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Les Houches
A family-friendly village resort at the entrance to the Vallée de Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, Les Houches skis through forest on the Prarion and Bellevue sectors, within the linked ski area with Saint-Gervais, facing the Mont-Blanc range.
Tiia Monto · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
At a glance
Price
2025-26 season rates — adult day pass from €35.30 (dynamic to €47.20) · family from €109.40
Best season
Winter (skiing) · a lively village year-round
Parking
Car parks at the departure of the lifts: Prarion gondola side (Lac des Chavants, Verney du Fouilly) and Bellevue cable car side (Bellevue / Nant-Jorland). The Chavants car park is also dedicated to the Tour du Mont-Blanc (10-day pass at 100€, booking at the ticket office or by email).
Altitude
Village ~1 000 m · ski area (linked with Saint-Gervais) 1 000–1 900 m
Wheelchair access
Partially accessible · Adaptive skiing offered by ESF des Houches in partnership with the Loisirs Assis Evasion association (seated skiing/snowboarding, independent or accompanied, adapted equipment). PMR on-demand transport 'Mobil'bus' (TPMR) every day 6:00–20:00 on reservation; low-floor buses, some with a ramp. Source: Office de Tourisme Chamonix – Activités adaptées / Tourisme et handicap
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Price
Adulte 1 jour (15-64 ans)
35,30 €Tarifs saison 2025-26 — tarification dynamique web « de 35,30 € à 47,20 € » du 20/12/2025 au 27/03/2026 ; Tramway du Mont-Blanc compris
Tarif réduit 1 jour (5-14 ans et 65-79 ans)
30,00 €Tarifs saison 2025-26 — tarification dynamique « de 30,00 € à 40,20 € » ; gratuit -5 ans (en caisse, sur justificatif)
Famille / tribu 1 jour (2 adultes + 2 jeunes ou +)
109,40 €Tarifs saison 2025-26 — tarification dynamique « de 109,40 € à 146,40 € » ; enfant supplémentaire 5-14 ans dans la limite de +3 enfants
Forfait Ski Séjour 2 à 6 jours
67,20 €Tarifs saison 2025-26 — « De 2 à 6 jours aux Houches à partir de 67,20 € » ; badge mains libres obligatoire 3 €
What is Les Houches
Les Houches is a family-friendly village resort (Famille Plus label) at the entrance to the Vallée de Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, offering a panoramic view of the Mont-Blanc range and the Aiguilles de Chamonix.
Its ski area, linked with Saint-Gervais, spans between 1 000 and 1 900 m in altitude over around 55 km of pistes laid out mostly through forest — an area-wide figure, shared with the neighbouring sector. Access from the village is via the Prarion gondola and the Bellevue cable car.
La Verte des Houches / Kandahar
The resort is world-famous for la Verte des Houches, the Kandahar piste, venue for the men's Alpine Skiing World Cup downhill. A beginners' area is set up at Tourchet, in the heart of the village, and a Nordic skiing trail is offered on the Prarion plateau. SKICAMP offers sledging, snow tubing and a zip line, and marked snowshoeing trails are available. In winter, the Tramway du Mont-Blanc also serves the Bellevue plateau.
Les Houches is also one of the sectors of the greater Vallée de Chamonix-Mont-Blanc and the official starting point of the Tour du Mont-Blanc, with a car park dedicated to hikers (parking des Chavants). Nearby, the Parc de Merlet, a former mountain pasture at 1 500 m, lets visitors observe ibex, chamois and mouflon roaming semi-freely — hiking, mountain biking, climbing and the Base de Loisirs des Chavants round out the off-piste offering.
