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Skiing & Boarding for All Levels |
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Although most of our chalets offer pick up and drop off so you can ski the whole valley, in our view this is a resort where visitors would benefit from having a car.
The Skiing The Chamonix valley cuts through Europe’s highest mountains and glaciers. The views are stunning and the advanced runs are everything that tough runs should be, Steep, long and high! If you are a reasonable skier this is the resort for you. Mont Blanc dominates the skyline. Chamonix offers some of the best skiing in Europe.
The Mont Blanc lift pass, (covering 11 resorts, 25 mountains, over 200 lifts and 700 km of skiing ,car essential) is great value. The lifts are spread along the valley floor and can be up to 6 km apart, however don’t let this put you off, there is enough skiing from each lift to keep you in that one area for the whole day, next day, simply stop at another lift. The famous Vallee Blanche - best done with a guide as there are deep crevasses lurking beneath that are not apparent. Book the day before via your chalet host or at any ski school office. The scenery itself is absolutely stunning and don’t worry the skiing is not particularly challenging – so intermediates will be ok. It is however, quite long (24 km) so you will need staying power. The first part of the run needs to be reached via a ridge walk which most groups will rope up for – don’t let this first bit put you off as this is probably one of the most exhilarating runs you will ever experience.
Advanced A Mecca for any self-respecting advanced skier – Chamonix is the ultimate European challenge. The Grand Montets at the Argentiere end of the valley is renowned for its steep black pisted and non-pisted runs. The Brevent lift has more to offer advanced skiers than at first meets the eye with lots of off piste and some good steep narrow couloirs too. La Flegere and La Tour also offer some good reds and off piste. As mentioned above, the famous Vallee Blanche is not really very challenging for an expert skier but should be done for the mind-blowing scenery and just to tick it off your list for the ‘been there done that’ brigade.
Intermediate For more adventurous, good intermediates the best areas are in the middle of the valley at the Flegere and Brevant where there is a good mix of red and blue runs – the Grands Montets is more challenging. For less adventurous intermediates, stick to the areas at either end of the valley – the Col de Balme above La tour at one end and Les Houches at the other where the cruising is easy and both are free from crowds. The famous Vallee Blanche (see above) should not be missed and is not hard once you’ve walked along the ridge at the top – it has stunning scenery and is well worth the effort.
Beginner First timers have nursery slopes to choose from at Les Planards (with snowmaking so even if the snow is poor down in the valley you’ll be ok here and which also backs onto Unfortunately the separation of the beginner’s slopes form the main skiing area means that if you are in mixed ability groups, meeting up for lunch can be a problem. This also makes for progression to normal ski slopes – a little bit harder too. |
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Snowboarding Chamonix is another Mecca for expert boarders – Until recently it was not the best place to learn! But now the Bosson Lift (Site of the 1924 games ski jump) has been made into a new SnowPark for Boarders
Experts should head for Argentiere and the Grands Montets for the most challenging boarding – there are regular competitions held at the half pipe and fun park at Le Tour. There are a few drags at le tour but experts should have no problems. All other areas are well served by chairlifts and gondolas.
The whole of the Vallee Blanche is an off piste run, open to Boarders and Skiers alike. However, the high mountain terrain does need to be treated with respect. The route down is not always clear and there’s the potential danger from the many crevasses and the possibility of avalanches. Always hire a High Mountain Guide |
