Location
Nearest airport
Geneva
at
110.0
km
Nearest railway
Les Houches
at
1.0
km
Nearest motorway
A6
at
1.0
km
Nearest restaurant
Le Delice
at
1.0
km
Car is recommended
About Les Houches
Les Houches
Nestled in the heart of the Mont-Blanc Massif, this family resort, with its string of hamlets, is faithful to the traditional image of mountain holidays.
Intense, sporty and comtemplative moments will forge your memories as you follow your fancy...
Situated at 1000 metres of altitude and lying at the foot of Mont-Blanc (4810m), Les Houches offers an exceptional panorama of the peaks surrounding Chamonix.
The village is made up of a number of hamlets, with oratories, chapels, old bread ovens and farms bearing witness to its past and being the objects of particular attention today.
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc (or Chamonix),
A resort area near the junction of France, Switzerland and Italy, is renowned for its alpine skiing. It’s at the base of Mont Blanc, the highest summit in the Alps. Year-round, cable cars take visitors up to several nearby peaks with panoramic views, including Aiguille du Midi, Pointe Helbronner on the Italian border and Le Brévent.
With the pearly white flanks of the Mont Blanc massif as a sensational backdrop, the Chamonix Valley is the Alps at their most dramatic. First ‘discovered’ as a tourist destination by Brits William Windham and Richard Pococke in 1741, it has become a wintertime playground of epic proportions, more than satisfying the most demanding skiers as well as the après-ski revellers who pack themselves into its boot-stompin’ bars. In summer, highland trails easily accessible by ski lift afford some of the Alps' most thrilling panoramas.
Activities near Les Houches
Known as the “family resort” of the valley, Les Houches has everything you need without the bustle of a crowded town centre.
No nightclubs, no noisy bars, just easy access to the ski slopes and a handful of nice places to eat and drink of an evening. If it's night life you want then Chamonix is 10 minutes away by car, with a night bus running until midnight to bring you home.
Beautiful chalets and historic buildings line the streets of Les Houches, and most of the hotels and restaurants are family run. It's as far from purpose-built as you can get, which is why we love it.
Les Houches tourist office is located on Place de la Mairie on the main road that runs through the village. It is open daily from 09:00-12:00 and from 14:30-18:30 during peak winter and summer seasons.
Les Houches is just 7km drive from Chamonix and is also connected by bus and train.
Les Houches in winter
Easy access to the slopes via the Bellevue cable car and the Prarion gondola make Les Houches a convenient choice for many people. You can ski or snowboard back down to the village from either end of the resort and the tree-lined pistes are perfect for beginners and intermediates.
Les Houches has made regular appearances on Ski Sunday thanks to its role as host to the Kandahar World Cup Competition. The confusingly named La Verte piste (verte meaning green) is actually a black run; a long sweeping slope with rolling twists and turns – you just need a mate to furiously shake a cowbell as you zoom past to get the full experience.
Les Houches in summer
Les Houches is one of the prettiest parts of the Chamonix valley in summer. The village blooms with window boxes, while the meadows are full of wild flowers. Use the lift system to get up high, where you'll find lots of fairly easy hiking trails around the Col de Voza plateau. For a more adventurous ramble there are lots of steep hikes, leading to mountain refuges where you can stay the night and then continue or hike back down the next day.
Take a ride up to the Nid d'Aigle (Eagle's Nest) on the Tramway du Mont Blanc. It links the nearby town of Saint Gervais to the highest point in Les Houches, where many Alpinists depart to summit Mont Blanc.
Night skiing on the Tourchet piste; the nursery slope is floodlit once a week and entry is free, with mulled wine and music to help keep you warm.
Animal lovers are in their element in Les Houches; from the goat farm up at La Charme, to the St Bernard kennels in Servoz. A visit to the Merlet Park is a must if you want to see marmots, bouquetins, chamois and other mountain creatures in their natural habitat.
| Local sports activities |
On-site: Mountain biking, Horse riding, Cycling, Skiing, Walking
Within 15 minutes: Climbing, Sports centre, Flying, Golf, Tennis
|
| Local leisure activities |
Within 15 minutes: Food shop, Cinema, Restaurant, Museum, Shopping
|
| Great for |
Walking holiday, Romantic, Cycling holiday, Summer holidays, Ski Holidays |
