Published on Jul, 2024
There were different price points for various packages:
Transportation only, driver (50-70 person busses) without guidance
Hire a driver/guide and be in a small group
Hire a driver/guide for a private transport
We selected “Private Transport to Chamonix from Geneva with driver-guide.” This was a more expensive choice but proved well worth the price.
Thomas from Keytours (Switzerland) was at our hotel front door early, had a professional appearance wearing a Keytours shirt, and had a clean vehicle waiting for us. We picked a 0730 meet to beat the rush, as most tour buses leave town after 0830.
Thomas was an amazing guide. He had our tickets ready and a time slot for the cable car ride to minimize our waiting in line time. We avoided the longest lines and biggest crowds all morning, as he suggested what attractions and viewpoints to see in the most efficient order. He also helped us decide how much warn clothing to carry up the mountain, and where to get the best photos. He had water and sunscreen if we needed them and reminded us that sunglasses should be worn.
We had plenty of free time in Chamonix after seeing Aiguille du Midi and Mer de Glace. The day was amazing, and it was a pleasure having Thomas as our guide. He had great stories and seemed to love his job. We would request him again if/when we go back!
Some notes - check the weather before you go, and the attraction maintenance closure schedules.
You need your passport.
To maximize our sightseeing time, we did not select a restaurant-style lunch in our tour
There are tons of food service options in town and on the mountain, both sit-down style and take-away.
You need your ticket at several points for the attractions, so keep it handy.
There are clean (free) public toilets:
Chamonix – In town
Aiguille du Midi – At the base of the cable car and the top
Montenvers Mer de Glace – At the end of the train ride (but not after or at the glacier)
