Alpine Lakes around the Mont Blanc Massif

No trip to the Alps in summer is complete without exploring the wonder of mountain lakes. Here is our top 12 from in, around and high above the Chamonix valley.

Chamonix Valley

A hiker’s paradise, the iconic Lac Blanc is the stuff of picture postcards and an Instagram heaven. At 2,353 metres facing Mont Blanc and the Aiguilles (the needles that surround Europe’s highest mountain), the views are sublime. So is the colour of the water – generally cobalt due to the concentration of minerals that are accumulated there. It’s certainly an amazing place to cool off hot feet.

For Summer 2019 you will need to double-check your hiking route with the Chamonix Tourist Office before setting off. The work that’s taking place at Flegere to build the new lift system means there are deviations in place. So, either take the lift from Brevent to Plan Praz and then the high traverse or consider the routes available from the Col du Montets or Tre le Champ.

Other options accessible from the Brevent and Plan Praz lift stations are Lac Cornu and Lac Noir. Normally quieter than Lac Blanc. The setting is no less beautiful and made all the easier by lift access.

One of the Mont Blanc Massif’s lesser-known lakes can be found on a short diversion from the classic Grand Balcon Nord traverse between the Plan d’Aiguille and Montenvers. Another lake fed by glacial, mineral-rich waters it remains at a frigid temperature even in the height of summer.

If you prefer somewhere beautiful to sit and simply take in the mountain views, then Lac des Gaillands should appear on your hit-list. There’s no swimming here, but for those who like to fish, this is the local spot. Close to the famous les Gaillands climbing wall, you’ll find locals and visitors alike gathering here.

Wider Area

Lac Vert is another great destination. Sitting high above Passy, it offers a great introduction to hiking for those with young children. The two-kilometre route involves about 170 metres of climb and descent and takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes to complete. The reward is breath-taking views of Mont Blanc and Mont Jolly and of course ice-cream or other sweet treats at the Buvette.

If you prefer a lake experience that involves beaches and swimming, then there is no shortage of options to choose from.

Up in Combloux on the St Gervais side of the massif, the newly created, mountain bio lake offers water which has been naturally purified by more than 10,000 plants. It promises water temperatures in August, thanks to the sun’s continuous presence, of some 26°C.

Lake Passy is about a 30-minute drive from the centre of Chamonix. It has dedicated swimming areas, sandy beaches and water-based children’s play areas too. Lake Passy also has no shortage of stunning views to enjoy whilst soaking up the sun. You can also dingy sail, paddleboard and even windsurf here too.

Whilst, in Sallanches you’ll find a choice of three lakes, one for fishing, one for swimming and one for windsurfing together with all manner of activities surrounding them from picnic spaces to fitness trails.

Lac du Montriond is a little further away – approximately an hour by car – but rings the changes once again. Alpine and surrounded by trees, it is a family favourite. It comes with a great menu of different ways to relax and really does have something for everyone. You can stroll, run or bike along its trails. Or, take to the water with swimming, kayaking, paddle boarding and even yoga on water available.

Other content you may be interested in: Chamonix shuttles | Chamonix summer travel tips

Chamonix music festivals

Whilst Chamonix retains its reputation as an iconic ski destination, in the Spring, it’s also a bustling destination for some major music festivals.

Unlimited Festival 2019

There are two incredible events on offer in April 2019. Unlimited Festival (formerly the Black Crows Weekend) kicks-off on Tuesday 2 April and is an homage to all things electronica. This event has grown year on year and is set to be bigger and better than ever. What distinguishes it from similar events around the Alps is the location of the parties. They are set in some of the most stunning locations you’ll find anywhere on the globe like: the top station of the Aiguille du Midi lift; Plan Praz on the Brevent at sunset and new for 2019, the Skyway Monte Bianco in Courmayeur.

Unlimited Festival promises the opportunity to ski, party, repeat! This event takes place over six-day with sessions running at venues the length and breadth of Chamonix. Those include favourites like the Plan Joran lift station at Grands Montets, and down in Chamonix itself at Les Aiglons Refuge, Les Caves and the Le Vert Hotel as well as the newcomer in town, La Folie Douce.

Find out about the full artistic line-up which includes:  2manydjs, Adriatique, Anetha, Asa Moto, Dave Clark, Dixon, Greg Boust, Laurent Garnier, Mira, Purple Disco Machine, Roger Sanchez, The Shape Shifters and Vince.

Musilac Mont-Blanc

The end of April 2019 sees the return for its second year of Musilac Mont-Blanc. This festival may be rooted firmly to the bottom of the valley but boasts a knock-out backdrop featuring the Aiguille du Midi and Mont-Blanc!

Headlining in 2019 are The Editors, Two Door Cinema Club, The Kooks, The Blaze, Aya Nakamura, Eagle Eye Cherry, Eddy de Pretto, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Charlie Winston, HF Thiéfaine, Zazie, Roméo EElvisand Gaëtan Roussel.

Mountain Drop-offs is delighted to be the official transfer partner for both the valley’s major spring music festivals. We’re looking forward to transferring musicians, technical team and visitors alike from Geneva Airport to Chamonix.

