Chamonix Mont Blanc

Ski-Areas > Northern Alps > Haute-Savoie (74) > Mont-Blanc > Chamonix Mont Blanc

Contents

  1. Chamonix Mont-Blanc History
  2. Off Piste Routes
  3. Travel
  4. Accomodation
  5. Restaurants and Bars
  6. Shopping
  7. Guides and Instructors
  8. Useful Information

Description

The ski resort of Chamonix Mont Blanc is situated in the Mont-Blanc area of the Haute-Savoie department in the Northern Alps region. It is part of the Skipass Mt-Blanc ski domain. The lift served area extends from 1035 metres to 3300 metres. There are 147 km of lift served runs. There are 42 km of cross country trails.

Webcam view of the Massif du Mont Blanc and the Chamonix Valley
Webcam view of the Massif du Mont Blanc and the Chamonix valley from Chamonet.com

Off Piste Routes

The little blue book: Chamonix Hors Piste/Off Piste is an excellent guide to the area with great photos, maps and advice in French and English. French IGN map 3630 OT also covers the whole area at 1:25,000.

Here are some GPS KMZ files for looking at with Google Earth. Most lifts are included. Tracks shown include pistes and off-piste routes, some over challenging terrain: don't just follow them!

Aiguille du Midi Sector

Le Brévent Sector

Le Brévent to La Flégère

La Flégère Sector

Grand Montets Sector

Domaine de Balme (Le Tour) Sector

Travel

Nearest Airports

Road Access

  • A40 to N205 (Autoroute Blanche) from Geneva via Sallanches
  • Tunnel du Mont Blanc N205 from Italy's E25 / A5 from Aosta via Courmayeur
  • N506 from Switzerland's route 203 (via Martigny)

There is a radar at Les Houches heading down the valley (90km zone).

There is a new radar when leaving the airport at Geneva before reaching Annemasse on the way to Chamonix

Rail: http://www.sncf.fr

Connections from St Gervais France or Martigny Switzerland to the local line, which runs from Vallorcine to St Gervais

Stops in the Chamonix commune: (Those within walking distance to ski lifts indicated with **):

  • Les Bossons
  • Les Pelerins
  • Les Moussoux
  • Chamonix (center)** (Le Brevent, Aiguille du Midi)
  • Les Praz** (La Flegere)
  • Les Tines
  • La Joux
  • Argentiere** (Les Grandes Montets)
  • Montroc
  • Le Buet
  • Vallorcine** (Le Tour - now called 'Domaine de Balme')

Map:74400

Accommodation

Chamonix Rentals

Offers a spacious, luxury, one bedroom, apartment available for private rental in the heart of Chamonix Mont Blanc - Chamonix Rental

Maison de L'Argoat

Recently renovated to a high and modern standard this traditional mountain villa contains three luxurious apartments providing splendid accommodation for a memorable holiday. http://www.ski-chx.com/

Mountain-base.com - catered & self-catered chalets, studios & apartments

Mountain Base offer a range of independently owned apartments and chalets throughout the Chamonix Valley. Catered or self-catered, from Les Houches, through Chamonix itself, to Argentière and le Tour, we have the property for you. Please take a look for yourself on Mountain-base.com

Mont-Blanc Retreats

Catered or self actered we have everything you need to make the most of your break. We take the hard work out of planning your holiday so you can put all your efforts into having a good time! Come and see us at: http://www.montblanc-retreats.com

Alpine Ski Holidays

If you are looking for accommodation in chamonix, the please see the following link where you can find a whole host of ski holidays in Chamonix. We've also reviewed skiing in Chamonix for beginner, intermediate and advanced. We've also got a number of chamonix web cam giving views from Mont Blanc, Aiguille du Midi and one of Chamonix town centre. Enjoy

AlpsAdventures

Private 2 bedroom apartment in downtown Chamonix: AlpsAdventures.com

Self Catered Chalets

Beautiful chalet in Les Praz, Chamonix, sleeps ten or twelve, walking distance to the Flegere lift: Chalet La Foret

Hotels

  • Auberge du Bois Prin, 69 chem Hermine. The chic and trendy place to stay and to eat in Chamonix.
  • La Savoyarde, 28 rte Moussoux. Traditional Chamonix chalet under the Brevent with spendid views of le Mont Blanc.

Cheap Places

There is also the ski lodge by the Brevent lifts - it is around 10 quid a night but you do get what you pay for :-).

Apartments

  • Holiday Rentals site lists many apartments for rent by the week in Chamonix and other French ski resorts. Well designed site, easy to use with loads of information and pictures of the properties.

