CHAMONIX

This trip, Chamonix was one of my favorite stops. It's a small, athletic, and thoroughly-French town at the foot of Mt. Blanc that carries both small town charm and Olympic vibes. That makes sense, of course, because Chamonix was the host of the first-ever Winter Olympics in 1924! It has some cool history and some even cooler modern local culture.

We've learned, especially this trip, that some of the must-dos in Chamonix include going up to Mt. Blanc (if the weather permits), shopping and people-watching down little side streets, trying ice cream (like the famous Mt. Blanc sundae), and even taking a day trip to the nearby canal-filled city of Annecy. Thankfully, the weather was good and we were able to do all of it this year! Even if it's foggy and you're unable to visit Mt. Blanc, Chamonix itself is a city with enough charm to keep you busy for days.

Chamonix highlights

Even though Chamonix is just barely into France and still clinging to the Alps, I really feel like the city has all the charm of a quintessential French town. I loved the strong and proud immigrant communities represented in Chamonix, the absolutely-French fixation on good cheese and bread, the reverence for nature, good company, and a cappuccino, and the amazing local bookstores. Here's a few more things to explore in Chamonix:

Every grocery store is pretty amazing. They're often chock-full with French staples like chicory coffee, Bonne Maman breakfast treats, fresh produce, good cheese, and a thousand flavors of potato chips. We especially like the SuperU in Chamonix.
Although already mentioned, bookstores and stationary shops are gold in Chamonix (and Annecy). Here I've found beautiful bookmarks, French and English novels, and (one of my favorites) cahiers, or special French notebooks and journals.
Although a little intimidating at first due to its busyness, Le Monchu is a friendly French-Alpine restaurant with local favorites raclette, escargot, and tartiflette. The staff usually speak English and are nice, but make sure you make a reservation as they're often very busy.
Check out the Maison de la Mémoire et du Patrimoine, a small, out-of-the-way museum in Chamonix that's well worth the few euros to enter. When we went, it had detailed displays on the Winter Olympics.