The Chamonix Valley will come alive with nature photography from October 31 to November 2, 2025, as the third edition of the Chamonix Photo Festival showcases the beauty of living nature and the fragility of mountain ecosystems. This event has now become firmly established in the autumn calendar, featuring exhibitions, contests, screenings, and meetings with over 25 photographers from around the world.
The festival has evolved into an unmissable gathering for nature photography enthusiasts. "Climate change is not some vast joke," emphasizes Mario Colonel, festival president, in his opening statement. After two successful inaugural editions that launched the festival, the 2025 edition represents a step toward maturity. With more than 4,000 visitors last year and 244 applications received for just 24 exhibition spots, the Chamonix festival now attracts participants beyond French borders, from Ukraine to the United Kingdom.
The event has established itself as an international crossroads for naturalist photography and a meeting place for exchanges between artists, scientists, and the general public. "Showing the beauty of the world also means participating in its preservation," Colonel emphasizes, placing photography at the heart of ecological engagement.
This year, nature will be showcased throughout the valley, with nearly 300 photographs displayed outdoors and 25 indoor exhibitions spread across multiple venues including the Majestic, Hotel Prieuré, La Folie Douce, and the Kandahar halls in Les Houches. The route connects distant landscapes and fragile environments, from the Gobi Desert to orcas in Norwegian fjords, from Ventoux lavender fields to glaciers worldwide, photographed by Luc Moreau for an exhibition on the Promenade du Fori.
Neighboring villages will host the contest-winning photos by theme: World Landscapes in Les Houches, Animal Life in Servoz, Water in Vallorcine, Man and Nature in Argentière, while central Chamonix will present Macro & Proxy images. The photographic journey spans from combat scenes of black grouse in Isère to the flaming Matterhorn captured by Lionel Montico, and underwater hunting scenes by Fabrice Guérin.
The 2025 photo contest, which brought together more than 450 photographers and 4,000 images, highlights five emblematic categories of nature photography. Three special prizes will also reward images outside the main categories: Jury Prize, Graphics, and Next Door World, the latter valuing images with a low carbon footprint. The contest celebrates the diversity of natural photography from macro shots by Sébastien Blomme to sweeping landscape vistas.
The festival offers a rich program of conferences and meetings in several Chamonix hotels including Le Prieuré, Plan B, Héliopic, Lagoped, and Le Refuge. At the Majestic, a brand showcase will allow visitors to test equipment from Sony, Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon, OM System, and others while taking advantage of special show offers at booths from Camara Grenoble, IPLN, and Phox Photo La Roche-sur-Foron.
The masterclass program features varied themes including action photography, landscape photography, nature photography, macro work, and the use of long focal lengths. For younger participants, Julien Arbez will lead mini photo masterclasses in Les Houches, while families can enjoy an ephemeral planetarium at La Folie Douce, along with workshops and comic book sales supporting the festival. Festival-goers can also print their photos for free thanks to partnerships with Larger Technology and Canon.
The 2025 edition takes place within the framework of the International Year of Glacier Preservation, particularly resonating in the Mont-Blanc valley. Through works by photographers like Julia Roger-Veyer, Canon ambassador, and Jean-Michel Lenoir, the mountain becomes a visual laboratory for ecological transition. The festival features masterclasses conducted in natural settings, led by photographers like Eric Courtier, providing hands-on learning experiences in alpine environments.
The Chamonix Photo Festival continues its mission to create dialogue between art and science, wonder and consciousness. Over three days, it transforms the valley into an open-air gallery, where each image serves as a reminder of the urgent need to love and preserve the living world. The festival runs from 10 AM to 6 PM on Friday and Saturday, and 10 AM to 5 PM on Sunday, with free shuttles between Chamonix and Les Houches. Admission costs 5 euros for one day or 10 euros for three days, with free entry for children under 15.
