France
Chamonix in May
🌷 SpringPleasant and some showers.
🎒 Pack: warm jacket for evenings · compact umbrella or rain jacket
Why May scores 8.9What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort8.3
- ✓Comfortable temperatures (18°C highs / 5°C lows)
- ✓Comfortable humidity (dew point 4.8°C)
- !Wet: ~121 mm rain, ~4 heavy-rain days
- Air quality10.0
- ✓Good (within WHO guideline) (PM2.5 ~5 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards10.0
- ·No notable seasonal hazards
- Safety baseline7.5
- ·Increased caution
| May | Jul | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 8.9 Excellent | 9.1 Excellent |
| Season | 🌷 Spring | ☀️ Summer |
| High / low | 18° / 5° | 24° / 9° |
| Rain | 121 mm | 119 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt 5° | dew pt 10° |
| PM2.5 | 5 µg/m³ | 4 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast). Temperatures: Chamonix weather-station normals. Rainfall: Chamonix weather-station normals (national met service).
Holidays & crowdsMay 2027
Long weekendThere's at least one long weekend. Domestic travel picks up and popular spots get busier over those days.
- Pentecost Monday 15–17 May · 3 days off in a row
Other public holidays: Labor Day (1 May) · Ascension Day (6 May) · Victory Day (8 May)
National holidays only; regional holidays and school breaks aren't included. Source: holidays (open-source public-holiday calendar).
Explore ChamonixEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallyA French Alpine town at the foot of Mont Blanc, one of the world's top bases for skiing, mountaineering, hiking and high-altitude cable cars.
No major events on our calendar for May.
Coming up later
UTMB (Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc)Date variesUsually late August to early September
A week of world-class trail races around Mont Blanc.
Why go: Accommodation is very scarce during race week.
Where: Chamonix and the Mont Blanc massif
Fête des GuidesDate variesAround 15 August
The mountain guides' company celebrates with ceremonies and events.
Why go: A traditional event dating back many decades.
Where: Chamonix town centre
Aiguille du Midi
A cable car rising to around 3,842 metres with close views of Mont Blanc.
💡 Go early on a clear day and bring warm clothes; altitude can cause headaches.
Montenvers and the Mer de Glace
A rack railway to France's largest glacier and an ice cave.
💡 The walk down to the ice involves many stairs, more each year as the glacier shrinks.
Skiing
Ski areas around the valley including Grands Montets, Brévent-Flégère and Balme.
Vallée Blanche
A famous long off-piste glacier descent.
💡 Only go with a qualified mountain guide.
Lac Blanc
A popular hike to an alpine lake with views of the Mont Blanc massif.
💡 Usually snow-free from around late June.
Tour du Mont Blanc
A multi-day hiking route around the massif through France, Italy and Switzerland.
💡 Mountain huts need booking well ahead.
Tartiflette
Potatoes, bacon and onions baked with Reblochon cheese.
Fondue savoyarde
Melted local cheeses with white wine, for dipping bread.
Raclette
Melted cheese scraped over potatoes and charcuterie.
Génépi
An alpine herbal liqueur.
Savoie cheeses
Beaufort, Reblochon and Tomme de Savoie.
💡 Cheese shops in town
Génépi
Bottles of alpine herbal liqueur.
💡 Food and drink shops
Opinel knife
A classic folding knife from Savoie.
💡 Hardware and gift shops