Restaurants and Bars

Here is a list of some of the bars to visit (and some to avoid):

Bars and Pubs

  • MBC - Micro Brasserie de Chamonix Chamonix Micro-Brewery. Also serves great north american style bar food, reservations recommended to get a table for dinner. Very very popular apres ski with occaisional bands and DJs, great mix of French locals, tourists, ex-pats and seasonaires. Only good beer in town. http://www.mbchx.com/
  • The Jekyll - bit of a seasonaire spot but you get a few stars we saw Pierce Brosnan in here while he was filming 007. Also has food.http://www.thejekyll.com/
  • Le Derapage - hidden away in the center of town, quiet early in the night, can get crowded later. Plain old bar owned by Brits.
  • Le Terrasse - art nouveau building, sometimes has live music, snacks available
  • South Bar - Cham Sud Swedish hangout
  • Chambre Neuf - great apres ski bar near the Chamonix train station, Swedish owned, appeals to seasonaires.
  • Le Choucas - mixed crowd of French/English-speakers music with a postage stamp dance 'space', a lot of tables, packed in season
  • Bar'd Up - the last old survivor of the once vibrant Rue du Moulin, raucus, noisy, Aussie style surf bar with DJ

Bars and Pubs we love to hate - the new ominous trend

  • Le Privilege - Hate the name, hate the concept. Doesn't allow dogs (how unfrench can you get) and advertises in writing for 'Girls only' to apply for work there - sexist as well as illegal hiring practices. Hmm - run by same people who own Le Garage with it's famous 'lingerie shows'. Ugh.
  • No Escape - the name could not be more fitting. Chamonix now has No Escape from snotty city bred tossers who want to turn the town into a place only for the wealthy out to impress with attitude rather than cojones. Decor truly un-alpine and un eco friendly plastic and glitz. Sticks out like a sore thumb. Go here if you miss Paris or London and don't ski so the rest of us can avoid you. Replaces the old Wild Wallabies in location but certainly not in spirit. Where did all the fun go? http://www.noescape.fr/
  • The Clubhouse - Wealthy Londoners and Parisians who want to feel special will certainly enjoy themselves here. However snobby, it is still more realistically gay friendly than the 'gay bar' Le Tof and does actually have good DJs come in and spin on occaision. Anyone is allowed in on non-event nights, otherwise at times is 'members only' on crowded nights such as New Years. Sneak in pretending you are a member in the daytime and use their laptops to surf the internet for free. http://www.clubhouse.fr/en/chamonix/

Clubs

The club scene here truly sucks the past two seasons. This is what exists. It changes often as places go out of business quickly it seems. Think tiny, smokey, impossible to breath and hot. Think Very Bad Music. Then think how much more skiing you will get in if you just go home after visiting the pub for a few beers, and do not attempt to go out dancing . . . yes, you will feel much much better if you just go to sleep and get up early to hit the lifts . . .

  • La Cantina - downstairs from the restaurant, goes late at night - Impossibly small, very smokey, packed, sweaty, and impossible to breathe. Go here when really drunk only so you don't need to stand 4 deep at the bar for a drink. Music is the best of the lot.
  • Le Garage - young crowd, pick up club with DJ musc, open late, classy things like 'lingerie shows'
  • Le Tof - Cham sud, Chamonix's only gay club
  • BPM - decor unchanged from the 1970s disco days. Music unchanged as well. Truly square and horrid.

Dead Clubs List

Chamonix has suffered big turnover/losses in places to party and dance over the past 2 seasons due to fires and sales and is sadly losing all apres ski fun - no good large clubs exist anymore.

  • Dick's T Bar - the one and only (did it avoid the great fire?). No - it did not. Closed.
  • Along with Cybar, Queen Vic and Bar du Moulin as additional fire victims, sadly missed.
  • Also closed this season is L'Expedition due to lawsuit filed against them by the apartment building they were in for noise (they lost). Very sad to see them go.
  • Also closed is L'Arbate which was the largest club in town and host to many season opening/losing parties - now being converted into yet another block of flats. Was the only place that decent bands ever had room to play in town.
  • Another goner for 06/07 is the popular Goophys restaurant/bar
  • Multiple goners in Cham Sud - all the new bars that opened in Cham Sud last season such as Bar74 (05/06) have closed down . . .
  • Moveable parties - due to nazi like city council pressures and lack of affordable housing for seasonaires and high rental prices for busineses, truly fun events such as the Cham Jam and the monthly special parties importing DJs from Ibiza, London, Paris etc to clubs such as the Arbate no longer take place. Youth culture on the downward slide in Chamonix. Long live the rich old boring snobs from Paris and London.

Snacks

  • Midnight Express, 23 r Doct Paccard, great for stop outs who get the munchies on the way back from a session
  • Mojo's, town center. Healthy sandwiches, internet access.
  • Grand Central Station, the only bagel in town, imported from New York via Geneva. Lovely Swedish owners and staff. Also serve amazing healty smoothies and other light eats. Across from McDonalds (which you should avoid just as Jose Bove says!)
  • Poco Loco - quick hot sandwiches and fries on rue Docteur Paccard, near Midnight Express. Some indoor seating.

