Just returned from a trip to Chamonix! Superb skiing and snowboarding!! Fantastic snow, great off-piste runs, friendly people and a great atmosphere for both singles and families.
Choose a hotel in the centre of Chamonix to experience the great restaurants and nightlife. Local buses are available to take you to the resorts.
Definitely agree with other reviews that it is best to book a guide - he will take you away from the crowds and find the best ski areas according to the conditions.
We too tried Franck Chapon and I would highly recommend him.
Will definitely be going back!
Chamonix certainly ranks as one of the best ski destinations in the world! To get the best out of your visit, book a local French, English speaking, Mountain Guide through Franck Chapon at Chamonix Sport Adventure and experience the Vallee Blanche (longest run in the world), Heli-ski, Ice Climbing, Paragliding, Ski Touring, Ski/Snowboard Lessons.
A great all year destination!
I have been on many ski holidays around Europe and from my experience I find Chamonix the number one and most spectacular ski resort. It has every type of terrain with four mountains to choose from as well as the famous Augille du Midi for 26km of off-piste glacier skiing (best day skiing I have ever done).
Generally, I travel on holiday on my own as my partner and friends aren’t keen on skiing and so, luckily, last year I found the perfect solution. After looking at various hotels, chalets, single holidays, etc I came across this website www.coldfusionchalets.co.uk it was just what I was looking for! The chalet was brand new, food fantastic, the cold fusion team went out of their way to make sure everyone has a good time and the other people in the chalet were great and I have made some great ski buddies for the future. Five of us plan to go back this year, all together, with the same company as it was so good! If you want to ski but have no one to go with make sure you have a look at what they offer……. www.coldfusionchalets.co.uk
Went self catered to Chamonix through PrimaryRentals.com. Would recommend self catered to anyone for the freedom you have in your own place.
Skiing is, in my opinion, the best in Europe and I have been to most of them! For really difficult skiing Argentiere is a must, whilst Les Houches is great for families and beginners. I guess the only downside of Chamonix town itself is that you end up getting a bus most days to one of the other resorts, but the nightlife is brilliant. Go there!
February 08, 2007
Sally Barnett
from
United Kingdom
Snowboarding in Chamonix again was awesome. The tree runs on the backside of Le Tour are perfect after a dump.
Stayed at 'The White Place' run by a guy from the UK by the name of Alex. The best placed I've ever stayed, and that's saying something because this was my fifth trip to Chamonix and I've been to Canada and Australia. Check them out www.thewhiteplace.com
I love it so much I'm planning my next trip out there for the spring conditions and get a little sun with my boarding.
Just got back from Chamonix. I was there from 27th Jan - 3rd Feb 2007. No new snow whilst we were there but just enough snow from the previous weeks fall. As a learner boarder I found the green runs sufficient to learn on before I hit the blue runs. I was concerned before I went after reading that Chamonix wasn't good for beginners, I don't understand why people say this?!
Chamonix is a beautiful place with plenty of restaurants, bars and shops. Buses to the ski areas are very regular, although extremely busy!
If you visit Brevent for the day, take plenty of money for food/drinks, or a packed lunch, the restaurant is very, very expensive! My favourite ski area was Flegere, as I enjoyed boarding all morning and having a late lunch with a few beers!
I would definitely go back to Chamonix!
I have been to Chamonix four times, and I must say it is, by far, the most complex ski resort there is in Europe. The different areas provides extremely good possibilities for the intermediate and advanced skier. However, Chamonix is not the place to go to if you are a beginner.
In two weeks I will visit Chamonix for the fifth time and I am, needless to say, really looking forward to it...
I dreamt of going to Chamonix as a child while growing up in Alaska. I've been there a few times now, once to do the Vallée Blanche, once to ski at Brevent and Flegere and a few times just to visit and sip cocktails on the terraces and look at Mt. Blanc - which would fit in nicely back home in AK.
I found the Vallée Blanche to be very pretty and I'm happy to have ridden it, but wasn't amazed by the riding. The last few Km are very flat. The walk down the arete to get to the spot where we could put our boards on scared me and my drunken Irish colleague behind me teetering on the edge of 2000m of nothing wasn't helping. Got to be done once in your life. I will be going back, but to paraglide there.
Brevent and Flegere are great spots to ski with Mt. Blanc looming in front of you the views are unstoppable. The only thing I could criticize are the antiquated and, frankly, scary lifts. The rusting hulks make groaning noises at the towers and I had bruises on my arm from where my girlfriend had a death-grip on me! Not what I expected from such a renowned and world class resort.
I visited Chamonix in March 2006. I have snowboarded in most major resorts worldwide and I can honestly say I had some of the best snowboarding I have ever experienced. The snow was around 1m deep at most of the nearby resorts and the off -piste experience was truly unbelievable.
Whether you are on your own or with a group, to get the most out of your visit to Chamonix, hire a Chamonix Mountain Guide. A guide will take you away from the crowds and show you the best parts of the Chamonix valley. The guides will also show you how to improve your skiing/snowboarding and how to adapt to the different conditions - well worth the price!
I would highly recommend www.chamonix-sport-aventure.com
Went there 8th March 2006 for four days - very little was open! Heavy snow meant they closed most of the runs and at most two lifts in each of the four main areas were open. We had to travel out to Les Houches and further to get skiing. Info in the resort was poor and we were directed to areas which we were told were open only to find them closed. "Communication is a problem" we were told by the less than helpful ticket offices.
No, I will not be going back