"First time visit to France. " a Chamonix-Mont-Blanc Travel Page by dabidc

The train/bus combo to Chamonix starts from Martigny, where the Rhone river takes a 90 degree turn to the northeast close to the border with France.

I had discovered that the 3 or 4 day Swiss Rail Flexi Pass included the complete trip to Chamonix from any where in Switzerland. I was coming from Zermatt, so the idea worked well. I was travelling after September 19th which is when the timetable changes, so be a little prepared, there are trains most every hour from Martigny but there is not necessarily a connection at Le Chatelard, Frontier crossing. Be prepared to wait up to 2 hours. Still there are a few duty free shops and a coffee shop/restaurant or two.

The journey of less than 20 kms takes about 45 minutes, there are a few stops and the train uses a cog rail system to climb out of the valley of the Rhone and into the high places in the valley of Le Trient.

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The approach by road to the border crossing at Le Chatelard.

There is a small village called Le Chatelard, stay on the train for another few minutes to reach the station at the border. I believe that work is being done to the rail line on the French side, hence the need to change to the bus.

The bus journey from the Border was uneventful and passes thru a National Park in the mountains.

Chamonix is a town squezed in between two ranges of mountains, it is a busy place, more so in Winter for the ski ing and snow boarding and apres ski evenings.

Hiking, mountain biking and hang gliding seem to be summer activities.