I’ve just returned from an excellent stay at the Chalet Grands Montets in Chamonix.  Newly finished, this chalet has been completely rebuilt from a shell that dates back to the 1940s. Finished to a high standard, it offers a modern twist to the traditional chalet interior. There are five en-suite bedrooms, a large dining and living room, under floor heating, great views from the balcony plus the all important hot tub. Ideal for groups and large families looking for quality with an affordable price tag, this is great value for money!  

Skiing Argentiere and Les Grands Montets

The chalet’s trump card is its location. Chamonix is renowned for extreme skiing and a fragmented, inaccessible ski area, however a quick hop across the road are the Grands Montets lift and ski area. This is fine for intermediates, as are the linked areas of Brévent and Flégère which are easily accessed by a bus from the Montets lift. Complete beginners? No problem, the area of Le Tour is only a 5 minute drive away (a personal driver and mini bus can be arranged for the week) and offers a fantastic area for those just starting out. Very gentle slopes, soaked in sunshine and some of the most stunning views looking back at Mont Blanc. Lovely.

Guided off piste skiing in Courmayeur

What a view, Courmayeur at its best!

For those looking to go further afield, an off piste guide can be organised from just a day to a whole week. I joined in with a group who were being guided by Sebastien, check out his stuff here!  Making full use of our Mont Blanc unlimited pass, and because Seb knew the snow would be better, we headed through the Mont Blanc tunnel into Courmayeur. Even though it had not snowed in a while, temperatures had remained low. Seb was able to sniff out pockets of untracked powder and everyone enjoyed the fantastic bluebird day. If you are looking to make the most of your time exploring the entire mountain, a guide is invaluable and a safer way of pushing your limits.

Skiing the Vallée Blanche

Walking "like a w****" to get to the Vallée Blanche

My third and final day in Chamonix and I was set to head up the Aiguille du Midi, the second most popular attraction in France to the Eiffiel tower and apparently busier in the summer than winter. Apart from the stunning views the main reason to get up there is to ski down the Vallée Blanche. I had known about this famous run since I was a child and when the opportunity arose I excitedly grabbed it with both hands. Time would be against us though as my return airport transfer was at 1.30pm… You can actually book a place on the lift in advance (same too for the top Grands Montets lift) and just turn up at the time and avoid any queues. Luckily that day we were able to jump straight on the next available lift. At the middle station you change onto the final lift – this has just one singular cable and no pylons in between the stations, rising parallel with the rock face until you finally reach the summit.

And what a summit! As you can imagine the views are breathtaking and the whole station has a great James Bond feel with buildings and gangways precariously clinging to the mountain. Time to get the harness on, attach crampons and rope up to each other for the walk down the ridge. I had never worn crampons before and the main risk with them is getting caught up with your own spikes and pitching forwards. With the advice of ‘walk like a whore’ we successfully navigated our way down and onto the start of the Vallée run. The ski itself can be completed by an advanced intermediate but you will need a guide and have to be vigilant of crevasses (we passed the French army doing crevasse training on the way down). Also you will need good weather, again mainly for navigating your way down safely but also to take in the sheer beauty of the Mer de Glace and the surrounding peaks. This is the main reason for doing the Vallée Blanche and it’s worth it! Depending on snow conditions you can ski all the way back to town (usually Jan-Feb) otherwise it’s a quick trip down on the train. After a frantic drive I arrived back at the chalet at 1.20pm – a quick pack and onto the transfer –  at Geneva airport 60 minutes later and on the flight back to London and home, all before I could properly collect my thoughts on Chamonix.

As soon as you arrive in Chamonix you can feel it is very different, it feels more serious – and it did not disappoint. This is a proper mountain town, with skiing, not a ski resort. However, Chamonix is truly accessible to all. You could happily stay at one of the Mountain Lodges and explore the Grands Montets for a few days and easily access Flegere and Brevent by bus for the rest of the week. Alternatively, a chauffeured minibus could be arranged for you to all go out and explore one of the best mountain playgrounds the Alps have to offer!

A week in chalet Grands Montets starts from £500pp for remaining dates this season. If you’d like more information about accommodation in Chamonix then you can also visit our Chamonix Chalets website or give Ross a call!

