- Chamonix
- (126)
-
France
Breezy runs a cosy, relaxed catered chalet close to Chamonix town. Fantastic food and flowing wine. Her intimate knowledge of the valley is invaluable when it comes to making the most out of your precious ski or snowboarding holiday.
www.skibreezy.com
Chalet D Ile 80 Chemin des Barrats, 74400 Chamonix Mont Blanc, France
+44 1629 690 690
Google map: bit.ly/AnmTGL
UCPA, with centres in most of the big name French ski resorts, provides amazing value, all inclusive, outdoor activity packages.
In winter, you can ski, snowboard or even learn to speed ride. In summer, you can try mountaineering and other activities.
Most packages include full-time coaching, the technical equipment you require, lift passes and full board accommodation.
The centres are basic, but clean and adequate as a base, while the food is outstanding and plentiful. Beer and wine is also far cheaper than in most bars or hotels.
As an introduction to an activity, the courses are ideal. Better yet, for off-piste guiding, nothing compares for value. A week will typically cost about £600 plus transport, but you needn't spend a penny more in resort.
The cheapest transport option for a group may be to drive from the UK, but bus operators also link up to London. Outside of school half-term weeks, flights to gateway cities like Geneva can also be obtained cheaply from the usual budget operators.
All information can be obtained from UCPA directly (www.ucpa.co.uk) or via Action Outdoors (www.action-outdoors.co.uk).
If flying to Geneva, try Alpybus for airport transfers: www.alpybus.com
Highly affordable hostel which manages to still be conveniently located near the centre of town. A simple, but excellent, breakfast is included in the price. The bar (stocked with an impressive selection of scotch) is a seasonaires favourite, especially in spring when the enormous patio with breathtaking views of Mont Blanc really comes into its own. The New Years Eve party, the Boss des Bosses race weekend and the end of season party in early May are the best possible times to stay there and enjoy the atmosphere.
365 Ave Ravanel le Rouge, 74400 Chamonix Mont-Blanc
www.gitevagabond.com/
+33 450 531 543
Google map: bit.ly/b3QkRm
This place was AWESOME. Home made meat pies and samosas and massive fresh salads made everyday! Great value hearty main meals, curries etc to takeaway too. Probably has Chamonix's best vegetarian food options and by far the best coffee we had in Chamonix.
www.papillonchamonix.com
416 Rue Joseph Vallot
74400 Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France
04 50 96 65 13
Google map: bit.ly/d9E9pY
This bar makes the best cocktails I've had in Chamonix and has some good DJ's on and some fantastic party nights. Just don't forget your credit card as they're not cheap!
90 Rue des Moulins
74400 Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France
06 09 12 19 52
Google map: bit.ly/bzCt5X
A great bar/club- funky tunes, small and cosy, goes all night long. When the two brothers get on the decks it really goes wild! This place seems to hold some of the best party nights in town.
Rue des Moulins, Chamonix
Google map: bit.ly/dznrJo
It's actually in Argentiere, up the valley towards La Tour and from what I can tell, used to be a bit of a dive. But it's been totally overhauled by it's new owners and is rad! Lively with a great menu - the Indonesian pork was lush and a plain spaghetti, tomato and basil was really delicious. There is a back area with a big oak table and blackboards with the daily specials written in chalk. Not overtly English but not all tartiflette and chalet-style either. Worth checking out.
216 Rue Chalet Straton, Argentiere, Chamonix
Google map: tinyurl.com/yby3s43
A small restaurant in La Balme, recently converted from a series of old cow sheds. It's near the bottom of the Aiguilette (a short red run with a button lift). There's a lovely sunny terrace and they do great value lunches for around €10. Try the assiette de pisteurs, a huge plate of salad, rosti, goats cheese on toast and lardons.
00 33 683 33 86 61 (Booking is essential)
No website
www.snowcarbon.co.uk/ski-resorts/chamonix/chamonix-eat-drink-party
A rustic restaurant in Les Houches, just off the Col de Voza run (accessed on a signed track through the trees). It's an old farmhouse lovingly converted by an Australian woman, Julie, and her French husband, Claude. Excellent homemade slow-cooked dishes; about €15 for mains
00 33 684 42 37 00
www.lesvieillesluges.com/
Google map: tinyurl.com/yb43sjv
It's at 3842 metres in the cable car station at the top of the Aiguille du Midi. Advertised as the highest Savoyard restaurant in the Alps (I'm guessing it's the highest in the whole world!) The food is good and the views of Mont Blanc and the Chamonix Aiguilles are fantastic. You basically get a real taste (albeit very much a lite version) of the experience of high-altitude mountaineering. The downside is that it costs 41 euros to get up there.
