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Going out to chamonix at the end of February. Was wondering if anyone has suggestions for restaurants, bars, coffee shops, trails, general advice, etc?
Thank you!
Where in Cham? There’s 4 resorts in the valley, Grand-Montets is the only one worth your time unless the snow is insane. GM has some of the most raw exposed terrain I’ve ever skied. If you like cliffs rocks and not knowing if you’re gonna fall off a huge cliff, go GM. If you like tree skiing and the snow is good enough, take the drive through the tunnel and ski Courmayeur for a day. Never had a deeper day in my life than at Courmayeur, place is awesome. Super steeped in ski culture and it doesn’t get the same amount of people/tourists that Cham does.
animatorWhere in Cham? There’s 4 resorts in the valley, Grand-Montets is the only one worth your time unless the snow is insane. GM has some of the most raw exposed terrain I’ve ever skied. If you like cliffs rocks and not knowing if you’re gonna fall off a huge cliff, go GM. If you like tree skiing and the snow is good enough, take the drive through the tunnel and ski Courmayeur for a day. Never had a deeper day in my life than at Courmayeur, place is awesome. Super steeped in ski culture and it doesn’t get the same amount of people/tourists that Cham does.
s0ulbucketI think we will be staying near la flegere area
All 4 are on the same access road. You pretty much go from like downtown Cham up the road to Argentiere, Flegere, Le Tour and GM. So you’ll be in the vicinity of all 4
animatorAll 4 are on the same access road. You pretty much go from like downtown Cham up the road to Argentiere, Flegere, Le Tour and GM. So you’ll be in the vicinity of all 4
animatorIf you like tree skiing and the snow is good enough, take the drive through the tunnel and ski Courmayeur for a day. Never had a deeper day in my life than at Courmayeur, place is awesome.
++
went to cham like 7 years ago and the snow coverage on the french side of the tunnel was pretty bad so we skied courmayeur every day but one. definitely get over there OP... it is very very sick
Best advice on this thread. Obviously, go have fun and explore flegere and grand montets and all the goods on your own. But if you’re going all the way to chamonix, being with a guide will unlock beyond epic skiing potentials. It’s like a cheat code for the mountain and the terrain there, you just won’t be able to find as good of snow and ski terrain as you would with a guide. In a perfect world, I’d ski the first day or two solo, then have a guide in the middle and then have another day solo to round off the trip. Chamonix area is just too fucked to not take advantage of having a guide show you around.
bob_doleBest advice on this thread. Obviously, go have fun and explore flegere and grand montets and all the goods on your own. But if you’re going all the way to chamonix, being with a guide will unlock beyond epic skiing potentials. It’s like a cheat code for the mountain and the terrain there, you just won’t be able to find as good of snow and ski terrain as you would with a guide. In a perfect world, I’d ski the first day or two solo, then have a guide in the middle and then have another day solo to round off the trip. Chamonix area is just too fucked to not take advantage of having a guide show you around.
you just extended the best advice - do like this guy said, be stunned by the area and ride solo the first day. But then definitely book a guide to have a completely new experience and more fun the rest of your stay. if you're new in town, chambre neuf is the place to go to for apres. and don't take this the wrong way, but since i have no idea about your mountaineering skill set; always be aware that chamonix is different and challenging. unfortunately some are not and the death rate of this place could be lower than it is.
ajbskiI have my flights to geneva booked for feb 23.
kind of going in the dark too. not sure what to expect.
should i rent a car, or just take the train?
That’s actually pretty close to when ill
be there too. What I’ve read is that you can take a bus from the airport to chamonix and that there is plenty of public transport to get around once you are there
s0ulbucketThat’s actually pretty close to when ill
be there too. What I’ve read is that you can take a bus from the airport to chamonix and that there is plenty of public transport to get around once you are there
yeaaaaaa. idk there is some nice feeling of independence when you have a car though.
last time i was in zurich, i took the wrong train and was absolutely scolded by the dude checking tickets. I also want to go to zermatt in the same trip.
ajbskiyeaaaaaa. idk there is some nice feeling of independence when you have a car though.
last time i was in zurich, i took the wrong train and was absolutely scolded by the dude checking tickets. I also want to go to zermatt in the same trip.
ajbskiyeaaaaaa. idk there is some nice feeling of independence when you have a car though.
last time i was in zurich, i took the wrong train and was absolutely scolded by the dude checking tickets. I also want to go to zermatt in the same trip.
If you go to Zermatt you really want to take the train. The Swiss train routes are amazing + you can not reach Zermatt by car, the last part is by train anyway.. If you have the time you could also add Andermatt to the trip..
