Confused by Chamonix area piste map - relationship between les Houches & Argentiere?
Started by Skite in France 22-Oct-2015 - 7 Replies
Skite posted Oct-2015
Chamonix looks like a good bet, with one suggestion that Les Houches might be a lower-cost place to stay.
But I'm completely confused by the piste maps - can someone point me in the direction of an easier-to-follow map and/or explain to me the pros and cons of Les Houches. How long would it take to get to, say, Argentiere from there? (I'll have a car, but might take a bus sometimes), and what is Les Houches itself like?
I'm keen to have a proper village atmosphere rather than wherever I stay being a ski resort alone.
thanks again in advance!
Verbier_ski_bum
reply to 'Confused by Chamonix area piste map - relationship between les Houches & Argentiere?' posted Oct-2015
SwingBeep
reply to 'Confused by Chamonix area piste map - relationship between les Houches & Argentiere?' posted Oct-2015
What are you going to do about accommodation? Presumably you will look for a seasonal let, as well as checking estate agents and small ads check if the Mairie has a list of available properties for rent http://www.chamonix.fr/index.php/transports-urbanisme-logement/logement/115-petites-annonces-logement.html Facebook groups also list flats to rent https://www.facebook.com/groups/chamonix.skibums/?fref=ts
If you want to learn French Chamonix is probably not the place to go, unless you plan to take lessons. About 10% of the resident population is British and hoards of British tourists descend on it in winter so English is widely spoken, it's the Blackpool of the Alps. http://www.courrierinternational.com/article/2004/01/29/avalanche-d-anglais-a-chamonix
Skite
reply to 'Confused by Chamonix area piste map - relationship between les Houches & Argentiere?' posted Oct-2015
I haven't found accommodation, so those links are very useful.
I'm not 100 per cent certain I will go to Chamonix yet - I definitely want to come back with better French, so you're right, it may not be the best choice.
Acarr
reply to 'Confused by Chamonix area piste map - relationship between les Houches & Argentiere?' posted Oct-2015
Ranchero_1979
reply to 'Confused by Chamonix area piste map - relationship between les Houches & Argentiere?' posted Oct-2015
There are plenty of cheap accommodation options in Chamonix itself, Chamonix Sud would probably work well as you have a car. Either way signing up to Chamshare and the Chamonix facebook pages will give you plenty of options.
As for learning French really is upto the individual. If you ask for your coffee in French someone will respond in French. If you ask in English they will respond in English. So like every other town in the Alps you will get out exactly what you put in.
Hyperskee
reply to 'Confused by Chamonix area piste map - relationship between les Houches & Argentiere?' posted Oct-2015
Broom
reply to 'Confused by Chamonix area piste map - relationship between les Houches & Argentiere?' posted Oct-2015
Topic last updated on 26-October-2015 at 11:08