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Resort Guide

Suitability	Resort height: 1035m
Families:		[No]
Glacier:		[Yes]
Beginners:		[3]
Intermediates:		[5]
Advanced:		[5]
Snowboarding:		[5]

One of the world’s most famous ski resorts, Chamonix is a lively resort in a spectacular location beneath Mont Blanc, Western Europe’s highest mountain. Although key in the development of the ski industry, the resort’s history stretches back far beyond winter sports. It first attracted British travellers as long ago as 1740 with the first accommodation opening in 1770 and mountain sports really beginning in 1786 with the conquest of Mont Blanc. The nineteenth century was one of high profile visits from the great and the good of that century and Chamonix’s importance continued in to the twentieth century, staging the first Winter Olympics in 1924.

Any visitor to Chamonix will be immediately overwhelmed by the spectacular scenery of high mountains and glaciers, with a massive wall of rock and snow rising from the1000m valley floor up to 4810m above. For skiers this means some of Europe’s highest lifts, serving some of the world’s biggest ski-able verticals, including arguably the longest ski run on the planet, the famous 25km (16 mile) Vallee Blanche off-piste descent. Every year millions of winter sports addicts arrive to pay homage to this great ski area, and although Chamonix is quite low compared to modern resort developments, 90% of the skiing is above 2000m, the highest lifts amongst the highest in the world, so good snow cover remains virtually guaranteed at the top.

Beginners

There are probably more convenient and cheaper places to learn to ski than Chamonix, as, it is likely you will need to walk or take the ski bus to reach the nursery slopes (unless you have a particularly fortunately located accommodation). Areas the resort recommends for beginners are Vormaine in the neighbouring village of Le Tour, Les Chosalets at Argentiere up the valley, Le Savoy at the base of Chamonix’s local Brevent slope, served by two drag lifts and an easy to ride conveyor or Les Plenards, two minutes from the town centre, a large area for beginners with two greens, one blue and one red run. A beginner’s pass is available at a lower cost than the area pass.

Intermediates

There are great possibilities for intermediates who can choose from the most affordable ‘Chamonix Le Pass’ ticket, which covers the five local ski areas, together offering around 150km (93 miles) of runs, or the more expensive Mont-Blanc Unlimited ticket which provides access to a vast area of nearly 800km (500 miles) of runs at a dozen resorts around Mont Blanc. These include Megeve and a day over the border in Courmayeur, Italy on the other side of the mountain (accessed via the Mont Blanc tunnel). The five local ski areas are linked by a ski bus service which is free to pass holders. The closest area is Brevent which can be reached by gondola from the centre of Chamonix. There are south facing slopes providing spectacular views of Mont Blanc. The Balme area is reached from Le Tour, where there are gentle slopes over snow covered meadows as well as runs cut through the forest and great off piste. Strong intermediates accompanied by a guide can also tackle the incredible 2,800m vertical drop of the 25 mile Vallee Blanche descent from the Aiguille du Midi (3842m).

Advanced

Good skiers have the most to benefit from a visit to Chamonix with innumerable legendary descents, a reputation for great powder fields, tree skiing, high-mountain touring and even heli skiing over the border in to Italy. Famous sectors include the Grands Montets glacier which is so snow sure it is open in to May and has great long runs down from 3300m. The forest ski trails in Les Houches are also good and the venue for the Kandahar World cup downhill races every January.

Snowboarding

Just as Chamonix’s history encompasses the early years of skiing, so it was one of the first venues for boarders in Europe more than 25 years ago. Although there is a terrain park on the Grands Montets glacier, the big attracton is the endless off piste powder for freeride heaven.

Other Activities and Facilities

Chamonix has a very good selection of activities off the slopes. The town has a sports centre with tennis and squash courts as well as a swimming pool complex, climbing wall, casino, ice rink, cinema and an Alpine museum.

Outdoors you can try paragliding, take a sleigh ride, go snowshoeing, ice climbing, dog sledding or hike on the 17km (11 miles) of snow-cleared footpaths and there are more than 40km of cross country ski trails. Day trips are organised to the nearby ski area of Megeve and to Geneva.

Après Ski and Dining Out

Chamonix’s international clientele (two thirds arrive from outside France, almost half of them from the UK) give the resort a cosmopolitan feel . There are more than 100 bars and restaurants to choose from, catering for all tastes, and later on several night clubs and a casino. Popular venues include Escape and The Pub.

Families

With a fragmented ski area and the most expensive lift tickets in Europe for children, Chamonix cannot be easily recommended for families. Children aged four and older pay around 80% of the full adult ticket price. There is a choice of non-ski nursery care with the Panda Nursery, or beginner classes at the ski school’s snow garden for children aged three and older. Chamonix does have good facilities for families too in the resort itself with the swimming pool (complete with water slides), ice rink, cinema and lots of good restaurants.

Piste Map for Chamonix

Accommodation in Chamonix

• Blaitiere - 1 star,
• Blaitiere - 4 star, catered
• Cachat - 1 star, catered
• Cachat - 1 star, catered
• Cham Blanc Apartments - 3 star, self catering
• Chamonix Sud - 2 star, self catering
• Chamonix Sud - 2 star, self catering
• Chamonix Sud - 2 star, self catering
• Chamonix Sud - 2 star, self catering
• Des Aiglons - 4 star, half board
• Ginabelle Apartments - 3 star, half board
• Ginabelle Apartments - 3 star, half board
• Hotel Alpina - 3 star, half board
• Hotel Des Aiglons - 3 star, half board
• Hotel Excelsior - 3 star, half board
• Hotel Gustavia - 3 star, half board
• Hotel Gustavia - 3 star, half board
• Hotel Les Aiglons - 3 star, half board
• Hotel Mont Blanc - 4 star, half board
• Hotel Morgane - 4 star, half board
• Hotel Prieure - 3 star, half board
• Hotel Richemond - 2 star, bed & breakfast
• Hotel Richemond - 2 star, bed & breakfast
• Les Balcon D Savoy - 4 star, self catering
• Mercure Chamonix - 3 star, half board
• Mercure Coralia - 3 star, half board
• Morgane - 4 star, bed & breakfast
• P&v Des Aiglons - 3 star, self catering
• P&v Des Aiglons - 3 star, self catering
• Park Suisse - 3 star, half board
• Pointe Isabelle - 2 star, bed & breakfast
• Pointe Isabelle - 2 star, bed & breakfast
• Res.les Balcons Du Savoy - 4 star, self catering
• Res.les Balcons Du Savoy - 4 star, self catering
• Res.les Balcons Du Savoy - 4 star, self catering
• Residence Des Aiglons - 3 star, self catering
• Residence Ginabelle - 4 star, self catering
• Residence Ginabelle - 4 star, self catering
• Residence Ginabelle - 4 star, self catering
• Residence Ginabelle - 4 star, self catering
• Residence La Riviere - 2 star, self catering
• Residence La Riviere - 2 star, self catering
• Residence Les Aiglons - 2 star, self catering
• Residence Maeva - 2 star, half board
• Residence Maeva - 2 star, self catering

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