French food is my favorite in Europe, so pick the price point you want for that meal and send it and you won't be disappointed. Eating in Switzerland sucks since it's extremely expensive. Even when the food is awesome, you just feel ripped off even if you can afford it just fine. Zermatt is very cool, but Chamonix is my favorite place to ski in the region by far. I would honestly just do it right and ski the shit out of Chamonix's infinite slopes rather than spend a ton of money and time going to other ski spots.
GM and Argentiere are worth your time, GM is best by far. GM is pretty manageable even if you haven't skied in Europe very much, but if you take the tram you need to study where you are going. You can go off onto the glacier and end up in extremely dangerous terrain, but if you are skiing smart it's fairly obvious where to go and not go alone. When I ski GM, I go with a partner and ride with a crevasse rescue kit. Both Argentiere and GM have easy access to terrain with enormous cliffs off the sides of very easy skiing, so study up where you are going and don't go ripping around in low visibility solo without any clue what's in front of you.
The French ski like we do in the US, but leaving the pistes is a "ski at your own risk" endeavor. Skiing in between the runs in the middle of GM is fine and dandy, just be smart when you hit something new.
Dustin.The French ski like we do in the US, but leaving the pistes is a "ski at your own risk" endeavor. Skiing in between the runs in the middle of GM is fine and dandy, just be smart when you hit something new.
Came back to point this out.
1 meter outside the pistes is off piste. Yes even if it is between pistes. Legally talking of course. But really, do not think everything between pistes is safe, it is not. Yes of course they try to keep things clear on off pistes slopes that could end up on a piste, but it is not like the US inbounds system. Also, check your insurance for off piste rescue.
Dustin.French food is my favorite in Europe, so pick the price point you want for that meal and send it and you won't be disappointed. Eating in Switzerland sucks since it's extremely expensive. Even when the food is awesome, you just feel ripped off even if you can afford it just fine. Zermatt is very cool, but Chamonix is my favorite place to ski in the region by far. I would honestly just do it right and ski the shit out of Chamonix's infinite slopes rather than spend a ton of money and time going to other ski spots.
GM and Argentiere are worth your time, GM is best by far. GM is pretty manageable even if you haven't skied in Europe very much, but if you take the tram you need to study where you are going. You can go off onto the glacier and end up in extremely dangerous terrain, but if you are skiing smart it's fairly obvious where to go and not go alone. When I ski GM, I go with a partner and ride with a crevasse rescue kit. Both Argentiere and GM have easy access to terrain with enormous cliffs off the sides of very easy skiing, so study up where you are going and don't go ripping around in low visibility solo without any clue what's in front of you.
The French ski like we do in the US, but leaving the pistes is a "ski at your own risk" endeavor. Skiing in between the runs in the middle of GM is fine and dandy, just be smart when you hit something new.
I think you’ve just sold me on Chamonix. Is 8 days overkill? Want to avoid spending a bunch of time on trains or in cars going from place to place.
1 meter outside the pistes is off piste. Yes even if it is between pistes. Legally talking of course. But really, do not think everything between pistes is safe, it is not. Yes of course they try to keep things clear on off pistes slopes that could end up on a piste, but it is not like the US inbounds system. Also, check your insurance for off piste rescue.
When i skied at Val Thorens, i only skied in between the pistes. It was easy to check out most of the mini golf type sections from the lift, sometimes hard to figure out how to get there, but i never felt like i was into anything super dangerous doing that. I know Chamonix is way crazier terrain.
Regarding transport from Geneva to Cham: I prefer booking a bus/transfer service ahead of time over other options. The rates were reasonable when shared with a group vs private and more enjoyable than renting because you can stare out the windows at the landscape as you go up in elevation without worrying about driving. Do some research as there’s a few; I think we used one called mountain dropoffs (this was in 2015 so it’s been a bit). Sometimes the hotels can book this stuff for you if you’re staying in one.
Food: lots of great food options in Cham for all budgets and preferences. I did the touristy fondue night at Le Monchu, and then a few other random spots. There’s an Italian place near the fondue spot that that was great and the host/owner was super hospitable to our large group despite it being a small place.
Others have touched on the main points for skiing unless you have some experience with mountaineering. Agree with the comments on snagging a guide - especially if you are going to head up the Midi. Plenty of people don’t do it but In our case the guide assessed we could ski well and we took a different and more challenging route than the normal run down the mer de glas. Again there are a ton of guides out there so do some research.
Have fun and hope for great snow. Been there for a week with sun baked dog crap snow (party) and a week with 9ft of pow and had a blast each time.
