Mont Blanc is the crowning jewel of Savoie in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France. Mont Blanc and the main town nestled at its base, known as Chamonix, was the next and final stop on our trip through southern France during the summer of 2017.

Unfortunately, I cannot say much about the town except that it is an expensive place. Most of Savoie seems to be. The one time we shopped at a Carrefour in Chamonix, the prices were standardised across France. However, we did see prices advertised for hotel rooms and normal restaurants seemed to be quite expensive. Considering its proximity to Switzerland, it did not come as a big surprise to me. We decided to camp at Camping du Glacier d’Argentiere.

Travelling on a tight budget? Do you like nature but don’t want to pay expensive prices? Camp and buy food in grocery stores rather than eating out. Also, a handy tip for those moving on to Switzerland: buy as many things as you can outside of Switzerland. No matter what it is, it will be cheaper. For those not travelling on a budget, Chamonix had everything to offer from wonderful hotels and spas to expensive restaurants.

Rather than hiking along the ridge that contains Mont Blanc (to the east of Chamonix), we hiked along Le Brévent, which is a series of smaller mountain peaks on the eastern side of the town and offers wonderful views of the valley and the surrounding mountains. If you love mountains and rugged terrain, I would definitely recommend it. While not really my thing, there are also climbing routes and great skiing for those interested. The ski resorts include the oldest ski resort in France as well as the host of the first Winter Olympics in 1924.

Here are some more photos from the area:

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Key: Sightseeing (blue), Nature (green), Food (purple), Art/Festivals/Culture/Religion (orange), General Information (black), Quora question (red)

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