Chamonix

Hi there, i'm after some views on anyone who's been to Chamonix.. I'm an ok intermediate skier but have known to be only about 75% in control down some slopes, my question's are , are the slope's as steep i'm told , is there any easy runs and am i going to have to re-mortgage my house and sell the wife to be able to afford to stay there a week...any input would be appreciated as i'm a tad concerned i'll be out of my depth...many thanks

Joe

Hi Joe, Chamonix's serious skiing reputation comes, deservedly, from the Grands Montets area above Argentiere. From your comments I maybe would not recommend that particular area for you; most runs *are* steep and there are few "easy options" once on the mountain so it's difficult to bail out of anything you don't like the look of.

That said, Chamonix has half a dozen different ski areas; Le Tour and Brevents may suit you better and you may enjoy the variety of those. There is a regular bus service between the different areas but the bus gets very busy at peak times so may be worth thinking about hiring a car.

There is accommodation to suit most budgets - have a look at our Chamonix pages for starters. You can often get good deals last minute as there are plenty of chalets and hotels in the valley.

If you want to try Argentiere (and improve your skiing), how about booking a private lesson for an afternoon on one of the easier areas? Get the instructor to assess you before taking you up the Grands Montets? 8)

thanks powder i'll check out the bus route's , but i'll have to give it a try and see how good/average/leg broken i am ..thanks for the advice

Hi Joe
Powder hound is absolutely right. Much of Chamonix's reputation comes from the Grands Montets in Argentiere, which is pretty steep and has some pretty extreme off piste thats especially good after a fall of fresh snow. But that's not the whole story. The valley offers variety, there's simply a huge choice, which means it’s equally a good place for intermediates (and even beginners) as it is for experts. Our website has a fairly comprehensive description of all the ski areas in the valley. http://www.chaletinthemountains.com/ski%20areas.htm

With regard to accommodation, we have a couple of chalets that we rent out on a self catered basis. Each accommodates 8 people and are fully equipped with dvd, hifi, satellite tv (british channels), microwaves, dishwashers and all the kitchen paraphernalia that you're likely to need!! There's even a jacuzzi bath in one of them!! Have a look on our website for full details.

Usually we rent the chalets out on a weekly basis with Saturday check in/out, but we have lots of availability in March so we are currently offering flexible breaks, at Euro200 (about £140) per night for the whole chalet for your private use on an exclusive basis (no sharing!!). This is for a minimum of 3 nights.

Alternatively we have a promotion for £280 per person which includes accommodation, daily lessons, ski passes and transport to/from Geneva airport.

I hope some of this is of interest to you, in case it is, please email or call us with your preferred dates, any additional requirements for lessons, transport etc that you might have and we'll work something out for you.

I hope we can welcome you as a client of Chalet in the Mountains!

Regards
Helen
00 33 619 12 45 84