You can rent the whole of Chalet Bonami for UTMB week, or for a recce week in June or July, and it sleeps up to fourteen. It is in Les Bois, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, 550 m from the Flégère gondola and 400 m from Les Praz station. By day during the race, the gondola goes up to UTMB's last aid station and the train runs to the last crew point, even though in 2026 the roads to eight places on the course were closed to cars.
- For UTMB, Chalet Bonami sleeps up to 14 in Les Bois, Chamonix, 550 m from the Flégère gondola up to the race's last aid station and 400 m from Les Praz station, where trains run to Vallorcine, the last crew point.
- In 2026, roads and car parks at eight places on the course were closed to private cars. From the chalet, by day, you reach La Flégère on foot and by gondola, and Vallorcine on foot and by train.
- The hammam, sauna and hot tub are included, with no set hours. There is also a gym, a utility room and a boot dryer.
- Five nights minimum during race week, three the rest of the year, with a flexible arrival day either way. The whole house is let at €8,600 to €32,200 a week, depending on dates.
- It has already hosted runners and brands, with room for meetings, filming and a reception for around thirty guests on top of the people staying.
A UTMB chalet in Les Bois, Chamonix: supporting your runner without a car
UTMB, the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, loops around the Mont Blanc massif through Italy and Switzerland. The name also covers a week of races. UTMB itself starts in Chamonix on the Friday evening, the CCC (Courmayeur-Champex-Chamonix, 108 km in 2026) from Courmayeur and the OCC (Orsières-Champex-Chamonix, 61 km) from Orsières, and all three finish in Chamonix.
In 2026, roads and car parks at eight places on the course were closed to private cars: Les Contamines, Saint-Gervais, Courmayeur, La Fouly, Champex, the Col de la Forclaz, Trient and Vallorcine. The only ways in were the organisers' shuttle buses (UTMB Mobility), on foot, or the train to Vallorcine.
So if your group is supporting a runner, what you can reach on foot or by train from the front door matters more than how far you are from Chamonix town centre. Les Bois is a residential hamlet 3 km (2 miles) north-east of the centre, just past Les Praz, the village the Flégère gondola leaves from. The chalet is a few minutes' walk from both the gondola and the train.
Two places on the course matter most to the group. One is the last aid station, the food and drink stop where you cheer your runner on. The other is the last crew point, where one person your runner has chosen is allowed to help them inside a marked-off zone.
La Flégère, UTMB's last aid station: cheering, not crewing
La Flégère is the last aid station on UTMB before the finish. In 2026, the official race profile put it at kilometre 166.6 of 173.6, seven kilometres before the finish arch in Chamonix. Its cut-off, the time after which a runner is pulled from the race, was 3.45pm on the Sunday.
The gondola up to it leaves from Les Praz, a five-minute walk from the chalet, and saves children and non-hikers the climb. It runs by day, with the last ride down at 6pm in late August 2026. In the evening and at night, you can only reach La Flégère on foot.
You can cheer your runner on there, but you can't hand over their bag, because personal crew help isn't allowed.
Vallorcine, the last crew point, by train from Les Praz
At the 2026 UTMB, crew help was allowed at only four places: Les Contamines, Courmayeur, Champex-Lac and Vallorcine. Vallorcine is the last of them, and the only one of the four you can reach on the valley train.
The race rules allow one crew member per runner there, carrying a bag of no more than 30 litres.
Les Praz station (Les Praz-de-Chamonix) is a five-minute walk from the chalet, on the Saint-Gervais to Vallorcine line, and the train takes about half an hour to Vallorcine.
In 2026 the last train back from Vallorcine left at about 8pm, and there are no trains at night. If you'll be crewing overnight, check on the race website which of the organisers' shuttles serve Vallorcine; they need a supporter pass, which in 2026 was only on sale from 9 June to 12 July.
| Where to | Getting there from the chalet | Time and hours | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| The finish arch, Chamonix town centre | Walk to the Les Praz Flégère stop, then bus line 2. Or walk 3.2 km (2 miles) to the arch | 5 min on foot and 8 min by bus to the centre, with a bus every 30 min in summer 2026. Or about 40 min on foot | In 2026, Chamo'Nuit night buses ran from 8.35pm and had to be booked in advance. Parking in the centre is very difficult during the race |
| La Flégère, UTMB's last aid station | 550 m on foot, then the gondola | 5 min on foot, then the ride up. Last ride down at 6pm in late August 2026 | No crew help, cheering only |
| Vallorcine, the last crew point | 400 m on foot to Les Praz station, then the train | 5 min on foot and about half an hour by train, last train back about 8pm in 2026 | Road closed to cars. One crew member per runner |
| The other crew points: Les Contamines, Courmayeur, Champex-Lac | The organisers' UTMB Mobility shuttles | Time and stop chosen when you book | Supporter pass on sale from 9 June to 12 July in 2026, nothing sold on the day |
Without a car, you arrive by train, since Les Praz is one stop past Chamonix station and then a 400 m walk. Geneva airport is about an hour and a quarter away by road, and the concierge can book transfers, charged separately; a runner who has taken the lottery's car-free pledge should travel to the valley by train or coach instead. If you drive, the outdoor car park takes at least four cars and they can stay put all week, with bus line 2 stopping at the foot of the gondola, five minutes' walk away, every half hour in summer 2026.