Activities
What you can do here
Practical
Practical information
Massif / Area
Vallée de Chamonix-Mont-Blanc — linked ski area Les Houches – Saint-Gervais
Altitude
Village ~1 000 m · ski area 1 000–1 900 m
Alpine skiing
≈ 55 km of pistes within the linked Les Houches – Saint-Gervais ski area, mostly through forest (number of pistes not specified)
Ski lifts
Number not specified in official sources; main access via the Prarion gondola and the Bellevue cable car
Nordic skiing
Nordic skiing trail on the Prarion plateau (distance not specified)
Access / Shuttles
Gare SNCF des Houches (Mont-Blanc Express line); free Skibus on the Chamonix Mobilité network for holders of a ski pass and a guest card
Commune
74310 Les Houches
Getting there
Les Houches SNCF station on the TER Mont-Blanc Express line (Chamonix–Servoz–Saint-Gervais-Le Fayet), connected to the TGV and the Léman Express via St-Gervais-Le Fayet station (no ticket counter at Les Houches station). Chamonix Mobilité network: urban lines, 9 Skibus lines in winter, Proxibus; 'Les Houches Mairie' stop.
When to visit
When to visit
Winter for skiing (Alpine skiing through forest on the Prarion/Bellevue sectors, Nordic skiing at Prarion); a lively village in summer too (Tour du Mont-Blanc, Parc de Merlet)
Winter
Winter season
Winter access window
Open (cleared road)
Winter infrastructure
Nordic skiing · Cross-country skiing · Snowshoeing · Sledging
Snow panorama
Not specified
Equipment mandated
Loi Montagne II — winter tyres or chains required (1 Nov – 31 Mar)
Nearby
Where to eat, drink, stay
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Gallery
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is Les Houches part of the Chamonix ski area?
Les Houches is one of the ski sectors of the Vallée de Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, alongside Brévent-Flégère, Les Grands Montets and Le Tour-Balme. Its own ski area is linked with that of Saint-Gervais, between 1 000 and 1 900 m.
What are la Verte des Houches and the Kandahar?
La Verte des Houches is the Kandahar piste, venue for the men's Alpine Skiing World Cup downhill that made Les Houches world-famous.
How can you reach Les Houches without a car?
Les Houches has its own SNCF station on the Mont-Blanc Express line. Locally, the Skibus of the Chamonix Mobilité network, free for holders of a ski pass and a guest card, serves the village from Chamonix and the valley's other villages.
What can you do in Les Houches besides skiing?
The Parc de Merlet (wildlife park at 1 500 m facing Mont-Blanc), the Musée Montagnard des Houches and the official starting point of the Tour du Mont-Blanc (parking des Chavants) round out the off-piste offering, with hiking, mountain biking and climbing.
Featured in our selections
Sources
Sources & verification
- chamonix.com
- en.chamonix.com
- en.chamonix.com
- en.chamonix.com
- leshouches.montblancnaturalresort.com
- leshouches.fr
- leshouches.montblancnaturalresort.com
Multi-source verification at publication. Information may change — confirm with the official operator before travelling.
Nearby
Nearby
Other places to explore in the area and in the same category
Paid
Musée Montagnard des Houches
Les Houches
Folk arts and traditions museum of Les Houches in a 1750 house. Albert Laprade collection. Adult 5 EUR, free under 18. CCVCMB pass 25 EUR/year.
Free
Tour du Mont-Blanc
Les Houches
170 km in 11 anti-clockwise stages (215 km with GR® variants) across France, Italy and Switzerland. 10,000 m elevation gain. Start at Les Houches. Mid-June to mid-September.
Paid
Parc de Merlet
Les Houches
Alpine animal park at 1,500 m altitude facing Mont-Blanc. Ibex, chamois, marmots roaming freely over 21 hectares. Adults €9, children €6. Reservation required.
Paid
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, a multi-sector valley at the foot of Mont-Blanc: Brévent-Flégère, Grands Montets, Le Tour-Balme, Les Houches, from 1035 to 3300 m. Ski areas, access and practical information.
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Saint-Gervais-les-Bains
Saint-Gervais-les-Bains
Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, a spa town at the foot of the Mont-Blanc: the Bettex and Mont d'Arbois sectors, the Évasion Mont-Blanc ski area, the Tramway du Mont-Blanc. Access, ski area and practical information.
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Passy Plaine-Joux
Passy
Passy Plaine-Joux, a small family-friendly ski resort on the plateau d'Assy facing the massif du Mont-Blanc: alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, one of France's great paragliding sites, and the réserve naturelle de Passy nearby.