January 13, 2004
Martin Tomlinson
from
United Kingdom
Chamonix is a Mecca for skiers, but it can be inconvenient, some (but not all) of the lifts are old, and you really need a car especially if it's busy. So why do people rate it so highly?
The reason is the big mountain, high altitude skiing, especially on Les Grand Montets. Intermediates will find it difficult but rewarding, and the more advanced will love it. Some of the piste marker signs say things like 'caution very steep, very narrow, very difficult' and 'only for very good skiers' or even 'you must be in excellent physical condition' and they mean it.
In addition there is some lovely family skiing at Le Tour at the sunny end of the valley. All in all there is more sking at many other resorts, but there really is massive variety at Chamonix, and people find it endlessly interesting to ski there.
In the evening there are some good and lively bars in the centre, and some decent restaurants, but it's not the place for the stylish apres ski party hound.
I went with my kids once, and although OK, it's not a place I'd recommend for families.
With the Mont Blanc massif on it's front door, Chamonix has so much terrain to explore. It is a Mecca for high altitude touring, off-piste skiing and a real 'mountain' experience. The six main ski areas are stretched out along the valley and getting to them can be a chore - the buses are good, but it's the kind of resort where having a car to get around really helps.
In other ski resorts where you can ski from your door, you might get more ski miles in per day, but Chamonix has it's own appeal: quality, not quantity.