JonzoRegarding transport from Geneva to Cham: I prefer booking a bus/transfer service ahead of time over other options. The rates were reasonable when shared with a group vs private and more enjoyable than renting because you can stare out the windows at the landscape as you go up in elevation without worrying about driving. Do some research as there’s a few; I think we used one called mountain dropoffs (this was in 2015 so it’s been a bit). Sometimes the hotels can book this stuff for you if you’re staying in one.
Food: lots of great food options in Cham for all budgets and preferences. I did the touristy fondue night at Le Monchu, and then a few other random spots. There’s an Italian place near the fondue spot that that was great and the host/owner was super hospitable to our large group despite it being a small place.
Others have touched on the main points for skiing unless you have some experience with mountaineering. Agree with the comments on snagging a guide - especially if you are going to head up the Midi. Plenty of people don’t do it but In our case the guide assessed we could ski well and we took a different and more challenging route than the normal run down the mer de glas. Again there are a ton of guides out there so do some research.
Have fun and hope for great snow. Been there for a week with sun baked dog crap snow (party) and a week with 9ft of pow and had a blast each time.
Awesome, thanks so much for the rec’s!
yeah I’ve done some backcountry spots like tuckerman ravine before and also do some climbing here and there but will definitely be getting a guide. Super stoked to check it out in a few months!
Skied Chamonix last March. Flew into Geneva, hired a car, stayed in an Air BnB outside of Geneva and drove back and forth numerous days through the week. Hired a guide one of those days in Chamonix(with the help from fellow NS members)and yes, definitely worth it. I was also able to ski La Clusaz one of those days that week. The hire car did give us(my wife and child) some freedoms to go explore other areas when we were not skiing but was very expensive with the added road tolls.
If I had to do it all over again, I would fly into Geneva, jump on a bus to Chamonix and stay there all week. Use the money I would spend on a hire car and use on some fancy dining with my wife or hire another guide. The public transportation in Chamonix is top notch and super easy to navigate. Go have fun, party it up, eat good food, ski great mountains and take lots of pictures!
animatorWhere in Cham? There’s 4 resorts in the valley, Grand-Montets is the only one worth your time unless the snow is insane. GM has some of the most raw exposed terrain I’ve ever skied. If you like cliffs rocks and not knowing if you’re gonna fall off a huge cliff, go GM. If you like tree skiing and the snow is good enough, take the drive through the tunnel and ski Courmayeur for a day. Never had a deeper day in my life than at Courmayeur, place is awesome. Super steeped in ski culture and it doesn’t get the same amount of people/tourists that Cham does.
IndieCHXI lived in Cham for awhile, please let me know if you’d like any specific advice. More than happy to help 👍🏼
Where do I find chill ski touring stuff out of Argentiere?
What avalanche bulletin should I be looking at?
I speak some French (Canadian), but not really conversational. When asking people questions, do I start with French or should I just speak english?
what pisses people off over there?
For example I hate seeing people litter here. In so many cultures throwing garbage on the ground is fine, but it really pisses me off. Farting in the tram?
any roads I should be really careful driving on? Cops/speeding wise
is there anywhere that serves legit raclette and fendant in Cham?
have you skied in America? How do blue/red/black trails compare with green/blue/blk/dbl blk here? I saw some go pro videos of black trails and they look super easy, like blue here.
how busy do ski resorts get there? How long do you usually have to wait in the lift lines? 5-20min is pretty average for me, and I know some guys out west wait 30-40min or even an hour on busy days. Should I consider lift waiting times for my plans for the day?
loving this thread, I am flying into Geneva two weeks from today and yall answered so many questions that I had.
For people that lived in Cham, will public transportation from les houches be fine for 5 days? I am traveling with 7 others, 2 of them being girlfriends with potential of complaining / slowing everyone down / different interests from the boys. I am heavily debating getting a rental car so i dont have to deal with any of that, but personally i would love public transportation for saving money and for a more in-depth experience of the culture (might sound weird but i truly do appreciate it).
_moneyloving this thread, I am flying into Geneva two weeks from today and yall answered so many questions that I had.
For people that lived in Cham, will public transportation from les houches be fine for 5 days? I am traveling with 7 others, 2 of them being girlfriends with potential of complaining / slowing everyone down / different interests from the boys. I am heavily debating getting a rental car so i dont have to deal with any of that, but personally i would love public transportation for saving money and for a more in-depth experience of the culture (might sound weird but i truly do appreciate it).
ajbskiWhere do I find chill ski touring stuff out of Argentiere?
What avalanche bulletin should I be looking at?
I speak some French (Canadian), but not really conversational. When asking people questions, do I start with French or should I just speak english?
what pisses people off over there?
