Chamonix in November. 

If you arrive at Chamonix in November, attracted by the promise of snow on the mountains, busy streets and noisy bars, you will better look somewhere else. November is low season in Chamonix. Most hotels, shops, bars and all mountain lifts, except for Aiguille du Midi, are closed in November. If you are unlucky, I was, even Aiguille du Midi might close due to strong wind. Chamonix is a different place in November: lonely streets, no problem to find a room in a hotel, affordable prices, plenty of parking slots, no queues. However it is still possible to find a couple of nice hotels and certain number of bars and restaurants remain open.

The mountains, the heart of Chamonix, are transformed at this time of the year. Their gleaming white mantle is long gone and they are dressed in the green and brown clothes of the dying autumn. I personally prefer the winter season, but it is true in November the various glaciers surrounding Chamonix dominate the mountain landscape with undisputed authority.

The right place to start your visit to Chamonix is the tourist office. At the tourist office you will find all the necessary information to make your stay in Chamonix unforgettable. It is a pity the tourist office personnel is so austere they are almost rude. During my first contact with the girl at the counter desk the only information I could get was that all lifts were closed; no matter what I asked, I always got the same answer. Since I could not believe there was nothing to do at this time of the year, I tried a second time with similar results. I did not give up however, and made a third attempt. This time I asked a battery of very focused questions about very concrete places and activities. The girl seemed to surrender; probably she though, she would never get ride of me. The question was she finally produced the kind of information I was expecting.

November is not a good time for skiing in Chamonix. However there are still a number of interesting activities to fill your time. If what you are looking for is to enjoy a relaxed morning surrounded by nature, probably the best option is hiking. The number of alternatives for hiking is almost endless. Interesting enough, there are suggestions for all types of persons from easy tracks of between 30 and 50 minutes to high mountain hiking only suitable for experts. The tracks are usually well marked and you can find an extensive list of hiking suggestions at the tourism office; if you are lucky enough to make the right question.

Most popular tracks have one interesting characteristic: at the end of a possible exhausting walk in the mountains you can be sure to find one of those mountain “chalets” awaiting for you with a succulent meal or simply an icy beer. But this is just a hallucination. The chalets are, of course, “closed for the season”. However, not all are bad news, you might as well contemplate the view of a glacier, hear the rumor of a waterfall or enjoy unique scenarios all for yourself; something that is hardly possible at any other time of the year. In the next paragraphs I will describe a number of hiking suggestions I tried myself and I consider are well worth the effort. Many other options are possible.

Chalet du Glacier du Mont Blanc. Starting from the base of chair lift to the Glacier Les Bossons you should arrive at the chalet in no more than 40 minutes. The walk is stepped but affordable for most persons. From the terrace of the chalet there is a nice view of the glacier, but the best sight can be achieved from a viewpoint at the end of the footpath starting at the other side of the terrace (5 additional minutes). You cannot get to the base of the glacier. The viewpoint is about 200 meters up the front of the glacier, but you can still watch the melting water running in little waterfalls and startle with the cracking of the ice.

The Chalet du Cerro. Parking at the entrance of the Mont Blanc tunnel, take the footpath on the right and you will arrive to the chalet in about 20 minutes. The easy walk inside the forest will lead you to the opposite side of the glacier Les Bossons. However, the view in this case is less interesting and I would rather recommend the previous option.

Cascade du Dard. Following the road up to the Mont Blanc tunnel you will find a rest area on the left previous to the last curve. Park the car and walk for no more than 5 minutes until you get to the chalet. Cross the terrace and down the stairs you will find a magnificent waterfall pouring from the top of the mountain in the middle of the forest.

Chalet du Chapeau. Take the road to Le Lavalancher and above the village follow the footpath on the right. Follow the markings in the path until you get to the chalet. It will take you less than 50 minutes. During the walk you will enjoy beautiful views of the Chamonix valley. Upon arriving at the chalet, there will be a notice on the right for the Mer de Glace. Follow the way for about 10 more minutes until you get to the Mer de Glace viewpoint. The viewpoint is no substitute for the Montenvers railway, but anyway it is a good option when the train is closed for the season. You will have a superb view of the front of the glacier from a viewpoint that is occluded from Montenvers. You will also be able to observe the track of the railway suspended over the rock face and the hotel.

Plan l’Aiguille. It is the intermediate step in the cable car to Aiguille du Midi. There is a wide terrace where you can view the Aiguille du Midi, the glacier Les Bossons and the Chamonix panorama. You also have the option of a short walk in the mountain. Plan l’Aiguille is the starting point of some interesting hiking paths that will require preparation at this time of the year. If you stay at the terrace between two loads of Japanese tourists, you may have the opportunity to enjoy the landscape all for yourself. Autumn is probably the season when you can take the cable car without the need to stand the immense queues typical of the rest of the year.

Aiguille Rouges.  The natural park of Aiguille Rouges can be found in the way to Vallorcine. The interpretation center will be closed for the season, but you can still enjoy a short walk in the park or around the tiny lake.