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Resort Guide

Suitability	Resort height: 1008m
Families:		[Yes]
Glacier:		[Yes]
Beginners:		[3]
Intermediates:		[4]
Advanced:		[5]
Snowboarding:		[3]

Les Houches is a small but attractive resort directly below Mont Blanc in the Chamonix valley, and located six kilometres (three-and-three-quarter miles) from the famous ski town itself. The village is rather spread out but on the whole one of the most attractive in the area, of a medium-size and with most buildings wood-clad chalets.

The ski area at Les Houches is again of medium-size and rather low by French standards, although its sheltered slopes are known as some of the most snow sure in the region and the place to go when snow cover is poor in neighbouring resorts.

Most of the skiing is of easy and intermediate standard, although it is famous as the venue for the famous Kandahar downhill race and has one tough run, the three kilometres (nearly two mile) long La Verte descent on which it is staged. The resort is also famous for its ski jumping, the first sport to be adopted by the resort's ski club back in 1930.

A local lift pass is well priced and covers the skiing at Les Houches only. To be able to ski all the neighbouring ski areas (together offering about 500km/323 miles of pistes) a Mont Blanc unlimited pass is required at about a third higher cost, but ironically it does not cover all the lifts at Les Houches, only the main Prarion gondola.

Beginners

There's a choice of two ski schools in resort, with the 60 instructors of the Ecole du Ski Francais (ESF) outnumbering the smaller Evolution 2 ski school. Lessons often take place on nursery slopes at the top of the mountain where there are a number of blue runs. These are easy to reach by gondola or cable car.

Intermediates

More than half of the terrain at Les Houches is graded 'red' for intermediates. From the summit you can enjoy spectacular 360° views of the Mont-Blanc massive, before descending on long pistes meandering through the pine and larch forests.

With the Mont Blanc Unlimited ticket there's the opportunity to ski at all the other resorts in the region and even cross over to Courmayeur on the Italian side of Mont Blanc and enjoy a day on the slopes there.

Advanced

As with all things in Chamonix Valley, Les Houches has much to entertain advanced skiers. A training base for the French National ski team and of course the venue of the annual Kanadahar world cup downhill, there are innumerable off piste and freeriding opportunities locally, and in the wider Valley which the local mountain guides will be happy to take you to. These include the famous Vallee Blanche downhill from the Aiguille du Midi descending about 2,800 vertical metres.

Snowboarding

Les Houches operates a popular terrain park as well as a half pipe, which is constructed as soon as there is adequate snow cover. The resort is also famous for its freeriding terrain and of course there are huge opportunities for boarders to enjoy the powder throughout the Chamonix Valley, one of the birthplaces of the sport in Europe and, as with skiing, still one of the world's major centres. A special low-cost ticket is available which is just valid for the snowpark and the lifts required to reach and use it.

Other Activities and Facilities

The resort possesses three ski jumps of 15, 30 and 50 metres, not quite up to international competition size, but you have the unusual opportunity here to take an introductory course in ski jumping. Another option is ski-joring, being towed behind a horse on your skis. There is also a St. Bernard breeding kennels to visit in Les Houches, the largest in the Alps.

A donkey and a goat farm, both open by prior arrangement and subject to snow conditions, welcome visitors. You can also try dog sledding, and there are 10km of cross country trails in the area, part of a network of 42km in the valley.

Additional facilities include a natural ice rink and an indoor climbing wall. Aerial options include paragliding and helicopter sight-seeing trips around Mont Blanc.

There is a weekly outdoor market. In neighbouring Servoz you can walk through the mountainscape on a show-shoeing outing or discover the local heritage, visit the local hamlets or even stroll along the banks of the river Arve.

Après Ski and Dining Out

There are a dozen bars and restaurants. The favoured local brew is Mont Blanc beer, available in blonde or white, brewed with the local spring water of Les Houches. The village restaurants serve all Savoyard specialties like fondue, raclette and tartiflettes and well as local recipies.

Families

Children aged from three months to three years of age are looked after at the "Halte-Garderie" (creche), which is located in the centre of the village. Being a municipal organization, it benefits from qualified personnel and has specially designed new premises. In addition, a list of child minders is available from the tourist office.

For older children Les Chavants Day Nursery accepts those aged from three to ten years in a chalet located 200 metres from the ski school and its "jardins des neiges", near the base station of the cable car. It has a large outdoor play area and nursery care can be combined with ski lessons at the French Ski School. The ESF Ski School offers a wide range of courses including full day care and incorporating the French national testing scheme for older children.

Accommodation in Les houches

• Chalets Du Grand Balcon - 3 star, self catering
• Chalets Du Grand Balcon - 3 star, self catering
• Chalets Du Grand Balcon - 3 star, self catering
• Chalets Du Grand Balcon - 3 star, self catering
• Hameau De Pierre Blanche - 4 star, self catering
• Hameau De Pierre Blanche - 4 star, self catering
• Hameau De Pierre Blanche - 4 star, self catering
• Hameau De Pierre Blanche - 4 star, self catering
• Hotel Chris-tal - 3 star, half board

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