For example I hate seeing people litter here. In so many cultures throwing garbage on the ground is fine, but it really pisses me off. Farting in the tram?
any roads I should be really careful driving on? Cops/speeding wise
is there anywhere that serves legit raclette and fendant in Cham?
have you skied in America? How do blue/red/black trails compare with green/blue/blk/dbl blk here? I saw some go pro videos of black trails and they look super easy, like blue here.
how busy do ski resorts get there? How long do you usually have to wait in the lift lines? 5-20min is pretty average for me, and I know some guys out west wait 30-40min or even an hour on busy days. Should I consider lift waiting times for my plans for the day?
sorry, I’m a bit nervous about this trip.
I know it's late but that might serve for others :
you have chill ski touring stuff on Brévent-Flégère, when you climbs up a little to dive down the north faces behind, in Aiguilles Rouges. A classic that is often well marked yet often has very good snow to ski is the Col d'Encrenaz (you park slightly above the Buet village, skin up to the Col, dive down to Bérard valley and enjoy the beer at the arrival).
The coolest classic in Grands Montets is probably the Col du Passon, I let you check this one.
Le Tour village station has a lot of easy access offpistes from the highest skilift, but be careful not to dive in Pointe du Van/Croix de Fer's couloirs, that are very avalanchous.
The avalanche bulletin to read is the BERA, found online on meteofrance (in public datas), it will also be pinned on every guidehouse doors every morning.
In Cham you can just start speaking in english, since 98% of the local pop is now native english...
Regarding what pisses people off over there, I can't think about anything specific, just dont throw things in the mountains ofc
Regarding roads, the whole Chamonix valley from Sallanches to Vallorcine is full of cops. Don't try to exit Chamonix with you car on a friday night after 5 liters of beer.
I cant help you with raclette/fondue restaurants in Cham because it's more a dish you make yourself and eat in family in Savoie/Haute-Savoie, though they are probably good yet expensive. The best way to enjoy a fondue is to go in Savoie, find yourself a local girl and enjoy a brain-melting beaufort fondue with a lot of Chambéry wine.
I've never skied in America, in Cham on north face (grands montets) the reds are often steep and hardpacked since everyone slides on it, pushing the snow on sides with their 100+ mm wide skis, and blacks are often steep mogul walls, which is cool.
In Grands Montets after a massive snowfall, you'd better be parked 1h30 before the opening... Otherwise, you can have a little bit of wait at the very beginning but nothing too much.
Thank you very much for the insight!
I am very excited to get to experience your culture and mountains.
FrenchibreI know it's late but that might serve for others :
you have chill ski touring stuff on Brévent-Flégère, when you climbs up a little to dive down the north faces behind, in Aiguilles Rouges. A classic that is often well marked yet often has very good snow to ski is the Col d'Encrenaz (you park slightly above the Buet village, skin up to the Col, dive down to Bérard valley and enjoy the beer at the arrival).
The coolest classic in Grands Montets is probably the Col du Passon, I let you check this one.
Le Tour village station has a lot of easy access offpistes from the highest skilift, but be careful not to dive in Pointe du Van/Croix de Fer's couloirs, that are very avalanchous.
The avalanche bulletin to read is the BERA, found online on meteofrance (in public datas), it will also be pinned on every guidehouse doors every morning.
In Cham you can just start speaking in english, since 98% of the local pop is now native english...
Regarding what pisses people off over there, I can't think about anything specific, just dont throw things in the mountains ofc
Regarding roads, the whole Chamonix valley from Sallanches to Vallorcine is full of cops. Don't try to exit Chamonix with you car on a friday night after 5 liters of beer.
I cant help you with raclette/fondue restaurants in Cham because it's more a dish you make yourself and eat in family in Savoie/Haute-Savoie, though they are probably good yet expensive. The best way to enjoy a fondue is to go in Savoie, find yourself a local girl and enjoy a brain-melting beaufort fondue with a lot of Chambéry wine.
I've never skied in America, in Cham on north face (grands montets) the reds are often steep and hardpacked since everyone slides on it, pushing the snow on sides with their 100+ mm wide skis, and blacks are often steep mogul walls, which is cool.
