For those who are planning to ski in Chamonix I would like to suggest Gîte D’Étape La Tapia, a very cheap and comfortable hostel located close to Chamonix center. I have stayed in many hostels in Chamonix, and I find La Tapia as one of the best ones in Chamonix. I stayed in La Tapia last winter with my son.

We left from Basel (Switzerland) in late afternoon and spent the day by driving to France. As we finally arrived in Chamonix, it was already midnight. It took me a while to find Gîte D’Étape La Tapia because I didn’t print the map. I thought I know Chamonix so well that I can find anything in there. I was wrong, but hopefully I finally found La Tapia.

My son was pretty tired and wanted to go to bed right away. We got a room in upstairs, and as I opened the door, I thought the room was just perfect for two of us. There was a separated area for me and my son and another area for two more people. I have seen many kinds of hostels, and I was afraid that this one is one of those noisy hell holes full of drunken youngsters. I didn’t want to bring my son into a “wild” hostel, such as Vagabond in Chamonix. No worry, this one was peaceful and quiet, the right place for us to stay.

Gîte D’Étape La Tapia has six rooms for four people and two rooms for couples. There are five showers and five toilets in the hostel. The dining room has seats for 32 people, and the kitchen has all the needed equipment. In addition to your stay you can buy a cheap but tasty breakfast. I think this is an excellent service for those who don’t want to make their own breakfast every morning.

Gîte D’Étape La Tapia is cheap. For one night you pay 16 euros which is not bad for a good hostel. Although the breakfast in Gîte D’Étape La Tapia is good, I was surprised with the price, which is 6 euros. A double-room for couples costs 48 euros a night, but I must say it is worth of it. If I was travelling with my wife, I definitely would take the double-room because of the privacy it gives. For sheets you have to pay four euros.

Gîte D’Étape La Tapia is easy to find. See the maps on left side. As shown in the maps, take the main road from Chamonix to Argentiere and drive it until you see “Route de la Frasse” on right side. Take that road and drive hundred meters until you see Gîte D’Étape La Tapia on right side. You can park your car in front of the hostel. If you are going to arrive late, call the owner of Gîte D’Étape La Tapia and where you can find the key to your room. Below you can find the contact information of Gîte D’Étape La Tapia. For more about this hostel I recommend you to check the website of Gîte D’Étape La Tapia.

Contact information:

Sophie Rochet (Gérante)
152, Route de la Frasse
74400 Chamonix
tel : 04 50 53 18 19
port : 06 87 40 11 56
email : contact@latapia.com