Description

Lying at the quieter end of Chamonix valley and accessed by cable car, this is a stress-free little trip which offers wonderful views in return for minimal effort. Ride the Bellevue cable car up from Les Houches village and then follow the large track west as it first climbs to the (now abandoned) Hotel Bellevue and then descends to the Col de Voza, where there is a huge hotel complex.

Carry on west and climb up to the Prarion 1860 hotel/restaurant, where you can grab a coffee and soak in the views down towards the peaks of the Aravis range.

From the hotel/restaurant it's a short journey over to the top of the Prarion gondola.

A nice option from here is to go for a hike to the Prarion peak itself, which is a half hour walk from the gondola station and is the final high point on the west side of the Chamonix valley.

The peak is surprisingly quiet and well worth hiking up to. From the Prarion gondola reverse the route back to Bellevue.