I have skied in Chamonix for over 10 years and watched a huge rise in visits from British lemmings. They are called lemmings because 95% of Brit skiers and boarders cannot handle the off-piste terrain. If you're not up to handling the world's most dangerous lift-served terrain then go somewhere easier.

Any ski brochure

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Climb up to the Argentiere cable-car viewing platform (top station), go to the other end of it and hop over the metal hand-rail onto a rocky knife-edge. There is a permanent but small metal rope attached to the face. If there's enough snow, you can ski down the north-face to your left, in full view of the approaching cable-car. If there's not enough snow, it'll be a rock-field so carry on round the knife-edge / metal-rope until you reach a narrow but rapidly widening east-face. Skis on at the top (you'll need to stick them into the slope at 45' and step into them a la Scott Schmidt technique), a couple of jump turns and a face of powder often relatively un-tracked opens up, joining the usual itinerary further down.

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An off-piste / glacier ski itinerary. From Grands Montets, ski down to the Argentiere glacier, cross it, and climb up below the Chardonnet, then left up a short couloir. From here it's all down hill to Le Tour.

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One of the world's most famous off piste runs needs no introduction. Take the hair-raising Aiguille du Midi liftright to the top (3,842m), then follow the itinerary all the way back downto the Montenvers train, which takes you back down to town (1,042m). There's plenty of time to take in the stunning scenery on this 22km trip, but it's glacier all the way so go with someone experienced or hire a guide.

L'Aiguille du Midi, Chamonix

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From the top of Brevant cable-car, cut under the rope to the left at the permanent view-finder map. Make sure you have a guide, an avi transceiver and and especially a harness, as you'll use it in anger for this one. A few nice fresh tracks over a few small snow fields, over a lip and you suddenly arrive at the top of the Couloir de l'ENSA. Not at all menacing. Using the permanent rope anchor, you can abseil or lower down about 20 metres, just over a rocky lip (or if there's plenty of snow you can ski down to it and negotiate it on skis). Then this couloir provides a relatively gentle (mostly 35') elevator drop down into the top of Le Brevant. The couloir is one of three in that spot, but usually catches snowfall and even waist-deep powder when other areas can be bare. But be sensible about avalanche risk!

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If you are going off-piste you need a great guide. We have been with Nathalie with all standard of skiers (from intermediate to expert) and she gives them all great confidence.

Nathalie Hagenmuller
nathalie.hagenmuller@wanadoo.fr
+33686174374

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Accessed from the 'top tickets' lift at Grand Montets, you skit nervously across the glacier before dropping into one of the longest and most satisfying couloirs in the valley. It's both dangerous and very reliant on snow conditions, so it's best to go with a guide. From the bottom it's a short hike up to the Montenvers train, which takes you back down to the centre of Chamonix, or - snow allowing - you can take the trail through the woods.

Les Grands Montets, Chamonix

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