We love working hand-in-glove with the major events in the valley. April’s music festivals may embrace different genres, different locations and different styles of delivery, but we know they’ll both be hugely popular. At the end of a busy season, the team enjoy being involved, both in helping make these events run smoothly and having the chance to enjoy the biggest parties in town too.

For all the details, packages and tickets, head to Unlimited Festival and Musilac Mont-Blanc. Promo Code CHAMUF is valid for travel between Monday 1 and Tuesday 9 April for Unlimited Festival. The code MUSILCHX is valid for trips between Wednesday 24 and Monday 29 April 2019 to attend Musilac Mont Blanc whether you want a shared, private or VIP transfer. Offer applies to airport transfers from Geneva in core hours and the usual terms and conditions of business apply.

Team Mountain Drop-offs has huge experience in helping partner events of every kind run smoothly as well as arranging trips for visitors – a fact underpinned by the company’s three consecutive TripAdvisor Certificates of Excellence.

Our super-friendly and helpful customer service team are based in the centre of Chamonix, so are always on hand to help with trips to and from the valley and around the valley too.

Booking is quick and simple and secure via the website at www.mountaindropoffs.com. Mountain Drop-offs phone lines are open 24-hours for emergencies.

Chamonix Valley Winter Season

All of the valley’s ski areas are now open and there’s more snowfall on the forecast. You can find all of the opening dates for the ski areas covered by Chamonix Le Pass or Chamonix Unlimited lift passes for the winter season 2018-2019 below.

Brevent and Plan Praz, Flegere, Domaine de Balme at Le Tour and Vallorcine are all covered by Chamonix Le Pass and will stay open until 14 April 2019. Grands Montets is also covered by this pass and will be open until 5 May 2019.

Despite the devastating fire that destroyed the iconic lift, there is still lots to explore in this famous ski area. There is a new chair life, extended beginners area and new piste arrangements to be explored.

If you are feeling energetic, then the top of Grands Montets is still accessible, but you will have to earn your turns and ski tour your way to the top!

Whether you are exploring for the first time or a seasoned Chamonix visitor, you can have ski adventures inside and outside the valley when you buy a Chamonix Unlimited lift pass. It will give you access to over 1000km of piste including all the areas mentioned above and Les Houches too.

Chamonix Unlimited also unlocks the chance for a ski safari that covers resorts in three countries. The French ski resorts of St Gervais, Les Contamines and Megeve are all set to remain open until 14 April 2019. In Switzerland, Verbier will be operating until 28 April 2019 and, in Italy, they hope to keep Courmayeur open until 22 April.

Whilst Chamonix has a reputation as a destination for snow sports experts, what many people don’t realise is that there are lots of beginner ski areas to choose from too. There are the Planards and Le Savoy areas close to the centre of the town as well as La Vormaine at Le Tour, Les Chosalets in Argentiere, Le Tourchet in Les Houches and La Poya over in Le Buet.

As well as offering transfers from Geneva Airport to Chamonix, we also offer in-valley trips too. So, if you need to get to a lesson, explore another ski area or want to head out for an evening, then we can help with that too. Find out about all the airport transfer services we offer.

As well as the opportunity to ski, the valley also boasts some bucket-list of other adventures that shouldn’t be missed. What’s more they are all included in your Chamonix Unlimited forfeit and include: The iconic Aiguille du Midi lift and the chance to Step into the Void; The Montenvers Train and access to the Mer de Glace, the Tramway du Mont Blanc which passes through Les Houches on its way to the Nid du Aiguille from the nearby town of St Gervais (until 31 March 2019).

For more information on Chamonix and events this winter, check out our Chamonix destination guide

#TeamOnTheHill

They say that all work makes Jack a dull boy or Jill a dull girl, which is why we’ve structured our business to make sure that everyone gets hill time when they work with Mountain Drop-offs.

Generally working four days on and with three days off, our drivers, managers and administrators all have a passion for the mountains which they express in a host of different ways. Seeking out adventures big and small in the pursuit of their preferred mountain sport.

It’s why we all live and work here so that when we aren’t busy driving to and from the airport, taking reservations, managing travel arrangements and helping our guests we like to go out to play.

We wanted to share some of those moments with our customers so we approached our friends at Julbo Eyewear to see if they’d like to sponsor our #TeamOnTheHill campaign. They said yes and now, two years later, our #TeamOnTheHill competition is still going strong.

Every month we choose a winner from among the photos submitted by the team and they get a brand-new pair of Julbo sunglasses to help protect their eyes when they are out in the mountains.

We know that our followers on Facebook, Twitter, Google + and Instagram love to follow the teams’ adventures too. These aren’t professional mountaineers, skiers, climbers, cyclist or flyers – just people who are as passionate, just as our customers are, about spending time in the mountains.

Here’s this month’s winning shot – it makes us slightly queasy just looking at it. A walk down the ridgeline of the Aiguille du Midi at 3,800 metres with vertiginous drops on either side isn’t for the feint hearted. Here’s Hannah making it look like a walk in the park.

If you’d like to see what our #TeamOnTheHill are up to, why not follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or Instagram. We’ll be sharing photos and videos all year round!