Chamonix & Argentière
Snow Range
1040-3842m
fantastic town with lively après ski and challenging skiing
Chamonix is set at the foot of Europe's highest mountain, the awesome Mont Blanc at 4807m. A fascinating and traditional ski resort, the cosmopolitan town centre offers a good range of shops, bars and restaurants with a lively nightlife, whilst the skiing is spread across 5 separate areas, giving huge variety. Argentière lies just 8kms further up the valley from Chamonix and is linked by an efficient bus service (free with your lift pass).
- the experience
- the slopes
- lift passes and tuition
- ski/board equipment
The experience
Après Ski
Chamonix has a very lively nightlife, while Argentière is more relaxed and informal.· Jekyll, Escape, Bar'd Up, Chambre Neuf, The Pub, Casino (Chamonix). The Office for its après ski snacks and Stones Bar (Argentière).
Activities
A bustling, lively town, plenty of non-skiing activities · Sports centre in Chamonix with tennis and squash courts, indoor heated pool with waterslides · Fitness centre with sunbeds, sauna, Turkish bath · Heli-skiing · Paragliding · Sleigh rides · Ice skating rink
Eating out
Over 100 restaurants in Chamonix to suit all tastes and pockets. Argentière also offers a number of reasonably priced French restaurants · Fondues approx. €16 including wine and dessert · Pizzas from €6 · 3-course meals from around €17 · Impossible, Le Petit Moulin, Atmosphère; Le Dahu, Chez Luigi.
Other amenities
· Cinema and casino in Chamonix · Alpine flights · Local day trips to Mégève and Geneva · Alpine museum
Resort features
- Crystal Ski Escort
- Crystal Snowboarding Escort
- Winter Wonderland
Transfer time
Geneva 1 hrs30 mins (Chamonix), 2 hrs (Argentière).
The slopes
Beginners
Les Planards and the Savoy area at the foot of the Brevent area, are popular for gentle nursery slopes within easy reach of Chamonix. In Argentière, beginners usually start on the Chosalets nursery slopes progressing to the gentle slopes at Vormaine.
Intermediates
The Chamonix valley offers an amazing 150kms of pistes available divided into 4 areas, all linked by an efficient bus service, (FREE with your lift pass) with an excellent range of testing high altitude blue and red runs, and the Grands Montets glacier with unbeatable snow. The Vallée Blanche descent, usually open all season, is skied with a guide, provides 24kms of unforgettable skiing in stunning scenery.
Advanced
Expert skiers will just love the incomparable slopes and challenging range of skiing. Chamonix is the undisputed off-piste capital of Europe with some quite extraordinary experiences awaiting you on the Mont Blanc Massif. (NB: Services of a local guide are essential).
Snowboarding
Chamonix has long been known as the extreme freeriding capital of Europe. It has so much accessible off-piste that you could be there for years and not do all of it. There is also plenty of varied terrain to suit any rider. Powder is abundant in Argentière and there are also the gullies in La Tour to have a bash at some jumps.
Slope facts
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Total kms of piste
762kms (150kms Chamonix/Argentière)
Piste type No. of runs Easy 39 (51) Intermediate 25 (190) Difficult 10 (21) -
Number of lifts
Mont Blanc Region 230, Chamonix/Argentière 50 (8 cable cars, 5 gondolas, 17 chairlifts, 20 drag lifts)
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Direction of slopes
N, E, S, W
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Snow cannons
96
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Longest run
24kms (Vallée Blanche, guide essential)
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Mountain restaurants
14
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Cross-country trails
42kms
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Snow Range
1040-3842m
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Village Height:
Chamonix: 1,035m (3,395ft); Argentière: 1,250m (4,107ft)
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Highest Ski Lift
3,842m (12,679ft)
Lift passes and tuition
Lift Pass
| Days | 6 | 13 |
| Adult (Local) | £162 | £307 |
| Adults (Area) | £199 | £348 |
| Child (Local) | £131 | £247 |
| Child (Area) | £160 | £280 |
| Senior (Local) | £131 | £247 |
| Senior (Area) | £160 | n/a |
| 2 Adults & 2 Children (Local) | £398 | £760 |
| 2 Adults & 2 Children (Area) | £491 | £863 |
Lift pass coverage: (Local) La Balme, Les Grand Montets (exl. Lognan-Grand Montets cable car), Brévent, Flégère and beginners' areas in Chamonix valley. (Area, Mont Blanc Unlimited) also includes parts of Les Houches, the Lognan-Grandes Montets cable car, unlimited access to the Aiguille du Midi & Montenvers railway & a day skiing in Courmayeur. Beginners arrange a lift pass locally.
Photo required for lift pass? 10 days +
Lift pass keycard deposit: €3
Ski/Board Tuition
| Adult | Child | |
| Ski Beginners (5 x 2 hrs, EV2) | £124 | - |
| Ski Intermediates (4 x 2.5 hrs am, EV2) | £124 | - |
| Ski All Mountain (4 x half day, 1 full day, EV2) | £179 | - |
| Piste Perfection (2 x full days, EV2) | £157 | - |
| Ski (6 x 2 hrs am or pm, ESF) | - | £93 |
| Ski (6 x 2.5 hrs am or pm, ESF) | - | £117 |
| Child Ski (6 x full days incl. lunch, EV2) | - | £290 |
| Board (4 x 2hrs 30mins) | £124 | £124 |
Children: Ski 3-12 years at the Panda Club (EV2) 0830-1200 or 0830-1700. Times include travelling time to the club which is in Argentière. (ESF) 1000-1200 or 1430-1630.
First Time Skiing / Boarding
| Adult | Child* | |
| First Time Ski | £390 | £463 |
| First Time Board | £336 | £332 |
Includes: 6 days equipment hire, 6 days beginners lift pass, adults 5 days tuition (2 hrs per day) or children 6 days tuition (4 hrs per day) includes pick-up and drop-off from ski school.
the savings
Reduced lift pass prices for over 60s.
Ski/board equipment
Ski/Board Equipment
| Days | 6 | 13 |
| Skis/sticks | £65 | £143 |
| Superior skis/board | £85 | £156 |
| Ski boots | £27 | £43 |
| Superior boots | £36 | £62 |
| Board boots | £37 | £74 |
| Child skis/sticks | £27 | £50 |
| Child board | £54 | £96 |
| Child boots | £19 | £34 |
| Child board boots | £34 | £50 |
| Child helmet | £16 | £22 |
the savings
Reduced lift pass prices for over 60s.
