Chamonix (Mont Blanc) High altitude resort |
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| Resort description |
Chamonix is set at the foot of Mont Blanc, Europe's highest mountain at 16,000 feet, and has been a major alpine centre since the 19th century. Chamonix is a fascinating traditional ski resort with a bustling atmosphere. Chamonix is car free in the centre of the resort and has cobbled streets, beautiful buildings and a fast running river. The picturesque village offers a good range of attractions, shops, bars and restaurants as well as a large sports complex offering a variety of activities, a swimming pool, and an ice rink.
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Chamonix
On
Saturday there is a lively market in the resort
centre
Chamonix
is less than 15 km away from Switzerland and only 20
minutes away from Italy via the Mont Blanc
tunnel.
You
can discover the Mer de
Glace on the picturesque cog railway of Montenvers
You
can also fly over the Mont Blanc range with Chamonix
Mont Blanc helicopters
Chamonix
has breathtaking views of Mont Blanc and the French
Alps.
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Skiing in Chamonix
Experience
the famous Aiguille du
Midi cable car ride up to 3842m the highest
cable car ride in Europe, it a ride of 2 stages, the
first taking you to the steep powder run of Pre des
Rochers. The second stage
takes you to the point of the glacier with a run down
the Vallée
Blanche.
Chamonix
mountainous terrain is an enticement to adventurous
skiers and boarders who are attracted by runs, which
are steep and long and provide the ultimate
rush
Les Grands
Montets is the largest piste
skiing area in the Chamonix valley. At an altitude of
3300m and north facing garantees quality snow, even
late into the season. The shear size of the area, its
vertical possibilities and high mountain atmosphere,
place it in the Premier League of great ski
resorts
The
Grand Montets area is the
best for off piste due to its vast area
For
beginners Le Tour and Les Houches ski areas are most
accommodating
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Snowboarding in Chamonix
Chamonix
has long been known as the extreme free-riding
capital of Europe. Vast areas of accessible
off-piste, man made and natural half pipes, gullies
galore, and plenty of varied terrain to suit any
rider
If
you're into tricks, there are the natural kickers at
Le Brevent and La Flégère that can
be tried
There's a
half pipe built at the Grands
Montets and a natural one at Le
Tour
Chamonix
is not the best place for beginners
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Cross-country skiing
There
are 42km/26 miles of trails. The majority of these
lie along the valley between Chamonix and Argentière
There
is a good selection of green, blue, red and black
trails
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Ski Schools
Chamonix has many ski schools including ESF
The ESF has many English speaking instructors
The ESF offer a wide variety of lessons from alpine
skiing, snowboarding to off piste skiing
For more information about pre-booking Ski School in
Chamonix, please
select
here
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Lift Passes
Lift
passes give access to the whole of the Chamonix ski
area
For
more information about Chamonix lift passes, please
click
here
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| The Skiing |
The skiing is divided into 5 main areas some at a short bus ride away. The domain has excellent range of testing and high altitude glacier runs. Chamonix boasts unbeatable snow and remains the undisputed off-piste capital of Europe. With the Vallee Blanche' decent which is skied with a guide provides 24km of unforgettable skiing in stunning scenery. La Tour is an excellent all round intermediate area with spectacular views down the valley, good for a day's family skiing. Though Chamonix is highly recommended to expert's skiers, beginners will also enjoy the gentle nursery slopes of Les Planards.
Ski Pass Mont Blanc opens up to 700 km of pistes covering a dozen local resorts including Megève. Please note driving with your own car is required for interconnecting resorts. |
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| Après Ski |
| Chamonix has a very lively après ski with a wide selection of typical cafes, bars, 80 restaurants, and 7 discotheques. There is a wide selection of restaurants in Chamonix such as the Michelin rated Le Hameau Albert 1er Hotel, La Caléche offering fine cuisine and Sarpé mountain restaurant. Live music can be found in Arbat bar and Bar Terrasse. |
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| Amenities |
| The world class casino in the centre of town will tempt the gambler in you with black jack, roulette and slot machines of the purest tradition. The Vox cinema delights moviegoers with all the latest films. Chamonix also has banks, an Alpine museum, a good range of shops including grocery shops and free car parks close to the ski lifts. |
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| Activities |
| There is a large sports complex offering a sports hall, indoor and outdoor ice rink, speed skating rink, 19 tennis courts (including 4 indoor), squash courts, swimming pool complex with water-slide and a fitness centre (saunas, Turkish baths and solarium). You could also try snowshoeing, paragliding or enjoy a sleigh ride. |
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| Getting there |
Driving distance: From Calais: 557 miles, approximately 8 hrs.
Airport access: Geneva: 49 miles, approximately 1hr. Chambery: 88 miles, approximately 1hr 30. Lyon: 137 miles, approximately 2hrs 30. |
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| Ski Facts |
| Village height: |
1035m (3,396 ft) |
Slope range: |
1035m (3,396 ft) - 3842m (12,605 ft) |
Ski area: |
Evasion Mont Blanc |
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| Piste coverage |
445 |
| Ski lifts |
230 |
| Ski runs |
354 |
| Green |
65 |
| Blue |
110 |
| Red |
127 |
| Black |
52 |
| Snow cannons |
300 |
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| Beginners |
** |
| Intermediates |
*** |
| Experts |
**** |
| Boarders |
**** |
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| Local Ski Area |
Chamonix has 152km of slopes, 49 ski lifts, 12 green runs, 29 blue runs, 25 red runs and 14 black runs. |
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| Tourist Office |
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Click to Chamonix (Mont Blanc) website