These are the 2026 arrangements. The course, cut-offs, crew points and road closures change from one year to the next, and the 2027 rules will be published on the race website. In September 2026, the 2027 dates had not yet been announced.
Up to 14 at the chalet for UTMB: runners, crew, family or team
The chalet has six bedrooms. Five have a king-size bed and their own en-suite, and in bedrooms 1 and 4, on the ground floor, the bed can be made up as twins. The sixth is a bunk room in the basement with two sets of bunks sleeping four, and no bathroom of its own, so whoever sleeps there uses one of the five en-suites, none of which is locked.
When there are fourteen of you, ten sleep in the bedrooms and four in the bunk room, which suits children best; the usual mix is ten adults and four children. In a team of adults who don't share beds, seven people get a bed of their own in the bedrooms: four in the two twin rooms and one in each of the other three.
The pages for a group of twelve and a group of fourteen set out who sleeps where, and we make up the beds before you arrive to suit the group you tell us about.
Four of the five king-size bedrooms are on the ground floor, level with the spa and its terrace, and the bunk room is one floor down. The kitchen, living room and balcony are upstairs on the first floor, along with the master bedroom.
Bonami's tip: put your runner in a ground-floor bedroom. When they get back, their bed and a bathroom are on the same level as the spa, with no stairs, and they only have to climb the stairs to eat.
Recovering during UTMB week: spa, gym and meals
For a runner, the week comes in two halves: the days before, when the job is not to get tired, and the finish, which nobody can predict to the hour. Every room is described on the chalet page.
Hammam, sauna and hot tub, included in the week
The hammam (a steam room) and the sauna are on the ground floor, on the same level as four of the bedrooms, and the hot tub is on the covered spa terrace. The hammam takes four to six people, and the sauna and hot tub six each. All three are included at no extra charge, and the concierge can book massages as an extra.
The hot tub stays heated day and night, and the house sets no hours for using it, so the group decides its own.
A gym, a utility room and a boot dryer
The basement gym has Technogym equipment: a treadmill, a rowing machine, a weights bench and yoga mats. On a wet day before the race, it lets you keep moving without going out.
For kit, the utility room has a washing machine and a tumble dryer, and the boot room has a boot dryer that also works for soaked trail shoes in summer. The wifi runs at around 300 Mbps with boosters throughout the chalet, so you can follow the live race coverage from any room.
Feeding fourteen at odd hours
Between race starts and trips out to Vallorcine, the group won't always eat at the same time, or all together. The kitchen is upstairs, with two fridges, a Miele combination oven, a KitchenAid steam oven and a Jura bean-to-cup coffee machine, plus an island with stools for quick meals.
In the living room, the table for ten and its side table for four can be pushed together, and the balcony has its own table for twelve. The chalet is self-catered, but a private chef can be booked for a single dinner or for the whole week, and your food shopping can be delivered.
Read more: Chalet with a hot tub in Chamonix: what to check before you book
UTMB chalet prices, minimum stay and booking calendar
The whole house is let at €8,600 to €32,200 a week, depending on dates. For race week, we'll send you a quote with the exact price. It doesn't change with the number of guests, there's no per-person supplement, and tourist tax is included.
During UTMB week the minimum stay is five nights, compared with three the rest of the year, and you still choose your arrival day.
The price covers bed linen and towels, the end-of-stay clean, utilities, a welcome hamper, the concierge service and the spa. The chef, transfers, massages, cleaning during your stay and grocery delivery are extras, priced on request. We also take a security deposit, and the amount is set out in the quote.
From the lottery to race week: the UTMB calendar
For a race week, the calendar starts in January with the lottery. In 2026, runners could take a car-free pledge to reach their accommodation and the start without a car, sometimes called the transport lottery boost. Their Running Stones, the points that set their chances in the draw, were then worth 13 rather than 10.