Chamonix. The name itself rings all the superlatives; the highest lift, the longest off-piste run and the most awe inspiring views the Alps have to offer. A Mecca too for the extreme off-pisters…but is this all this resort can offer? I think not; I think this is a ‘must –ski’ place for most, for a good number of reasons.

Four of us have just returned from one of our best ski trips yet; skiing through the trees in untracked snow, cruising down the piste in glorious sun shine and going off-piste in two foot of fresh champagne powder in Italy!

Our choice of accommodation in Chamonix.

We chose our accommodation, the Chalet Grands du Bois in Les Houches, as we aimed to do at least a couple of days skiing in this charming little resort, plus we wanted a good location to explore other close-by resorts. The chalet was ideal for us; neatly laid out and fully catered, but close enough to a few local bars to enjoy a drink in the evening.

We also considered one of the Mountain Lodges in Argentiere, towards the end of the Chamonix valley. The Mountain Lodges offer top quality accommodation, suited for groups of practically any size – from a small group of 6 to 30+. We love this little group of chalets as their location is simply unbeatable – bang opposite the Grands Montets, which is one of the best ski areas for mixed abilities, guaranteed good snow as most slopes are mainly north or north-west facing, which means great skiing right up to the end of the season.  The chalets are located a stone’s throw away (OK, a 5 minute complimentary shuttle ride) from Le Tour, ideal for beginners and back-country seekers,  where the best view of the Chamonix Valley and Mont Blanc can be had.

If we really wanted to push the boat out we could have stayed in the top-end Chalet Cloud Nine, or the Chalet Zenith both in the middle of Chamonix itself. Service and catering does simply not get better than this. Offering hot tubs, saunas and the Full Monty these really are the crème de la crème of luxury ski accommodation.

Skiing in Chamonix, Les Houches.

Within an hour of picking up the car hire at Geneva airport we were in Les Houches, a charming village at the start of the Chamonix valley, just 7km from the main town itself. With its own piste/lift system, tree-runs and charming mountain restaurants, Les Houches is definitely worth a day or two of your time in the valley. On a good day great views of Mont Blanc are enjoyed; on the white-out days the lower tree-lined slopes offer good shelter. After picking up our skis from Cyprien Sports we bought a 4hr lift pass (€27 ) which was just enough time to get our ski legs back, enjoy some tree-runs and to finish off with the unmissable ‘beer on the slopes’.

Back to the chalet (via the creperie), and a few more beers in the Hotel du Bois, just below our chalet, and the thoughts for the next few days were considered.

Choice of slopes.

We woke up to overcast skies; decision time. The forecast was fairly unsettled, but there was some blue creeping out from behind the clouds. What to do? Do we risk going up high, to the Grands Montets above Argentiere, one of the most popular ski areas as it’s north facing which preserves the snow all season? The height would have possibly meant we could get above the clouds, you can get up to 3275m on the Les Grands Montet cable car, but an additional fee is payable. Or, do we try heading up the south facing Brevent-Flegere ski area which is great on a sunny day and has good skiing for intermediates and advanced skiers and is just above Chamonix town itself? Or Italy – always an option when the weather is closing in as it is said that poor weather in Chamonix can lead to good weather over the border, just 25 minutes through the Mont Blanc tunnel and you could be in Courmayeur.

In retrospect, we chose well, and headed back to Les Houches again, you know, just playing around like big kids in the snow. Worth a mention was ‘lunch’; we re-visited Les Vieilles Luges, an absolute charming property owned and run by the lovely Julie and Claude. Accessible just off the blue ‘Allouds’ piste (look out for a small, tree-lined track on the left, signposted to the restaurant) the property retains many original features and family heirlooms; on display is the grandfather’s luge, grandmother’s ‘home made’ ice skates and uncle’s crampons. This place makes your usual mountain cafe incredibly plain! If you like charm, character, home cooked food and wonderful hospitality it’s definitely worth a stop and booking is essential between 12 and 2pm, which says a lot!