Aiguille du Midi telepherique, Chamonix Mont Blanc
www.chamonix.com
Google map: tinyurl.com/y983uo7
This is a fantastic refuge with a great views of Mont Blanc, at 2352m, a few hours uphill climb from Chamonix. What makes it so great is the food. Their speciality is long cooked Pig's Cheeks, marinated in wine overnight and then slowly braised throughout the day with herbs, garlic and more wine. Served with immaculate roast potatoes it's the perfect fare after a long hard day's mountain walking. And their huge chunks of rustic mountain cheese are worth the visit alone, not to mention their red wine and deserts.
Aiguilles Rouge, Chamonix 4 50 53 49 14
www.refuges.info/point/357/refuge-garde/aiguilles-rouges/refuge-du-lac-blanc/
You'll find that with a family or group it's cheaper to hire a car from Geneva than it is to get a transfer. It'll also allow you to get around the various resorts from Chamonix without using (see: waiting for...) the ski bus. Did you know that Courmayeur is only 30 minutes from Chamonix through the Mont Blanc tunnel!
Alpine Ski and Golf operate a catered chalet in the Chamonix valley. We have just returned from a half term walking trip where we stayed in the company's catered chalet. The food was great and the service even better. As a holiday this was amazing considering the cost.
www.alpineskiandgolf.com
0033(0)633308849
info@alpineskiandgolf.com
A booking agent that is dedicated to Chamonix Mont Blanc. We needed an apartment for just two days and while most people wouldn't help us Snow and Soleil gave us plenty of options and made our stay possible.
We visited Chamonix for the second year in a row and stayed in an apartment in Les Periades we rented from prime-accommodation-chamonix.com.
The views were absolutely glorious and we were almost right in Chamonix city centre. It was also a pretty good deal, considering the busy summer season.
If you are travelling to Chamonix and are after a good value one bedroom apartment, we would strongly recommend them.
Mountain Sanctuary is a fantastic setup in Chamonix providing holistic retreats in the most stunning of environments. You stay in an idyllic alpine chalet with Mont Blanc as your backdrop and indulge yourself in the holistic treatments. They have tai-chi, yoga, reiki, nutrition and life coaching specialists on hand to cater for your every need.
An amazing chalet in a little forest, close to the Flegere lift. We went in summertime when Chamonix is buzzing and lively - full of French alpine character and tradition.
The chalet sleeps 10 and is incredibly spacious, with a huge balcony to sit out on and enjoy the stunning Alpine views. There's even a fully appointed 'Mazot' (enchanting mini-chalet) in the garden, which is unbelievably romantic! The enormous garden was covered in wildflowers, nestled in the woods, with a hammock to laze in, a hot-tub with views of the surrounding mountains, and woodburning barrel sauna to pamper yourself in - and we spent happy nights having BBQ's arond the firepit, under the stars.
The chalet itself has a really traditional feel, with wood beams and granite, with a proper wetroom, spacious kitchen and lounge - and a wonderful atmosphere.
It's truly a magical destination for all seasons!
Les Praz, Chamonix
www.chaletlaforet.com/
With new management, this has become a lovely, cheery apres ski bar with live acoustic music, good vin chaud and a crackling fire, filling a much needed gap for a nice bar in Les Praz. It's perfect for coming down from Flegere in winter and has a relaxing terrace and of course the Boulodrome for summer nights. The rooms are very good value too.
www.lesrhododendrons.com/
100 route des tines 74400 Chamonix Mont Blanc
Tél: (33) 450-530-639
Just got back from a week of skiing in Chamonix where we had an amazing time. We stayed in an apartment in Chamonix Sud that we rented through Ventoria.com. It was quite small, but there was enough space for us and considering the discounted rent it was a great deal. The bus stop for the lifts was just across the road which saved us the long walk in ski boots. The small pizza place downstairs is also worth checking out if you dont fancy cooking.
A great bar in the centre of chamonix to relax in after a day's walking (or skiing) in Chamonix's stunning mountains.
Rue des Moulins
74400 Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France
+33 4 50 53 91 33
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