While Chamonix offers a wide variety of shops, it’s easy to find yourself lost amidst all the sports stores and souvenir boutiques. For the times when you need something you can’t find in the Chamonix stores, or when you simply feel like some retail therapy, there are several large shopping centres in the vicinity of Chamonix, all promising a good day of shopping and relaxation!
Annecy
Courier, Annecy
65 rue Carnot, 74000 Annecy
The Courier shopping centre, located in the centre of Annecy and about an hour’s drive from Chamonix, is one of the most popular with the locals. For all the fashion enthusiasts, you can find major chains like H&M, Zara, and Levi’s there. You’ll also find stores like Sephora and The Body Shop for all your beauty product needs.
Just beyond the Courier centre, you’ll find yourself on the main street, which leads down to the lake while encountering other shops like Foot Locker, Yves Rocher, and Mango.
For lunchtime breaks, there’s a variety of restaurants available, whether it’s fast food with Subway, Mezzo di Pasta, or Quick, or more traditional restaurants, all at very affordable prices.
It’s best to go during the week to have a more relaxed day and avoid queues in the fitting rooms!
Courier has its own parking, located just below the centre.
Aushopping Grand Épagny
Rue du commerce, 74330 Épagny
Another shopping centre on the outskirts of Annecy, Aushopping Grand Épagny is very easy to access by car from Chamonix. You can find a similar range of stores to those in Courier, but with some different brands too (Kiko, Esprit, Go Sport).
Annemasse
Shopping Centre Étrembières
21 rue de l’Industrie, 74100 Étrembières
If Annecy seems too far, then the Étrembières shopping centre is for you! A 40-minute drive away and located just off the motorway exit, it’s very easy to reach. The parking lot has 1000 free, covered free spaces!
This centre is very similar to the one in Annecy but being smaller, it offers fewer choices in the shops to visit. For fashion, you can find stores like H&M, Promod, Celio, and Armand Thiery; there are also accessory stores that you won’t find at Courier, such as Accessorize, Claire’s and Pandora.
Finding food is a bit more complicated in Annemasse; the centre has restaurants like Brioche Dorée, more of a snack style than a proper meal. You can also find a McDonald’s just outside, but if you’re looking for a more complete and healthier meal, it would be better to venture into the centre of Annemasse which is a short drive away.
Chablais Parc Annemasse
7 Place Antoine Lumière, 74100 Annemasse
The Chablais Parc area is a very new neighbourhood in Annemasse: right in the city centre, it has a small selection of shops in a calm and relaxed setting.
A total of 45 shops and restaurants, spread across 3 pedestrian streets, make for a very enjoyable shopping day. You can find stores like C&A, Mango, Jules, One Step, Marionnaud and Histoire d’Or.
This area also has its own public parking, with 320 spaces.
La Galerie Annemasse
14 Rue de la Résistance, 74100 Annemasse
This centre is not far from Chablais Parc. It offers relatively few fashion stores and is more geared towards your weekly shopping. It has some jewellery stores, as well as other leisure stores such as FNAC, but its main attraction is its hypermarket: Géant Casino.
This gallery also has its own parking.
Closer to the valley
Carrefour Commercial Park
1751 Avenue de Genève, 74700 Sallanches
The town of Sallanches (25 minutes by car) has a very large shopping area with shops of all kinds. You’ll find costumes to rent for your fancy dress party, or toy stores that will please all children, Asian buffets where you can eat to your heart’s content, and of course a large Carrefour supermarket.
The only drawback of this area is that you’ll need a car to move between shops, but parking lots are located almost everywhere.
L’Île Roche
Clos de l’Ile Roche, 74700 Sallanches
New in 2020, the L’Île Roche shopping centre in Sallanches. There are fashion stores like Vib’s with brands like Cache Cache, Bonobo, and Bréal, as well as Gémo, Armand Thiery, Utility, and Jules. Families will also find children’s clothing at Tape à l’Œil, and pets are catered to at Maxi Zoo.
It’s a great place to buy household appliances, electronics and entertainment at Fnac and Darty, home decor at Zago or Gifi or sports shoes at Courir. Shopping too exhausting? Visit the Maison de la Literie! There’s also a hair salon (Saint Algue), a restaurant (Au Bureau), and an Optical Centre, plus a V&B bar.
Quechua Mountain Store
170 Av. Léman Mont-Blanc, 74190 Passy
In Passy, on the way back to Chamonix from Sallanches, Annecy or Geneva, sports enthusiasts and mountain lovers should stop off at the Mountain Store (Decathlon), where you can find all the essentials for your trip to the Alps: tents, sleeping bags, jackets, gloves, hiking pants, ski equipment. You’ll find everything you need for all seasons, whether it’s summer or winter!
Further afield
Sometimes to find the brands you want, you have to travel.
Geneva, Switzerland
Firstly, Geneva, located 1 hour from Chamonix, offers the widest variety of shops, from luxury brands to budget ranges. Upon arrival or departure, you could visit the many shopping streets of Geneva. Notably not far from the airport (5 minutes by bus) there’s the Balexert shopping centre, where you’ll find all your favourite brands.
McArthur Glen Designer Outlet, Serravalle, Italy
If you’re looking for bargains, then the McArthur Glen outlet near Milan (Via della Moda 1, 15069 Serravalle Scrivia, AL, Italy) will make your day. Here you’ll find your favourite luxury brands with discounts up to 70% almost all year round! The journey is significant (3 hours by car) but it’s worth it when you find brands like Nike, Timberland, Prada and Tommy Hilfiger at such low prices!
Moreover, you can enjoy your day seeing the beautiful country that is Italy.
Shopping in Chamonix
Don’t miss our guide to shopping in Chamonix itself – available in French.
Photo of Courier centre in Annecy © Florent Pedrini.
