The Upper Valley Villages

Chamonix is the big name, but the valley is a string of villages, each with its own character, and visiting two or three of them is one of the best ways to fill a rest day. The tourist office describes Chamonix as the most cosmopolitan and culturally lively, Servoz as the first village you meet entering from the Arve valley, Les Houches as the family-friendly choice for visitors who want calm, Argentière as a base for ski touring and freeride with the Grands Montets lifts as its main access point, and Vallorcine as the most authentic, nicknamed the Valley of Bears. Each has its church, its cafes and its trails, and each gives a different view of the same mountains. They are connected by the Mont Blanc Express railway and by the valley bus, so moving between them is quick and cheap without a car.

Argentière is the most rewarding stop for most visitors. It sits beneath the Argentière glacier at the upper end of the valley, with a working-village feel, mountaineering shops and bars, and the Grands Montets lift on its doorstep, the entry to the steepest skiing in the valley and a good summer walking base.

The village is quieter and less polished than Chamonix, and many experienced skiers, climbers and walkers choose to stay here for exactly that reason. In winter it fills with ski tourers and boarders, in summer with walkers heading to the Aiguilles Rouges and the glacier viewpoints.

Vallorcine, a little further on towards Switzerland, is the place to see traditional wooden Alpine architecture, with a slower pace and a smaller number of visitors. It is the gateway to the Col de Balme and to the Vallon de Bérard reserve, so it works well as a stop on a day of walking.

Les Houches, at the other end, is the gentle option, wooded and family-oriented, with beginner skiing in winter and gentle slopes above it. Servoz, between Les Houches and Chamonix, is the smallest of the group, a quiet village with views of the Dôme du Goûter and the Aiguille de Bionnassay in the distance.

The easiest plan is to take the Mont Blanc Express from Chamonix station and get off wherever the mood takes you, since the line serves the upper valley villages and carries on into Switzerland. A day can include a coffee in Argentière, a walk or a lift, lunch in Vallorcine and an evening train back.

In winter, check the ski bus times, and in summer carry a rain layer. The pace here is slower than in Chamonix, and the best advice is to leave your list at home and follow the footpaths: there are signs for short walks from every station, and the view is always up.

If you have only one day, try this order: take an early train to Argentière, walk along the river path to look up at the glacier, continue by train to Vallorcine for lunch, then return in the late afternoon to Chamonix or stop at Les Houches on the way for the family-friendly end of the valley. In winter, watch for ski-bus timetables and school-holiday crowds, and in summer carry water and a rain layer. The point is the pace: wander, sit, look up, and let the valley show you what the lifts cannot.