At Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, a resort area near the junction of France, Switzerland and Italy

 "... Mont Blanc yet gleams on high: the power is there,

The still and solemn power of many sights...."
-- Mont Blanc: Lines Written in the Vale of Chamouni, by Percy Bysshe Shelly
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(in the Haute-Savoie département, of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes région of France) Chamonix–Mont-Blanc, the internationally known mountain resort in the French Alps, west of Annecy, is found along both sides of the Arve River, which rises in the Mer de Glace (“Sea of Ice”), the largest of Mont Blanc’s glaciers. The peaks of the rugged mountain chain of Brévent and Rouges rise to the northwest above the right bank, while the snow-covered chain that includes Mont Blanc (at 15,771 feet [4,807 meters]), the highest mountain in western Europe, towers on the southeast above the left bank. Chamonix is the starting point for the ascent of Mont Blanc. The resort is connected by the highest cable-car system in the world, almost to the summit of Mount Midi (at 3,842 meters). Chamonix's proximity to Mont Blanc has made it one of Europe's most legendary skiing and climbing centers. But the town itself, with panoramic mountain views, and rows of slant-roofed buildings, is lovely every month of the year. It has a reputation for challenging skiing both on and off-piste. It boasts the highest vertical ascent cable car in the world, which takes passengers from the bustling town (at 1,035 meters) in the valley to the summit of the Aiguille du Midi at 3,842 meters. Chamonix has a long history as a winter-sports hub. Rediscovered as a tourist destination by Brits William Windham and Richard Pococke in 1741, Chamonix hosted the first ever Winter Olympics in 1924. Its main attractions are (in addition to Mont-Blanc) the many ski areas that face the Chamonix Valley. Although the steep slopes and extreme weather conditions suit advanced skiers best, there are also runs for beginners. (Just make sure everyone in your party knows a green circle from a black diamond.)

+ Mountains loom large almost everywhere you look in Chamonix. Skiers and sightseers are launched by cable car to the Mont Blanc massif, while the glacial void of La Vallée Blanche -- one of Europe's most fêted off-piste adventures -- beckons the most skilled. Skiers and boarders have a choice of pistes along the valley, while in summer the same lifts access hiking and biking trails. For all the desolate beauty of the mountains, downtown Chamonix hums with life. Streets are lined with Michelin-starred restaurants, sports gear stores and some of the French Alps' fanciest hotels. If you choose to indulge in the the town's busy nightlife, which is also encouraged by locals, it can exhaust you nearly as much, if not a bit more, than the ever-looming mountains.