Beginner’s guide to Chamonix – The ski areas
Posted: August 2nd, 2009 | Author: admin | Filed under: Uncategorized | No Comments »Ski areas
Chamonix has four ski areas Brevent, Flegere, Grands Montets and Le Tour, and is also within easy reach of nearby resorts Les Houches and Courmayeur. One of the greatest attractions is also the Vallee Blanche, a 22km unpisted run that goes from the top Aiguille du Midi, along the Mer de Glace glacier down to Montenvers. The views and scenery on Valle Blanche are unparalleled and are must-do for all experienced skiers, though it should definitely not be attempted without a qualified guide.
Overall the slopes tend to be more challenging than those in other resorts and caution is advised to those who may be less experienced skiers.
Brevent lies immediately to the north-east of Chamonix center. Thanks to a brand new lift with almost double the capacity of the next fastest lift in the valley you should not encounter any long queues at the bottom and be up in snow within a few minutes.
The slopes on Brevent are quite varied, but tend to be focused towards intermediate level skiers. There is however a beginner area close to the main lift, which provides a safe environment for practice. The highlights of Brevent are without a doubt the Charles Bozon piste which starts at the very top of Brevent and coils down around it. The views from up there are breath taking-and some of my favourite in the valley The run itself can be quite narrow in some places and very steep in others. While it is possibly one of the easier black runs in Chamonix it should only be attempted by strong skiers.
Recommended for: intermediate and advanced level skiers
Tip: Brevent has mainly east facing slopes and given the fast lift, it is an ideal place to get a quickly early start skiing in the sunshine.
Flegere lies to the north west of Brevent and the two areas are connected by a cable car. It provides a good range of slopes for skiers of all abilities including a long green run for beginners. For intermediate and advanced level skiers there are the delights of Lachenal, Pylones and Crochues.
Recommended for: beginner and intermediate level skiers
Tip: The lift up to Flegere is quite slow and long queues can develop there in the morning and after 3:30 in the afternoon. During busy periods this area is best accessed via Brevent.
Grands Montets is the largest ski area and lies above the village of Argentiere. The runs here are more challenging and the off-piste skiing is phenomenal. Grands Montets is also home to a snow park where you can practice your jumps or be amazed by those more daring than your self. One the most popular runs is Bochard, a challenging red run, with some pretty fast and steep sections. If you are looking for a good test of your stamina, you can continue down the Pierre A Ric trail all the way to Argentiere giving a total run length of 6km with 1500m descent. Unfortunately given it’s popularity, the snow on Bochard also gets packed down fairlyquickly and the piste can get a bit crowded. A good alternative run is Piste de Combes which runs from the top of Herse
chair lift and also has great off-piste areas towards Piste des Blanchots.
Recommended for: intermediate and advanced level skiers
Tip: The main cable car often has long queues going up in the morning. There is however a chair lift right behind the cable car station that will take you up to the snow a lot quicker.
Le Tour is situated at the north end of Chamonix valley close to the border with Switzerland. The area is also roughly divided into two parts, one that sits above Le Tour village and one that sits above Vallorcine. There is also a good beginner area at the bottom of Le Tour called La Vormaine.
The pistes on Le Tour are generally easier than those on other areas and provided a great place for beginners to step up intermediate level. Some of the most enjoyable skiing is be had above Vallorcine where the trees provide good cover during snowy periods.
Recommended for: beginner and intermediate level skiers
Tip: If you are staying close to a train station, we recommend getting the train up to Vallorcine. It is very comfortable ride, that allows to enjoys the spectacular scenery along the valley and drops you off right next to the Vallorcine lift.