The pledge covers the runner's own journey, not the whole group's. At Chalet Bonami, a runner keeps it by arriving by train at Les Praz station, 400 m away, and family members who drive can leave the car in the chalet car park.
| When, in 2026 | What happens | What it means for your stay |
|---|---|---|
| 8 to 19 January | Lottery pre-registration, with or without the car-free pledge | A runner who takes the pledge needs accommodation they can reach without a car |
| 22 January to 4 February | Lottery results, then entries confirmed | Your dates follow each runner's start day |
| March to June | Runners who took the pledge upload proof of travel | The runner travels by train or coach, and flying is only allowed if there's no train or bus journey of under 12 hours |
| 9 June to 12 July | Runners book their shuttles, supporter passes go on sale | Everything had to be booked by 12 July, as nothing was sold on the day |
| 20 June to mid-September | Flégère gondola open | Recce stays possible, three nights minimum outside race week |
| 24 to 30 August | Race week | Five nights minimum, flexible arrival day |
The dates in this table are the 2026 ones. The registration calendar and the transport rules change every year, and nothing had been announced for 2027 by September 2026. In 2026, a supporter pass cost €26 to €62 per adult depending on the race and the area followed, and €5 for under-12s, and none were sold on the day.
You book Chalet Bonami direct: send us your dates and how many of you there are, and we'll reply within 24 hours with the exact price for your stay.
Read more: How much does a luxury chalet in Chamonix cost?
Hosting a team or brand at the chalet during UTMB
UTMB draws trail brands too, and some set up for the week in a rented house rather than on a stand. Chalet Bonami has already hosted runners and brands, and the house is always let as a whole, with no other group.
The team staying can hold meetings and briefings there, and film or shoot photos. The wifi runs at around 300 Mbps throughout, the basement cinema room has a 4-metre screen, and the car park takes at least four cars, which matters for a team arriving with kit.
A reception is possible for around thirty guests, on top of the people staying. Beyond that you need a proper events venue, because the chalet is a home in a residential hamlet. Chamonix centre is 3 km away, five to six minutes by road, and the concierge service, which is included, books the chef and transfers, charged as extras.
Recceing the end of the UTMB course in June and July
From the chalet, you can recce the end of the UTMB course without a car, weeks before the race. For the last seven kilometres, from La Flégère to the finish arch, take the gondola up from Les Praz, follow the course on foot into town, and catch bus line 2 back to the foot of the gondola.
For the section before that, from Vallorcine to La Flégère, take the train from Les Praz station to Vallorcine and follow the UTMB course back to La Flégère, about 11 km (7 miles) on the 2026 route, then ride the gondola down to Les Praz. Set off in the morning, because the last ride down was at 5pm in early summer, and check that year's route, which can change.
Outside race week, the minimum stay is three nights and you choose the arrival day, enough to fit a recce into a long weekend. For four people, though, you're paying for the whole house, so the chalet makes most sense for a group.
In 2026, the Flégère gondola opened on 20 June and closed in mid-September. The last ride down was at 5pm until 10 July, then at 6pm until 30 August. Check the dates and times for the next season before you plan your runs.
Read more: Where to stay in Chamonix: which area for a group chalet
Frequently asked questions
What people ask most often when they plan race week at the chalet.
Do you need a car during UTMB if you stay at Chalet Bonami?
Not during the day. You can walk and take the gondola up to cheer your runner at La Flégère, UTMB's last aid station, and walk to Les Praz station, 400 m away, for the train to Vallorcine, the last crew point. The gondola stops in the late afternoon and in 2026 the last train back from Vallorcine left at about 8pm, so for overnight crewing check which of the organisers' shuttles serve Vallorcine and buy the supporter pass in time; in 2026 it was on sale from 9 June to 12 July.
What is the minimum stay at Chalet Bonami during UTMB week?
Five nights, with a flexible arrival day. The rest of the year, including a recce week in June or July, the minimum is three nights. The price is for the whole chalet, with no per-person supplement, and we'll send you a quote with the exact figure for your stay.
Can we house runners from different races in the same week?
Yes. In 2026 the OCC started from Orsières on the morning of Thursday 27 August, the CCC from Courmayeur at 9am on Friday 28, and UTMB from Chamonix at 7.45pm the same Friday. Five nights from Wednesday to Monday covered all three starts and all three finishes, and start shuttles had to be booked in advance, which for the OCC was compulsory.
Can we book the chalet before the UTMB lottery results?
Yes, you can ask about dates at any time without waiting for the late-January results. A stay booked before the lottery depends on a race entry you don't have yet, so ask about the cancellation terms when you get in touch.
Can a brand host guests at the chalet during UTMB?
Yes, for around thirty guests on top of the team staying. The team can also hold meetings and briefings, film and do photo shoots. Beyond that the chalet isn't the right place, as it's a home in the middle of a residential hamlet.