Chamonix Ski Areas

Chamonix is well known as the ‘off-piste’ capital of the world but valley provides a huge variety of skiing and snowboarding for all levels. Below is a brief description of each area.


Beginners & Children

Chamonix caters for first timers and children, below are the main beginner areas most of which have their own children’s ski club and crèche.

  • Les Planards (1062 m - 1242 m) Just 2 minutes from the centre of town, large ski area for beginners and intermediate skiers with 4 runs (1 red, 1 blue and 2 greens). 41 snow canons guarantee conditions all winter long. Restaurant, sun terrace and free parking. Floodlit night skiing is  available on this slope every week through the winter season.

 

  • La Vormaine (1480 m) – Beginners skiing Located at the foot of Charamillon on the Balme ski area, these sunny slopes are ideal apprentice      skiers and snowboarders, for the little ones a ski kindergarten is available.

 

  • Le Savoy (1049 m) - Beginners skiing In the heart of Chamonix, at the foot of the Brevent, 2 drag lifts and a rolling carpet welcome beginners and children for their first turns. Artificial snow and ski kindergarten, make this an excellent place to start out.

 

Intermediate / Experienced

  •  Les Grands Montets (1235 m - 3300 m) – an ‘off-piste’ heaven
         The pistes are spread over 3 mountainsides (the Argentière glacier, Lognan and the Pendant) and offer tremendous on and off-piste possibilities. Ski or board adjacent to the glacier and take advantage of excellent snow conditions right up until early May. For freestyle fans, a new snowpark and boardercross are open at the mid-station of Lognan.

 

  • Brévent / La Flégère (1030 m - 2525m) – wide, open pistes for beginners, intermediates and experts
         These 2 ski areas have been linked by a cable car since 1997 and offer one of the most outstanding panoramas of the Alps. South-facing slopes with a  wonderful variety of pistes and enviable views over the Mont-Blanc Massif. Gently acquire a tan in this idyllic environment whilst enjoying skiing on slopes adapted to all skiing abilities.

 

  • Le Domaine de Balme (1453m - 2270m) – wide, open slopes and the very top of the valley.
         Accessed via the villages of Le Tour and Vallorcine, the snow-covered  alpine pastures offer numerous possibilities on two distinct mountain      sides. From Charamillon, enjoy the wide open gentle slopes overlooking the  entire Chamonix valley and on the Vallorcine side, ski beautiful      tree-lined pistes bordering on Switzerland.
     

Advanced

  • The Vallée  Blanche - world famous off-piste (3842 m) - We could not talk about Chamonix in the winter without a mention of the magnificent high mountain  terrain of the Vallée Blanche, an enormous off-piste Mecca rising some 3842m from the valley floor and offering 25km of uninterrupted off-piste  heaven to those who wish to experience a truly world renowned run. It is somewhere that must be respected, and has many crevasses and other dangers  associated with this type of high mountain terrain, as such we only recommend attempting this area if your skiing / boarding is at a strong intermediate / advanced level, and then only with a qualified guide.

 

If the advanced skiers in your group would like to do the Vallee Blanche or have a day off-piste skiing elsewhere in the valley we can arrange a guide for you.