Anyone been to Chamonix?

Just got back from my annual ski trip with my best friend. We are looking for alternatives to Canada and USA for next season, he mentioned Chamonix, and I have to admit everything I know about Chamonix I have read on this forum, so I'm asking you guys! I've looked at a few videos, ones posted here and elsewhere, and this is just a first impression; it looks like the skiing is either really easy or really hard.

I came across this video, deepish powder in moderately easy terrain. It's extremely close what we ski at home.



So here is my question, is what's shown here a typical off-piste experience? IF so, do you have to hire a guide to get there?

Firstly above video is from a ski school (good one at that), hence they cannot take a clients on glaciated terrain and similarly any significant ski tour would be outside their remit.

Am not sure there is a typical offpiste experience in Chamonix.
1) Montets ~3300m and Midi 3800m are lifts that place you on glaciated terrain which in places is heavily crevassed and non-pisted. Routes down can be from mild 25 deg to >50 deg as you wish.
2) Brevant you have the 4 couloirs and the hotel face where steep skiing originated 35deg (steep)– 45 deg (V steep)
3) Flegere and the Index has all the classic tours to Le Buet
4) Balme, classic run is to Trient in Switzerland but also some back bowls and some steep couloirs both down to Vallorcine and down to Le Tour
5) All the normal side of the piste stuff as elsewhere in the world

I did a poste on here a while ago Why never to ski in Chamonix, you can get an idea of what is on offer. Am almost feeling inspired to update.

Whether you need a guide or not really comes down to a few simple questions.
1) Do I know the snow pack (as a visitor answer is no) and hence you should not really be heading onto steeper terrain i.e. avalanche
2) If I am going on glaciated terrain, can I read the terrain to have an Idea where crevasse are and could I handle a rescue if required
3) Given the physical size of the terrain do I feel comfortable navigating etc

Nearly everyone will get a massive amount from taking a guide, allowing them to access areas of the mountain that they would never dream to go alone, which often means the best snow. Is not about the steepness of a slope, a guide only takes you where you both feel comfortable. Many affordable ways of using Chamonix guides, from courses to private and always worth your while.

That seems all very sensible, thank-you. We are both strong skiers, but given our complete ignorance of skiing outside N. America, sounds like we should either consider hiring guides, or recruiting a like minded skier to holiday with us who has been there before. We have yet to actually choose a destination.

I would be interested in reading that post if/when you re-post it.

'Why never to ski in Chamonix' in the search box at top and all will be revealed.

The photos in these posts on one of the German forums should give you a good idea of the snow conditions and terrain in the Chamonix area.

La Flégère, Le Brévent http://www.alpinforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=251711#251711
Aiguille du Midi http://www.alpinforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=251709#251709
Les grands Montets http://www.alpinforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=251708#251708

Ranchero-1979, I read the reasons never to ski in Chamonix. I am aroused....

I just skiied the Quatre Valées with my daughter, who went to Chamonix for the first time a few weeks previously. Her feedback was that CHamonix was great skiing and a worthwhile trip, but she was frustrated that it took so long to actually get on piste first thing in the morning. She was staying in central Chamonix and still had a fair bus journey then gondola etc. She had an ex-instructor in the group, and so while everyone headed-out to the headline locations when the weather was good, they were able to ski some of the lesser-known, but just as impressive slopes. She says that the week was good but she wouldn't go back.

As for the value of 'linked resorts' - we were in La Tzoumaz in Switzerland which has about 40Kms of piste and a 10Km luge run. Verbier is about 200 Kms, linked by télécabine and piste and it took about 35 minutes to get up to the top of Verbier. This is then linked to Nendaz (1h) and Veysonnaz (1h40m). Some days we stayed in our area, equally, others we would get over to Verbier, and one we went over to Nendaz. But accomodation and food/drink in La Tzoumaz is about 30%-40% the cost in Verbier, yet you can get to the summit of the latter in about the same time, door-to-piste. So an advantage of a linked area may not be not just Kms but prices as well. A recent article in The Guardian describes La Tzoumaz and lists a number of other 'Satellite' resorts in the Alps as well:

http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/dec/06/satellite-ski-resorts-verbier-four-valleys-switzerland

Wow, Msej499, your comment has sent our discussion in a whole new direction. Smaller market skiing with a more local experience is where I live in Canada. So that's where my heart is. My home hill ( http://www.skicastle.ca ) is where locals would choose over Lake Louise or Sunshine in a second on a powder day. On such a day, if your first run was over your knees, so was your last. We get as big or bigger lines as the big resorts, but far fewer people. We unfortunately closed down in February as freaky warm weather just crushed us. The snow has since returned, but the staff has blown to the four winds, so we have to stay closed.

I digress, that article in the Guardian was gold, THANKS!