Chamonix, An Artsy Destination

Ski-free available activities include ice-skating, snowshoeing and dog sledding but, if you are not that sporty, you can go shopping in the different boutiques found in Chamonix or visit its numerous and original galleries.

Gallery Midnight should definitely be your first stop to discover the artistic offer of this ski resort. It features modern oils and lithographs from the resident artists Andy Parkins and Johny Midnight. Some of their work can also be admired on www.gallerymidnight.com. The gallery enjoys a central location and certainly takes advantage of it: every Wednesday night is drink night where you can go to meet artists and, obviously, have a drink. This gallery, located right behind the Alpine Museum in Rue Whymper, opens every afternoon except Mondays and don’t be afraid to simply drop by, as Johny is said to be often ready to share an open bottle of wine!

If photography is more your thing, try Galerie Mario Colonel, right beside Gallery Midnight on Rue Whymper. Mario Colonel specializes in mountain photography, for he is a professional photographer as well as a professional mountaineer. He has been living in Chamonix for the past 20 years but cannot stay in place, he is a authentic summit explorer. He trekked in numerous countries, including Bolivia, Canada, Patagonia and the Himalayas. You can get an overview of his work on www.mario-colonel.com.

If you are a fan of extreme sports and dream, secretly or not, to be the central object of extreme photos, you will be delighted of what you’ll see at Extreme Sport Photos, in Vallorcine. The commercial photographer Gus Hurst has been shooting in Chamonix and the Alps for almost 20 years. A passionate extreme sport enthusiast himself, he took snapshots as far as Pakistan, Iceland and Norway, as well as in France, and has been published around the world. He also has prestigious clients, including the Chamonix Tourist Board, BBC television, Red Bull