- Chamonix
- (99)
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France
Off-piste skiing around Chamonix is not tracked out as soon as you'd expect with the amount of skiers there. If you know the area very well and are prepared to hike a bit there is fresh powder to be found a week after snowfall. If not so familiar with the area, snow conditions and avalanche safety, hire a guide for a few days.
We stayed at this fantastic ski chalet in Les Houches, near Chamonix. The best bit was being able to ski straight out of the chalet and onto the piste! Then straight down to the lift. The food was scrummy, top-notch, though a little too plentiful to be good for my waistline... Delicious though.
The couple who run the place were very helpful - they recommended an excellent ski instructor who was great with the kids.
We're definitely going back next year - I miss the hot tub!
There are three major bike rental shops in Chamonix - Legend, Grand Bi and Zero G. Legend is near the Aiguille de Midi lift, Grand Bi is near MBC and Zero G is on the main street.
I recommend Zero G for their current-year specialised rental bikes, English speaking staff and good customer service.
Zero G Chamonix bike rental www.zerogchx.com
+33 4 50 53 01 01
zerogchamonix@hotmail.com
Nearest station Chamonix
Chamonix train station is the chocolate-box image of a country village station with flower boxes, a clock and wooden pavillons. Built in the eighteenth century, it's one of the finest stations in France and easily beats the modern ugly train stations in the beauty stakes.
The Aiguille du Midi is what every tourist comes to Chamonix for. It's the highest cable car in the world and the €38 return ticket is worth every cent. In just eight minutes you're whisked from Chamonix town centre to Plan d'Aiguille where you change cable cars and in another eight minutes you're taken up to the Aiguille du Midi station where you're rewarded with stupendous views of Mont Blanc and Italy.
Fortunately, I chose the right time to go (7.30am) as the light shone on Mont Blanc in just the right way and there were only six tourists on the highest terrace which looks over Mont Blanc, be warned though the cable car does get cramped with all of the skiers with their skis and poles taking up every inch
Note to parents - children under two are not allowed on the cable car.
Aiguille du Midi cable departs from Place de l'Aiguille du Midi cable car station - just a 30 minute walk from Chamonix train station (but bizarrely there are no signs showing you the way from Chamonix train station).
This wooden bridge links Chamonix town centre and the district where the posh (and expensive!) shops are. It offers great views of the Alps too.
Pont Cour lies between Avenue Michel Croz and Avenue Mont Blanc
This church just outside the centre of Chamonix dominates the town and has a magnificent interior with colourful frescoes and a golden altar.
From Chamonix train station go straight ahead down Avenue Michel Croz, at the end of the street turn left on to Place de l'eglise, the church is on your right-hand side just after the town hall.
This sweet and chocolate shop on the main street of Chamonix is delightful with free chocolate samples and gorgeous-tasting white and black chocolate, fill your bag with as much as you want - it's all good, but be warned it's not cheap!
Avenue Michel Croz.
This large area of parkland and forest stretches from the eastern edge of Chamonix up to the Argentière valley. It's a peaceful haven for family picnics and strolls. It's a popular spot for hikers and cyclists as they continue towards Argentière and Vallorcine. You can also watch the paragliders take off and land on the parkland which surrounds Lac du Bouchet, there is also a fountain just beside the main road from which you can sample free and fresh-tasting mountain water.
From Chamonix train station go straight ahead down Avenue Michel Croz, then at the end of this road turn right onto Rue Whymper. Go straight across the roundabout. Pass the library on your right-hand side and keep going straight for about 500m and Lac du Bouchet is on your left-hand side.
Chalet Tissières is set in a spectacular location at the foot of the Les Bossons Glacier and close to Chamonix town centre and ski lifts. It has amazing views of Mont Blanc and Aiguille du Midi from the balcony and hot tub. Check out the photos on their website - the sunset is beautiful, hence the name Ice & Orange.
It's family-run with amazing service, modern luxuries/facilities and excellent cuisine and wine - I cannot recommend this place enough. Simply the best week's skiing my friends and I have ever had. Will definitely go back again.
Chalet Tissières
159 Route des Tissières
Les Bossons, 74400
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
France
www.iceandorange.com
There are two things that are really special about Chamonix: the jaw-dropping scenery and the off-piste skiing. Why stay on the tame groomed runs with the crowd the whole time when you can spice things up with a real mountain adventure?
Use the lifts to get your elevation, then work out of ski area boundaries for fresh snow, long descents, beautiful views, challenging skiing/boarding and solitude.
Or better yet, use skins to climb up where there are no lifts. Or hire a helicopter or a ski-plane to drop you on a nearby peak.
Avalanches, crevasses and other high-mountain hazards mean you definitely want a guide to help you with this. Try www.markseaton.com/ for a great British guide who lives in Cham and knows the area ski options well.
This is a gem of a place, the nicest chalet I've ever stayed in. It had a lovely welcoming feel, so warm and friendly - it was the perfect mountain retreat for us.
It's close to the Flegere ski lift and within staggering distance of some good bars and restaurants (though we spent more evenings in, lazing on the sofas with the playstation or Scalextric!). Lovely views from the balcony and garden too.
Sleeps ten, including a double in the cute mini-chalet in the garden.
Les Praz, Chamonix
www.chaletlaforet.com
The new downhill track at Vallorcine is a brilliant addition to the area - the top twists through the high meadow before heading down via a fast section with a jump to a long rooty and rocky descent through the trees, finishing off with some heart-pumping hairpin bends.
The lift is only open until August 19 for this year (2007) but hopefully the success will lead to a longer season next year.
www.vallorcine.com/
Starts at the top of the Vallorcine lift, finishes at the bottom. You could also access it by riding across from the Col De Balme lift at Le Tour.
Climbing Mont Blanc is a great website where you can post your own experiences of climbing Mont Blanc.
Videos and pictures from in and around Chamonix with a great movie of the glaciers and a charity ascent of Mont Blanc.
Showing videos and pictures from in and around Chamonix Mont Blanc.
Annexe is a lovely apartment right in the heart of Chamonix Mont Blanc yet tucked away behind the church so as to be quiet. It is available for private rental throughout the summer and winter.
We just wanted to spread the good word about the marvellous chalet we stayed in last winter. Fantastic chalet with the most stunning location. Perfect for families - kids played outside safely on large chalet grounds whilst us adults enjoyed the wonderful hot-tub, situated just to one side of a mountain stream that flows by the chalet. Food was superb and the chalet staff were very happy and friendly. We are going back next season. Can't recommend the place enough.
Argentiere, Chamonix, France - www.marmottemountain.com - +33 (0) 6 82 89 15 23
After many years of driving myself and the rest of the gang down to the alps for a week of on and off piste action, I decided to fly into Geneva for a weekend, so i booked a flight with flybe and I booked a transfer with transfer intelligence.
I couldn't believe the travel costs for the weekend were about half the costs of the normal drive out there. Great value for money, budget flights and budget transfers.
Complete information guide to the Chamonix valley online, with live webcams, up-to-date news, snow reports, weather, and full listings of where to stay, what to do and loads more.
www.chamonet.com
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