
-3
- Feels like
- -7°
- Humidity
- 56%
- Wind
- 4 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 0%
French Alps
09:47 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today2°-4°0%Monday: Partly cloudy. High 2°, Low -4°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Tue-1°-4°0%Tuesday: Cloudy. High -1°, Low -4°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Wed-2°-5°3%Wednesday: Snow. High -2°, Low -5°. Chance of rain 3%.
- Thu-2°-4°10%Thursday: Snow. High -2°, Low -4°. Chance of rain 10%.
- Fri-2°-3°33%Friday: Snow. High -2°, Low -3°. Chance of rain 33%.
- Sat-1°-3°24%Saturday: Fog. High -1°, Low -3°. Chance of rain 24%.
- Sun-1°-4°40%Sunday: Snow. High -1°, Low -4°. Chance of rain 40%.
Updated 09:04 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Day trips by train
- Annecyabout 1 hour by car from ChambéryLake town with canals and an old town, a good half-day stop.Read the guide
- Chambéryabout 1 hour by train from GrenobleOld capital of Savoy, a quiet stop between the larger towns.Read the guide
- Chamonixabout 2 hours by car from AnnecyMont Blanc valley for glacier routes and long valley walks.Read the guide
Before you go to French Alps
Rules for French Alps, checked
- Schengen short-stay rules apply: up to 90 days in any 180. Check entry and ETIAS status on the official France-Visas site before you book.Source
- Mountain roads may require snow chains or winter tyres in winter. Check the signs on the road and the rules on service-public.fr before you drive.
- Declare food, plants and animal products on arrival from outside the EU. Check the allowances with French customs (douane) before you travel.Source
- Glacier and high routes need a certified guide and suitable equipment. Check conditions with the local guides' office before you set out.
Plan around French Alps
Entry, trains and money for a France trip
Read the guideAnnecyLake town with canals and an old town
Read the guideGrenobleCity base with transit and a cable car
Read the guideChamonixMont Blanc base for glacier and valley walks
Read the guideChambéryOld capital of Savoy, a quieter base
Read the guideGetting aroundTrains, buses and the Chamonix link compared
Read the guideFrench Alps FAQ
Which base is best in the French Alps?
Annecy suits a lake and old town trip, Grenoble suits a city base with transit, and Chamonix suits Mont Blanc walks. Chambéry is a quieter base between them. Pick by what you plan to do on the first day.
How many days do I need in the French Alps?
Five to seven days covers two bases, such as Annecy and Chamonix. One base for a long weekend works if you want one town and day walks.
Do I need a car in the French Alps?
Trains and buses link the main towns, and the Mont-Blanc Express reaches Chamonix. A car helps for early trailheads and side valleys, and winter roads may require chains or winter tyres.
When is the best time to visit the French Alps?
Summer for hiking and long days, winter for skiing. Late spring and autumn are quieter, but some high routes may not be open yet or may already be closing.
Do I need a visa for the French Alps?
Many passports allow visa-free Schengen short stays of up to 90 days in any 180. Check the official France-Visas site and whether ETIAS applies to you before you fly.
Can I hike Mont Blanc without a guide?
Marked trails below the snowline need no guide, but glacier and high routes do. Check conditions locally before you set out.