Restaurants

  • la Bergerie - 232 av Michel Croz, excellent, try the Fondu au Morilles washed down with a Mondeuse or Chignin
  • La Cremerie du Glacier - rustic restaurant in the Argentiere woods, near the Pierre a Ric piste at the Grandes Montets and not at all owned by the horrid overpriced Compagnie du Mont Blanc food service nazis - ski in and ski out for lunch, snowshoe up or 4x4 up for dinner. Owned by the local Ravanel family since the WWII era. Fantastic fondus and croutes. Speaking french is best when you order, not english! Reservations advised in season even for lunch. 04 50 54 07 52.
  • Casa Valerio - Rue du Lyret. Italian owned, wood fired pizza, many other Italian dishes, salads.
  • Le Caveau - Rue du Dr Paccard, hidden downstairs. Cheap, good varied menu with pizza, savoyarde, american and including much better versions of tex mex dishes than you would find at the La Cantina restaurant (who somehow thinks chinese egg rolls are substitutes for burritos).
  • Satsuki - Alpine sushi! Yes! Japanese owned restaurant with sushi, many soups, grilled beef and salmon and various other specialties. 286 Rue Joseph Vallot.
  • Le Panier des Quatre Saisons - Rue du Dr Paccard, hidden in a mini mall entrance, great traditional savoyarde food with a gourmande flair. Hidden gem.

Shopping

Chamonix is the St Tropez of the Alps. Full of surf shops, babes in bikinis, guys in baggies and cafes... well that is in the spring when the days get longer. Take a look at Sport Extreme, a big ski supermarket that sells many of its own brand at keen prices. For casual clothes there are Quicksilver, O’Neil and Esprit. If you are looking for reading material there is VO, the bookshop, which has a very helpful owner and a wide range of English language books (unfortunately looks like the owner of VO is selling up and moving out).

Footworks in Cham Sud near the Aiguille du Midi lift station is 'the' place to go for custom fitted ski boots or boot problems, Snell Sports (grand daddy of Chamonix sports stores on Rue Dr Paccard) also does custom boot fittings. Otavalo Sports (on Rue Joseph Vallot just past Super U) is known for their attention to the telemark crowd. In general you will find more fat and off piste all mountain skis and dedicated touring gear stocked in Chamonix than in most other French ski resorts, and far fewer on piste carving and race style performance skis.

For cheap ski gear - towards the end of the season check out all the local stores for the best deals on last year's skis, and check out paper signs posted for season end ski swaps in places such as Cham Sud- sponsored skiers often sell off unused freebie gear at these swaps and check the notice board on the back of the Mairie building in the center of town for skis for sale, as well as look for notices posted at Mojo's and the MBCs for people selling off their extra gear before heading home at season's end. Also across the tunnel, Courmayeur's season tends to end before Chamonix and stores go into reduction pricing a bit before the Cham stores.

Guides and Instructors

The Office de Haute Montagne is probably your first port of call if looking for a guide.

Robbie Fenlon

Also worth mentioning is Robbie Fenlon, an Irish mountain guide who, as well as doing all the usual guides' stuff, organises backcountry courses in conjunction with ski-instructor Derek Tate of BASS Chamonix. These courses offer a very useful and enjoyable introduction to the world of backcountry skiing, with Derek working on off-piste technique while Robbie covers route-planning, avalanche awareness, glacier travel and all the other elements essential to safe enjoyment of the mountains.

http://wilderplaces.com http://www.britishskischool.com

Evolution 2

Evolution 2 is a French owned independent ski school with a more customer oriented approach to teaching and guiding than the traditional ESF. Employs mountain guides for glaciated off piste touring and ski mountaineering as well as top level French and British qualified instructors and stagieres for lessons on or off piste.

Association Internationale des Guides du Mont Blanc

Association Internationale des Guides du Mont Blanc is a well respected French owned independent guides association with 35 full time and 30 part time mountain guides from France, England, Germany and Italy. Their office on the Rue du Moulins was ruined in the recent large fire that took out most of the businesses on one side of the street. But they have moved to a temporary site just across the street from the old office, while their offices are being repaired.

La Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix

La Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix is said to be the oldest guiding company in the world, founded in 1821 and currently employees over 200 guides and accompagnateurs and so is both the 'original' and largest guiding company in Chamonix. At one point in the past, they only allowed people born in Chamonix to join their company, but times have now changed.

Mountain Guide Adventure

Mountain Guide Adventure : A Mountain Guide team in Chamonix providing around the Alps : heliskiing, ski touring, off piste skiing, avalanche training, ice climbing, mountaineering, alpine rock climbing and Worldwide Expeditions

http://www.mountain-guide-adventure.com/index_EN.html

Useful Information

Chamonet.com

Chamonet.com puts you in touch with what is going on in Chamonix both summer and winter. It has links to estate agents, restaurants, shopping, ski rental, ski schools, transfers, mountain weather and slope conditions

Category: Ski Areas

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Page last modified on April 04, 2008, at 12:22 PM

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