The Best Photography in Chamonix

Begin this hike by either making the 3.5 hour hike from the town of Chamonix to the top of Le Brévent (roughly 4,900 ft gain), or take the Brévent cable car to the top.(31€ roundtrip). Once at the summit take a moment to enjoy the 360° view, the fun is only getting started. After getting your fill at the summit follow the trail leading southwest from the summit towards the big green alpine area...

This adventure begins at the Flégère gondola in Les Praz (a village in the NorthEast section of Chamonix), which is easy to get to with the free Chamonix bus. Take the Flégère gondola to La Flégère, situated at 1894 meters (6,213 feet). The ride up itself shouldn't take more than ten minutes, but standing in line may take up to 40 minutes if it's very crowded during the summer, so I suggest goi...

Starting in the Martigny town center, the trailhead is easy to find. Follow Rue de la Bâtiaz across La Dranse Rive and after about two blocks you will see signs to Chemin du Château, the "path to the castle."A relatively easy hike, switchbacks wind through vineyards on the mountainside for 1.8 miles before reaching La Bâtiaz at the summit. La Bâtiaz offers stunning vantage points of the Martign...

The Roselend mountain pass is known in the cycling world for being part of the Tour de France, but in the winter it is essentially deserted. There are a few old buildings, a small electrical station and you'll perhaps see some locals out for a ski, but my bet is you'll feel magnificently alone in the alpine countryside.You will be snowshoeing on the road itself, which is closed and unmaintained...

This beautiful hike features ribbon and horse tail waterfalls backdropped behind wildflowers and grazing dairy cows along the creek descending the mountain. Though there are some steep sections to the hike, this day outing is accessible by all levels of adventurer.Getting thereAfter a short drive up from the town of Aime on route N90 to D87, there will be a parking area at the end of the road ...

It is at the place called Chalet de l'Aulp (1424 m) that we began this walk. This is after the tarmac road terminus. A small remark: the stony road but carrossable continues to the chalet where you can park your car. But you can also start it from a place called Les Prés Ronds (1216 m). At the chalet de l'Aulp, take the path on the right, which winds on the ridge in the direction of Pierre Chât...

A Via Ferrata is a protected climbing road created in the Alps made of steel. With a climber’s kit, you secure yourself to cables periodically attached to the mountain, and climb up with the help of steel pegs fixed into the mountain. The Via Ferrata of the Tour D’Ai is located in Leysin, and is one of the few that enable you to climb to the top of a mountain instead of following a path acros...

Begin at the marked path to the right of the parking lot, near the monastery. The trail is steep at first, but this lasts only for a few meters, in the undergrowth. When you leave the woods, follow the paved road for about one hundred meters, then turn left at the slope, indicated by an arrow sign. Continue along the path towards the entrance of the convent of the Sisters of Bethlehem. Entering...

A Via Ferrata is a protected climbing road created in the Alps made of steel. With a climber’s kit, you secure yourself to cables periodically attached to the mountain, and climb up with the help of steel pegs fixed into the mountain. The Via Ferrata de la Cascade, which literally translated means of the waterfall, is located in Les Diablerets. This Via Ferrata is difficult. It requires a dece...

The trail along the Bisse du Ro has its origins in the 15th-century Swiss villagers who painstakingly carved water canals out of the mountainsides in order to irrigate the farmlands of the Valais. It hugs the cliffs all the way to the Ertentse River, with stunning mountain panoramas across the valley to the west.To get there, you're headed up into the mountains above Sion. As with most hiking d...

Chateau D'oex sits at 3,100 feet above sea level in the French-speaking Canton of Vaud, Switzerland. The easiest way to get to this picturesque place is by train, unless you happen to be staying nearby with a car. The small mountain town of about 3,500 people is riddled with history, beautiful landscapes, snow activities, and lest we forget, the International Balloon Festival, which has been an...

The Matterhorn straddles both Switzerland and Italy and is one of the most beautiful peaks you can shoot. The summit sits at 14,692 feet, making this one of the tallest peaks in Europe.There's an abundance of mellow hikes around the area - check a map in Zermatt for a trail that suits you or just wander the hills beneath the ski lifts. If you want to get views from the Matterhorn rather than of...

Take the underground cable car from Zermatt Sunnegga valley station. At Sunnegga, take the gondula to Blauherd. Stelli Lake (look out for Stellisee) is only about 15 minutes from Blauherd station.Thousands of photos have been taken at Stellisee, so add a few more to that number. Stelli Lake features an excellent view and reflection of the chocolate side of the Matterhorn.Bonus: For extra fancy ...

Nestled at the end of a long valley, the village of Zermatt is constantly dwarfed by the tooth-shaped Matterhorn. You can virtually hike anywhere around Zermatt and see the Matterhorn, but there are some places that offer better views than others. One of those places is a small lake called Grindjisee.Grindjisee sits thousands of feet above Zermatt, in an area commonly referred to as Sunnegga. F...

Start in the early morning by taking the cable way (either from Leukerbad or Flaschen valley station) to Rinderhütte. The trail from Rinderhütte to Torrenthorn is nicely done and well marked so you won't need to climb. However, depending on the amount of gear you have in your backpack it can be quite exhausting! You will not be able to see the actual peak until you reach the fore summit. The re...

Lake Dauben (Daubensee in German) is located on Gemmi Pass, an ancient high mountain pass that has been walked since the Middle Ages – even Sherlock Holmes walks this route in "The Final Problem"! The lake has a subsurface runoff and drains completely in late autumn, but the trip can also be done in winter.Start by taking the cableway from Leukerbad to Gemmi Pass, where you will have amazing vi...