It was in here where our discussion about the merits of Chamonix started; Chamonix is just a brilliant location to be based for a winter ski holiday. OK, it’s not the usual ski-in ski-out, ski-all-week-from-the-chalet type resort but in a way this is exactly why it is so good. You really can wake up in the morning and decide which way to head, weather and/or conditions depending. It does boast its own amazing ski areas, each with their own individual qualities (although not interlinked) as well as easy access to a dozen others, if you are prepared to make the journey. Get this: with drives from 30 minutes to just over an hour you can ski in a host of other French ski resorts (Les Contamines, St Gervais, Megeve, Les Gets, Morzine, Avoriaz, Flaine to name a few) or nip into Italy (Courmayeur) or over the Cols du Montets and into Switzerland (to ski in Verbier and Nendaz). Which other resort has this varied choice? Not many for sure.

This topic of conversation continued for the duration of the trip, but as far as the remainder of the day was concerned, the famous Khandahar Olympic run (la Verte), was challenged for approximately 20 seconds, just try and straight line it… believe me after barely 10 seconds which seems like 10 minutes you’re pulling up with your legs trembling! Time to head back to the trees and powder and then back to the chalet for more beers.

Sunshine and Blue Skies on Brevent-Flegere.

When the sun shines and the Vitamin D needs topping up, there is no better place to ski than Brevent-Flegere, providing glorious views over the mighty Mont Blanc and the whole of the Chamonix valley. Brevent is most suited for intermediates and advanced skiers due the lack of green runs (well, there is one). If you like a challenge then you should try the Charles Bozon run down to Plan Praz or after some snow you have virtually unlimited off piste skiing ranging from in between the pistes to very steep gulleys and big bowls.

Flegere is linked to Brevent by a cable car but can also be accessed from the Flegere car park. Flegere is an all round ski area, great for piste skiers of all abilities and those looking to enjoy some off piste skiing. Like Brevent, the ski area can be bathed in sunshine right up to the end of the ski day.

So there it was, sun, views and the vertical excitement of Brevent-Flegere left us feeling happy, sunburnt but contented. Beers enjoyed in the delightful Le Delice and if it wasn’t for the great food in the chalet, a bite to eat in here would have gone down a treat, by the look and smell of the stuff!!

Powder and Pizza – skiing in Courmayeur.

This is my point. This sums up the great location. 25 minutes, yes, 25 MINUTES (!!) from Les Houches and we were buying our lift tickets for a day’s perfect skiing in Courmayeur in Italy. Lift pass for the day = 42 Euros, (+ the return fee for the 11.6 km Mont Blanc Tunnel at 45 Euros) but what a DAY! On the mountain and skiing within 45 minutes from leaving our chalet! Now, let’s be honest; by the time you’ve stomped up the road in your ski boots or waited for the resort bus you’d struggle to beat that in any resort!

And the day just got better. 2 foot of fresh Steamboat-coined (and trademarked) Champagne Powder, sprinkled over the mountain, just for us. I have never skied in anything like it. Groomed pistes and tree-dotted off-piste with up to 24 inches of the lightest, fluffiest stuff I have ever known. A true classic powder day! The slopes were virtually empty, skiing in February this seemed unreal. A great value lunch, of Parma-style ham and melted cheese + a beer for 10 Euros topped off a great day, and with a ‘Ciao’, we left with fond memories and with promises to return.

In summary

- Chamonix offers a wide range of skiing – basic beginners though to extreme off piste and the resorts 3 distinct areas provide varied skiing for all conditions. Other close by resorts offer excellent options which allow you to take advantage of conditions day by day!

- If you want flexibility, ‘accommodation-only’ holidays are great value, and basing you or your group for a week can prove to be the most varied holiday you could have. But be prepared to travel a little from your base!

- Consider buying your lift pass every day, after deciding where to ski, rather than buyingf a weekly pass. This does work out slightly more expensive but will give you the flexibility and freedom of deciding that morning where to go, weather and snow conditions permitting.

- If going on an ‘accommodation-only’ holiday, check to see if the operator provides bus transfers or we would recommend hiring a car at the airport, meaning a quick and easy transfer to and from resort, and, ditto; will give you the flexibility and freedom of deciding that morning where to go, weather and snow conditions permitting.