"If you're in advertising, sooner or later you will move to New York, to be the best you have to. Finance London. Fashion Paris. If you're an actor you go to LA… If you like Winter - if you like Winter so much that you like even the word 'Winter' - if you long for snow and are willing to work at whatever keeps you in it, then sooner or later you come to Chamonix. That's just how it is."
From the novel Cham - by Jonathan Trigell.
Chamonix Overview
Chamonix is unlike any other ski resort. In fact it is not really a resort at all – it is a town at the foot of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in Europe, and several of the next contenders. It is a unique piece of France, on the borders of both Italy and Switzerland and widely proclaimed to be the capital of the Alps. The town held the inaugural Winter Olympics in 1924, but it was Mont Blanc and the fiercely steep and jagged Chamonix Aiguilles – needles – which made it a must for mountaineers, skiers and artists; before the bars and clubs put it firmly on the international party map.
Getting to Chamonix
It takes approximately an hour and a half to get to Chamonix from Chambery airport. It’s a quick run because it’s two lanes virtually all the way, even on the incredible 100m high Egratz viaduct which marks the start of the ascent to the off-piste Mecca. On the way up you pass close by another remarkable feat of construction, the Mont Blanc Tunnel. The mountain range, which once served as a formidable natural border, is today a major thoroughfare to Italy. Environmentalists have been protesting the use of the tunnel by heavy goods vehicles for years, and fortunately for holidaymakers their movement is restricted at weekends. So you won’t find yourself dragging behind anything larger than a caravan on your way to Chamonix.
Chamonix is a big, awe-inspiring place, but you’d still have to be trying pretty hard to get lost. Being in a valley has meant that development has been confined to a long narrow strip which stretches, almost uninterrupted from Les Houches – where the world cup is held every year - then Chamonix proper, through Le Praz, Les Tines and Argentiere to Mont Roc. If you take the Col de Montets road, just before the turn off to Mont Roc, through the national park and past Vallorcine you’ll be in Switzerland in less than 15minutes.
It can be beneficial to have the use of a car in Chamonix. There is precious little door step skiing and even if your accommodation is at the foot of the lifts, you probably won’t want to ski in the same area all week. The skiing in Chamonix is on several distinct mountains and you can only get from one to another by road or rail. There is a frequent free shuttle bus service, but catching a bus at peak times during the holidays can be a bit of a bun-fight. If you’re staying in a chalet however, you might well find that transport to and from the slopes is laid on as part of the package.
The Mountain
Chamonix is divided into three main ski areas; Brevent-Flegere, Les Grands Montets and Le Tour. These areas are covered on the basic Cham Ski lift pass. While the lift map shows a good distribution of black, red, blue and even green pistes, it quickly becomes clear to visitors, that Chamonix works off a different scale than other resorts. I’d be surprised if any of Chamonix’s easy runs would be marked as such in other resorts. The mountains are steep and simply don’t lend themselves to those cruisey blues. The beginners’ areas of Vormaine, Chosalets, Planards and Savoy, where you’ll find all the green runs, are constrained to the valley floor. Here the terrain is flatter but the snow is rarely ideal – often icy from low-altitude rainfall and from lack of sun. Chamonix is better suited to strong intermediates, who will enjoy the challenging piste skiing, and to experts, who will come into their own on the acres of open, accessible off-piste.
Unlike other resorts, Chamonix has resisted the temptation to bang out a piste on every available slope. In fact, such is the commitment to freeride that the valley’s flagship lift, l’Aiguille de Midi - the highest lift-accessed skiing in Europe - is totally unpisted. The lift rises from town to 3842m and access to an incredible 2700m vertical descent without a single marked run. From the summit the famous off-piste itinerary La Vallée Blanche snakes down the mountain though stunning glacial terrain. Although the skiing of the classic route is not particularly challenging, you’ll still want a guide to navigate the crevasses. And there’s a slightly nervy walk along the arête at the top, where guided groups are roped together and even the sure-footed locals wear crampons. If your skiing is up to it, there are plenty of more extreme variants to the Vallee Blanche. Access to the Midi lift is no longer included on the Cham Ski pass so if you want to ski here during your stay, you’ll have to upgrade to the Mont Blanc Unlimited pass.