In Grands Montets after a massive snowfall, you'd better be parked 1h30 before the opening... Otherwise, you can have a little bit of wait at the very beginning but nothing too much.
other than the sacred 2017 blends flying off the roof rack and being run over, it was a trip of a lifetime! most beautiful place I have ever visited, I hope you have the time of your life! South Bar had the greatest hospitality for Americans, definitely stop by there for a couple beers! and lmk if you have any questions i am more than happy to help
_moneyother than the sacred 2017 blends flying off the roof rack and being run over, it was a trip of a lifetime! most beautiful place I have ever visited, I hope you have the time of your life! South Bar had the greatest hospitality for Americans, definitely stop by there for a couple beers! and lmk if you have any questions i am more than happy to help
Ah yeah those are sexy sticks. I used to have the 2016 model and loved them. How did those hold up in that area given how much flex they have? I found they were too soft for certain conditions/terrain’s
s0ulbucketAh yeah those are sexy sticks. I used to have the 2016 model and loved them. How did those hold up in that area given how much flex they have? I found they were too soft for certain conditions/terrain’s
yessir i have the 2016s as well those were some of my favorite skis ever! the 2017s were my homies so i let him use my Mango 100s for the week and I rented some black crows. I definitely see your concern, its very open and steep in a lot of sections but they really didnt have much snow at all, so the bends were fine while they were being used. I would suggest something a little stiffer though so you can really go fast and charge in the bowls and off-piste terrain!
Honestly I'd kind of echo what that dude said about Grand Montets the only excellent skiing is off of that tram unless you are talking about the lower elevations which look sick but need crazy snow.
Hiring a guide for the Agui Di Midi is cool and worth it for a 1x thing but its spending 1 day taking 1 run.
Hopefully you hit it when crowds aren't too bad. Want to do Portes Du Soleil next time.
Professor-Modelo++
went to cham like 7 years ago and the snow coverage on the french side of the tunnel was pretty bad so we skied courmayeur every day but one. definitely get over there OP... it is very very sick
Heading there in 2 weeks with my girlfriend. Was already planning on doing a day at Courmayeur. What's the shuttle/gear storage/base situation? Wanted to explore the town a bit too. Thx.
Cham is cool and historic, and it's the mecca of steep skiing, so def worth spending at least a day or 2 while you're visiting the area, but there are other places with terrain just as good and a tenth of the crowds, on both the french and swiss sides. So imo it's worth moving around a bit and not spending your entire stay only in that valley.
I’m already here! I only have a pass to the chamonix ski resorts so I’ll be skiing here haha. Sick so far though, I love it
Monsieur_PatateCham is cool and historic, and it's the mecca of steep skiing, so def worth spending at least a day or 2 while you're visiting the area, but there are other places with terrain just as good and a tenth of the crowds, on both the french and swiss sides. So imo it's worth moving around a bit and not spending your entire stay only in that valley.
Your comment about GM tells me your a tourist. You talk shit to people who wanna know real info ……. Local Mountain …. La Clusaz ……..be real or fuck off
animatorDude why would I lie about growing up in Geneva Switzerland of all places?
RodiganGeneva ain’t chamonix ? Stop spewing rubbish, you get me? A lot of nice skiers from USA want real info not useless crap from two time visitors …..
Lol little late to this one, must have taken you this long to formulate a semi-coherent response. Again, why would I lie about growing up in Europe 😂
**This post was edited on Feb 27th 2023 at 11:19:11pm
animatorLol little late to this one, must have taken you this long to formulate a semi-coherent response. Again, why would I lie about growing up in Europe 😂
**This post was edited on Feb 27th 2023 at 11:19:11pm
Wahey the return of Walter ‘Animator’ Mitty aka the fantasy man of Chamonix !!!!
How is your home mountain of la Clusaz today ? Any word from Candide or Aziz ?
Ps its due to snow tomorrow and i am taking out a group of 12/13 YO’s on a freeride taster session………any recommendations of best places to go , easy access etc ???
As you grew up here and its only a small town i am guessing we have mutual friends or do i need to fall asleep to meet them ?
animatorLol little late to this one, must have taken you this long to formulate a semi-coherent response. Again, why would I lie about growing up in Europe 😂
**This post was edited on Feb 27th 2023 at 11:19:11pm
When you back home ‘brotha’ ……..about til next Nov when you can show me round ……….?????
RodiganWhen you back home ‘brotha’ ……..about til next Nov when you can show me round ……….?????
Lets take some pictures
much love
candide lolflex
Are you going to keep bumping this thread with incoherent rants until he gives you the attention you so desperately want?
You're so cringe my guy, are you triggered because he dissed your favorite vacation spot? Or are you jealous because he's actually a local? Either way, save it for your therapist, no one cares.
Monsieur_PatateAre you going to keep bumping this thread with incoherent rants until he gives you the attention you so desperately want?
You're so cringe my guy, are you triggered because he dissed your favorite vacation spot? Or are you jealous because he's actually a local? Either way, save it for your therapist, no one cares.
lol all good, there's a reason that the french are constantly rated some of the most unpleasant people to be around
