What's New in Chamonix for Winter 2026-2027

A fair bit is changing in the valley this season, and some of it has been a long time coming. The lower half of the Grands Montets reopens, eight years after the fire, even if the top is still a season off. The Mont Blanc museum is open again after a five-year rebuild. Town has a handful of new places to eat that are worth a table too. Here's what's new in Chamonix for winter 2026-2027.

The Grands Montets, partly back

The Grands Montets lost its main lift in September 2018, when a fire tore through the Lognan mid-station. Luckily the Plan Joran gondola was already in place, so skiers kept their way up to the heart of the mountain the whole time. What was missing was the access up the mountain for pedestrians and anyone just finding their feet. This December a new ten-person gondola runs from Argentière village straight up to Lognan, and that gap closes. The new stations, glass-fronted, were designed by Renzo Piano's studio.

There's a new beginner area at Lognan too, at 1,972 metres, with a restaurant corner next to it, so the mountain now works for a mixed group and not only for strong skiers chasing the off-piste. One thing to know before you plan around it: the summit is still to come. At 3,275 metres it is ski-touring access only this winter, as the top section of the cable car is not due until December 2027.

Opening dates depend on testing and snow, so check before you build a day around it.

Two more lift updates

Over in Les Houches, the Prarion gondola gets new panoramic cabins. At Plan Joran, the food court reopens on 14 December as an alpine canteen, with counters for pizza, pasta, salads, soup and coffee for when you need to refuel mid-morning.

New places to eat and drink

The nicest change this winter is in town, where a few new places have opened and they are the kind you want to settle into for the evening.

• Jeannot has taken over the old Le Carrousel on Rue de la Tour, from the people behind Le Pèle. It's a proper little mountain bistro, white tablecloths, marble, soft lighting, named after the owner's grandfather, a freestyle skier. The food is generous Franco-Italian, think vitello tonnato, veal milanese, a whole roast chicken to share, and the record collection is taken as seriously as the kitchen.
• Up in Argentière, L'Étranger d'Ici, is into its first winter after opening in the spring. Teo cooks and his partner Boby runs the room, and between them they turn out inventive alpine plates built on herbs, spices and whatever is good locally, right down to the tomme from a Vallorcine farm. The menu is deliberately short, a few starters, a few mains, one dessert, and there is no fondue or raclette in sight. Twenty seats, mismatched crockery, a lot of care. Book ahead.
• Good Boy on Avenue Michel-Croz is the easy one, a relaxed neighbourhood café that has been going since the summer. Quick lunches, a proper brunch, a coffee once the lifts shut, open all week, and all dogs are welcome.
• Two more quick stops are worth a mention. Breizh Café brings Breton galettes and cider to the centre, with the odd alpine crossover like a Reblochon filling, and El Chaltén on Rue du Mont-Blanc does proper Argentine empanadas when you want something hot in your hand on the way through town.

If you want the mountain spots as well, our guide to Chamonix's mountain restaurants covers the terraces worth the detour.

The Mont Blanc museum has reopened

The Musée du Mont-Blanc reopened in July 2026, in the restored former Chamonix Palace on the main street, after five years of work. Its first temporary exhibition, "Métamorphoses du regard, les Alpes magnifiées", runs from December 2026 to the end of April. It's a good call for a flat-light day when the top of the mountain is socked in.

Two spas now open to everyone

Worth knowing if you fancy an afternoon off your feet. The Nuxe spa at the Héliopic has been done over this autumn, with an extra treatment cabin and a new rest room with a salt wall. The Cinq Mondes spa at the Lykke Slow Hôtel has also opened to non-guests now, so you can book a treatment there and get time in the spa with it, even without a room.

Something for a bad-weather day

Swing House is a good shout for a stormy afternoon, indoor golf with three TrackMan simulators. For a wander through town, Les Curiosités de Francis opens mid-December on Rue Joseph-Vallot, in the old Landru bookshop, selling animal-themed bits and clothing.

An outdoor ice rink, and the Christmas market

New this winter, a 450 square metre outdoor ice rink takes over Place du Mont-Blanc, right in the middle of town. It’s the centrepiece of the Christmas village and stays on long after the decorations come down, with skating alongside curling, live music and roaming performers running through January and February and into early March.

The Christmas market moves with it. The food stalls gather on Place du Mont-Blanc from 17 December to 3 January, while the non-food stalls have shifted out onto Avenue Michel-Croz, Rue Whymper and Rue de la Tour.

Mont Blanc measured taller

Mont Blanc came in higher this autumn. The teams who survey the summit every couple of years put it at 4,807.47 metres in October 2026, nearly two metres up on the last reading. The rock hasn't grown. It's the snow and ice cap on top that shifts from one survey to the next, and this time it had built up.

Don’t miss…

Cross-country skiing by night, Bois du Bouchet. Try something different and glide under the stars on selected evenings this winter.

Pionniers Hockey matches, Richard Bozon ice rink. Experience the energy of Chamonix’s home team — a local favourite winter activity.

Planning tips for your stay – from a Chamonix All Year perspective

• Book ahead: reserving your accommodation sooner means you'll lock in the best choice.
• Check lift-opening status: weather, snow and work can shift opening dates, so always check in advance.
• Balance slope time and town time: the skiing is the draw, but the town, the restaurants and the bars matter just as much for a full trip.
• Explore non-ski options: on a day off the slopes, the museum, the sights in Les Houches, the Montenvers site, or just a town walk with some spa time all make a difference.
• Consider the timing: early season (late November, early December) can mean limited lift access; peak season gives you the full terrain; spring brings quieter slopes and longer days.
• Winter driving and safety: from 1 November to 31 March, winter tyres or snow chains are mandatory when driving through the Chamonix valley and surrounding mountain areas. Have a look at our guide to winter driving before you travel.

 

Frequently asked questions

Is the Grands Montets open for winter 2026/27? Yes. A new ten-person gondola from Argentière to Lognan opens in December 2026, restoring the easy link from the village, and there's a new beginner area at Lognan. You can ski from the top of the Bochard gondola at 2,765 metres. The very top is not served by lift yet, with that section due in December 2027, so the summit off-piste is still ski-touring only this season.

Can you ski from the Grands Montets summit this winter? Not by lift. The summit at 3,275 metres is ski-touring access only this season. The top section of the new cable car, from Lognan up, is expected in December 2027.

What new restaurants have opened in Chamonix? Recent openings include Jeannot, an audiophile Franco-Italian spot; L'Étranger d'Ici in Argentière; the locavore café Good Boy; Breizh Café for galettes; and El Chaltén for empanadas.

How tall is Mont Blanc now? The October 2026 survey put Mont Blanc at 4,807.47 metres, nearly two metres higher than the previous reading. The change is in the snow and ice cap, not the rock.

When does the Chamonix ski season start? The higher slopes open at weekends in early December once there's enough snow, with the full resort opening about a week before Christmas. Our complete guide to Chamonix winter has the detail.

Plan your winter in Chamonix

It's a good year to come and see it for yourself. Have a read of our complete guide to Chamonix winter, work out your lift pass with our guide to Chamonix ski passes, then take a look at our Chamonix accommodation and we'll help you find the right place to stay.