Skiing

Chamonix boasts some of the worlds best ski areas with plenty of potential for challenge in:-

Down hill skiiing
Ski touring
Cross-country skiing
Off piste skiing
Snow boarding

From the chalet, you have access by car to:-

La Flégère
Le Brevent
Les Houches
Les Grands Montets
Le Tour
Aiguille Du Midi

La Flégère, Le Brevent and Les Houches have good novice facilities whilst Les Grands Montets is more suitable for skiers of intermediate standard upwards. Should you choose off piste ski-ing, it is advisable to use a guide.

Ski school is available along with private tuition which should be arranged in advance. See "Services". Lift and Restaurant facilities in all four areas are excellent. Lift passes are purchased locally. Please note that should your travel insurance not cover sports such as skiing, it is advisable to take out insurance at the time of buying your lift pass. This can be included in the price on request.

The Principal Ski Areas

This information is intended as a rough guide, please note that the areas change drastically depending upon snow conditions, the weather and the number of people in the resort.

Selecting the right area for the day and your abilities is the secret to getting the best out of the Chamonix Valley. Do not hesitate to phone the lift companies to ask for reports on conditions - particularly on days following a heavy snowfall or on very strong wind days, when opening of lifts or areas may be delayed / closed or reduced. Only the tourist office can supply information for all ski areas - this info can sometimes be a little outdated though.

Argentiere / Les Grands Montets Tel: 04 50 54 00 71

The largest and most challenging of all the areas. Usually offers the best snow conditions due to its abundance of North facing slopes. The piste skiing is challenging and somewhat limited, particularly if there is insufficient snow to ski down to the bottom. Lower intermediate skiers can benefit greatly by employing a mountain guide or instructor to show them the area from their first day here. The off piste descents (7,600 ft vertical) to Chamonix from the top of Les Grands Montets can be outstanding but are only for experienced skiers who, due to the natural dangers and difficult navigation, should be accompanied by a guide.

The best skiing is invariably off the pistes but beware of the crevasses. These areas can be accessed from the top cable car and from the Bochard lift. To use the top cablecar you must purchase supplementary tickets before entering the queue (two tickets are included with the six day Chamski pass). There is very limited tree skiing available in the case of bad weather; if the piste to the bottom is closed the tree skiing is exclusively off piste. It is limited & difficult. In the early part of the season this area receives little sunlight and can be bitterly cold. Ski the Brevent or Flegere in the morning (they receive more sunlight) then move to the GM. The four-man chairlift offers a restful descent to the valley compared with queuing and standing in the cablecar if snow is limited on the lower piste.

Brevent Tel: 04 50 53 13 18

This area offers a good variety of pistes and some discreet steep off piste. There is a small beginners slope which leads on to longer and fairly gentle slopes. This area works well for groups of mixed (lower) abilities as it is well exposed to the sun and has a good meeting point at the Snack 2000 restaurant that can be accessed by beginners. There is no tree skiing. It is rare to be able to ski down to Chamonix and the lift back to Chamonix can become very busy in the late afternoon. Paragliders can be seen taking off from close to Snack 2000. It is now possible for intermediate skiers to take a connecting lift to the Flegere ski area though the journey entails taking a steep drag lift.

Flégère Tel: 04 50 53 18 58

The sunniest skiing in the valley with a slender selection of intermediate pistes but nevertheless a worthwhile area to ski. Higher intermediates will enjoy the off piste which is vast. In spring the conditions can be absolutely fantastic. Care should be taken when skiing the off piste as navigation can be complex and after new snow the rolling terrain can make for a high avalanche danger. It is rare to be able to ski down to the valley and the cablecar back down can become very busy in the late afternoon.

Le Tour Tel: 04 50 54 00 58

Wide open pistes and generally excellent snow conditions make this the easiest way to start your holiday or to learn a new discipline such as telemark or snowboarding. The area is at the head of the valley and is invariably exposed to the wind, it can be decidedly chilly even on a sunny day! There are vast beginners slopes (La Vormaine) at the foot of the area which help to make this a good choice for mixed (lower) ability groups. Col Du Balme is the start of a superb off piste descent to the small Swiss village of les Jeurs from which the return is by train or taxi. A new chair-lift has opened a large area of pisted skiing in this North facing area.

Les Houches Tel: 04 50 54 40 32 Or 04 50 54 42 65

This area is extensive and the closest in the valley to Austrian style skiing with wide, predominantly easy pistes cutting through the forests. Complete beginners will struggle to find suitable slopes, advanced skiers will make up for the lack of technical difficulty by going fast without stopping, intermediates will have a great time. The trees provide shelter and enhance the visibility on bad days but because the area is comparatively low it sometimes rains here whilst it is snowing on the higher areas such as Argentiere. The bus service to Les Houches can be even more irregular than in most other areas of the valley. Not included on the Chamski pass.

Aiguille Du Midi Tel: 040 5053 30 80

This lift accesses the amazing Vallee Blanche area which starts off with a descent down a knife edge ridge and follows with some of the most amazing glacial scenery a skier can ski through. There are a variety of different descents that can be made, but even the easiest requires a good skiing ability and a reasonable degree of fitness (reasonable parallel turns and the ability to stop instantly!), the most technical reserved for expert skiers only.

A mountain guide will whisk groups of up to eight down the Valley Blanche with what seems like no worry of danger - do not be fooled, the guide will know the route intimately but will nevertheless be surveying the terrain with great attention. Apart from ensuring safety, a good guide will be a friendly and informative host; bringing the Vallee Blanche to life with his detailed knowledge of the run and its surrounding mountains. A descent usually takes most of the day and lunch can be taken at a mountain refuge or if the weather is good there are plenty of good picnic spots.. Expert skiers can descend one of the more testing routes and combine this with another descent. If the weather is poor the guide will make the decision to cancel the trip, as at best it spoils the fantastic scenery and at worst it can be dangerous in poor weather conditions.