As well as those areas covered by the Cham Ski pass and the Aiguille de Midi, the Mont Blanc Unlimited pass also covers Les Houches, 10 minutes down the road, and Courmayeur, in Italy and yet only 30minutes away. Les Houches is great beginner and intermediate terrain and the place to be in poor weather; the lifts rarely suffer closure due to high winds and there are trees to navigate by in poor visibility. Courmayeur is worth a visit for the food alone, traditional Italian served on the mountain and washed down with a shot of Grappa. The ski area’s a good size too. With 100km of tree lined piste at your disposal you can cover some distance, if your lunch isn’t weighing you down too heavily.
Bars & Clubs in Chamonix
Chamonix is unrivalled for choice of drinking establishments in the Alps. Chambre Neuf, opposite the train station, is always rammed in the après ski slot, when the in-house band draws in masses of Swedes and Brits. You’ll need to take a breather at some point during the set and laidback Elevation, over the road is just the place. Be sure to head back to Chambre at some point between 8 and 10pm, when cocktails are 2 for 1. For live sports matches try The Pub, The Vagabond or Bar d’Up. If you’re staying in Cham Sud, you won’t have to venture far outside your door before you stumble on some quality drinking holes. In the square itself Monkey is best for drinks deals and live music at après ski, South Bar for Swedish lovelies and Munster for traditional Irish ambience. If you’re a long haul drinker, the best of the cheese can be found at clubs Le Garage and Le Choucas.
Chamonix Après Ski
If your body is protesting from skiing and from partying hard, there are plenty of less painful diversions. Why not watch others take a beating down at the local ice rink, where there are regular hockey matches? If you’ve never seen a game, you’ll love the speed, excitement and dare I say violence of the sport. If you’ve had enough excitement for one day, try winding down with a swim and sauna at the sports centre, or treat yourself to the spa at the 4 star Albert Premier hotel. Or indulge in a spot of retail therapy. Chamonix has a good variety of shops. The likes of Billabong; Patagonia; Peak Performance and North Face have long had their flagship stores, but now so do Channel, Lacoste, Swarovski, numerous home-ware and design stores and several art galleries. Even if you’re not buying, you’ll enjoy a stroll around the town with its inviting coffee shops, museums and beautiful old buildings. Unlike in most other resorts, there is enough going on in Chamonix town to keep even non-skiers amused. The mountain is also accessible to the non-skiing faction, who can buy pedestrian lift passes to meet the skiing party for lunch, or take a trip on the historic Tramway de Mont Blanc to view the stunning Mer de Glace glacier.
Something for the Kids
Skiing as a family in Chamonix can be a bit of a logistical nightmare. The independent ski areas mean that you’ll have to drop off the kids and pick them up from an area which may well not be where you want to ski for the day. An extra school run with skis and poles is probably not what you want from your well-earned break, and if you don’t have a car, you’ll find the kids’ lessons will dictate your movements because doing the whole thing on the bus just isn’t feasible. For the very young Evolution 2’s Panda club up at Les Grands Montets is excellent, but will still pretty much necessitate you skiing up there or in Le Tour for the day. If you are going to stay in Argentiere then that becomes a lot easier. Overall, Les Houches is better suited to families, the gentle slopes are child friendly but the area is also extensive enough to keep pre-intermediate adults happy. If the kids still have energy to burn after skiing, Chamonix has a great pool, Olympic size for you and a mini version for the kids, complete with waterslide. There’s also an eight lane bowling alley with a video arcade, an ice rink and in Les Houches a superb indoor climbing wall.
Chamonix Accommodation Links
Other Snowjet.co.uk Resort Guides:
Alpe d’Huez Resort Guide
Chamonix Resort Guide
Courchevel Resort Guide
La Plagne Resort Guide
Les Arcs Resort Guide
Meribel Resort Guide
Montgenèvre Resort Guide
Sainte Foy Resort Guide
Tignes Resort Guide
Val d’Isere Resort Guide
Val Thorens Resort Guide
