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ExploreSnowshoeing in one of the world’s most iconic ski destinations?
It’s a bit like picturing a Jamaican bobsleigh team at the Winter Olympics — unexpected, yet so damn cool.
Still far too underrated, snowshoeing actually has it all: no technique required, barely any gear, wideopen air, and almost no one else around.
Peace, mountainstyle.
Starting from Chamonix-Mont-Blanc: endless possibilities
A trail to the village of Les Tines means a postcard-perfect hamlet of stone barns and old farmhouses, tucked just below the Mer de Glace.
For something sportier, the Aiguillette des Posettes trail rewards you with a lung-stealing 360° panorama — and breathless wonder all round.
And if you’re after the golden middle, the Bossons Glacier route leads you straight to the highest icefall in the Alps — not to be missed.
• Les Tines and the snow-covered forest - easy - 3 km (1h10)
• The Bossons Glacier loop - moderate - 3.6 km (1h55)
• Hike to the Aiguillette des Posettes - difficult - 7.6 km (4h20)
From Les Houches: on the trail of deer
Bambi’s favourite hangout? The Mouilles watering hole, reached via the aptly named Cerfs Trail (“Deer Trail”) through a whispering pine forest.
Les Houches and its surroundings, blessed with perfect snow from a dream-worthy orientation and chalets sprinkled like Christmas biscuits across the slopes, feel straight out of a storybook — even if no wildlife shows up to greet you.
• The Chavants Loop and White Trees - easy - 1.9 km (35 min)
• Route to the hamlet of Samoteux and its peat bogs - moderate - 3.6 km (1 hr 40 min)
• Hike to the Chailloux chalets - difficult - 6.8 km (3 hr 35 min)
Around Servoz – The Lakes that Shine
At the far end of the Valley, Servoz is your fireside fantasy version of winter: all chalets, wood smoke, and calm.
To earn that hot chocolate by the hearth, start along the Trapper’s Trail, winding through the most diverse woodland in the region, leading to the “gouilles” – small alpine ponds – and the picture perfect Lac Vert.
• Along the banks of the Arve River and through snow-covered woods - easy - 1.6 km (30 min)
• Towards the ponds of the 3 Gouilles - moderate - 3.5 km (1 hr 45 min)
• Towards Lac Vert - moderate - 6.2 km (2 hr 35 min)
Wild Vallorcine – The Untamed Valley
Less crowded, more rugged, decidedly wilder — Vallorcine, nicknamed “the Valley of the Bears,” lives up to its legend.
The Granges Loop is a must-do: 3.4 km of pure escape, from hamlet to hamlet, through deep forests and panoramas that blaze with views of the Mont-Blanc Massif and Mont Oreb.
Off the Beaten Tracks
For those who like their adventures guided but still wild, the Chamonix Guides Company, ESF and Evolution 2 offer half-day and full-day outings scented with spruce, powdered with fresh snow, and wrapped in that quiet thrill of safe exploration. Wildlife, heritage, valleys and crests – follow the guide, breathe in the silence, and let the peace unfold.
Chamonix Guides Company and ESF - Maison de la Montagne - 190, Place de l’Église - Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
Evolution 2 - 130, Rue des Moulins - Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
Bonus track: snowshoeing + raclette or a trapper's bivouac?
The Chamonix Guides Company has just the tricks to convert even the sceptics.
Try a half-day outing: a steady snowshoe climb to a mountain farm, rewarded with a raclette feast of 100 % local cheese and charcuterie.
Still not enough? Opt for a two-day expedition with an overnight stay in a tent high above the Valley – total self-sufficiency, total immersion.
So… hooked already?
