Argentiere, France

Argentiere is a small Alpine village in the Chamonix-Mont-Blanc valley, best known as the gateway to the legendary Grands Montets ski area. It sits beneath dramatic peaks and glaciers, giving it one of the most striking mountain settings in the Alps. Argentière is not a typical beginner-friendly ski resort—it’s more of a serious skier’s destination with a strong freeride and off-piste reputation. If you do have a mixed group with some beginners there is a very good beginners area in Le Tour, a 5 minute bus ride up the valley.

The restaurants and bars tend to have an informal atmosphere and are less expensive than Chamonix itself - perfect for keen skiers who are less fussed with their surroundings and more focused on the mountain and the ski terrain.

Much of the Grand Montets can only be fully explored and appreciated with the help of a local mountain guide – something we would always recommend. The new cable car (should be completed for the 2026/27 season) takes you up to 3,300m altitude giving access to numerous black, red and off piste runs. Beginners and early intermediates can hop on the local bus which takes them to the ski area of Le Tour which is a mere 5 minute bus ride further up the valley. Here there is an excellent nursery area for complete beginners, and intermediates have plenty of ski terrain to explore.

As the Chamonix Valley is made up of fragmented ski areas, serious skiers would do well to consider staying in Argentiere for their ski holiday rather than any of the other residential areas which make up the Chamonix Valley.

Argentiere especially comes into its own later in the season as the North facing slopes above the village hold their snow really well, even into the month of May. We love Argentiere for its sleepy, traditional charm – it feels like a proper mountain village rather than a touristy ski resort.