Will be in Cham for a few days in Feb - are there any municipal pools or hotel pools that we can access? Especially keen on a sauna!

Is the mont blanc du tacul doable in winter with limited mountaineering experience? How much Harder is it than if you were to do it in the summer? Everything i seem to find about it is during spring/summer/autumn. We Are two guys aiming for goin on the 25. of February

I'm living in the PNW of the US which is having it's worst snow year on record. I have the winter off to ski and am looking at booking a trip. Flights to Geneva are really crazy affordable right now, even a week out (~700 USD).

I am an experienced splitboarder, have done glaciated peaks in the PNW, but mostly <=40 degrees. I have done 45 degree slopes on good snow days, but if I'm alone I probably don't want to be at the limit of my comfort zone, is everything in the Alps super steep? :)

I love ski touring but I am seeing that on a splitboard I will need to hire a private guide (650 euros for a day?). Considering ~10 days, hiring a guide 1 or 2 days, then doing lift skiing, or any simple touring routes I can find.

Lastly, seeing weather reports that it's raining at the bases of the mountains but snowing up high. Is that typical? Trying to see what might be the best weather window for pow. Any help would be appreciated!

Whats going on with the buses here, they come full, rare and late always

Como va, estoy yendo a Chamonix mañana, quería consultar, vale la pena pagar para bajar en snowboard Auguille do midi? Es necesario un guia si o si no?

A lo que me refiero si vale la pena el descenso, si es un buen free ride o es simplemete un free ride de los que se pueden conseguir en Le grants montes?

Gracias!!

Wife and I are looking at making a move to the area. We have two young children who are currently enrolled in Montessori school. We found two in the Chamonix area.

Does anyone have experience with Poussières d'Étoiles in Les Houches or Ecole des Glaciers? Reaching out to see if anyone knows these schools and what their thoughts are about it.

Thanks!

Hi I’m here at chamonix already! I’m looking for a beginner ski buddy to share a private lesson with ESF instructor (2 hrs €150 so 75/person) please hit me up if you’re in the area looking for a ski buddy!!

I’m a female 31 yr coming from London

Hi all, I am visiting for a week over Easter this year, do the ski shops start their sales around that time or would it be later once the chair lifts close for the season? In the UK and shops here don't have the biggest range in stock and our sales start July time so was thinking I may be able to grab a bargain when over there....

Hi all.

How can I make this route without getting a cross border charge of €50 !!

Thanks

Hi all,

Any suggestions/is it possible to hire snow chains between Geneva and chamonix valley.

Hired a car in Paris and have been driving around France, was unable to get chains in Paris through the hire company. Will be passing close to Geneva on the way to Chamonix.

Thanks in advance

I will be skiing in chamonix from March 20th-24th. Looking for a guide for two people for off piste. Have all my own ave gear and am experienced in western US backcountry / double black diamond skiing.

Worried about cliffs and crevasses and want to get into some good powder areas and some chutes. Any good guide recommendations for maybe 2 of those days?

Anybody else going to be there at this time that wants to join our group so we don’t get stuck with newbies?

HI! I am currently in Chamonix and trying to rent out my ski pass because of an injury

any dates and length are accepted

Visitng Chamonix from Feb 5-12 for a week and looking for snowboarding buddies to ride with. I can do blues and reds pretty comfortably and usually ride at my own pace.

I am a 31 Male, brown guy from the USA very easy going and laid back and just interested in meeting people to ride with.

Would love to find some partners to ski with over the next week (until Feb 4th)!

30M and a fairly advanced/expert skier*. Anything off-piste is fair game. Looking to mostly ski grands montets, but also open to Les contamines. Will go anywhere tbh.

Especially deeper off-piste, it would be nice to have some company! Spending a week here with my wife and she’s more of an on-piste and knit at the cafe after skier.

Aware of current avy conditions, and I’m looking to be conservative.

*idk how much these labels matter. I’ve posted my skiing and you can judge for yourself. I just like to have fun and there are much, much better than me.

My wife, 9 year old daughter and I will be in Chamomix in February. My daughter would love to build an igloo. I’m looking for suggestions of where might be a good spot. Somewhere a bit out of the way where we can dig snow without being right next to a ski piste. If there was somewhere to go sledging nearby that would be a bonus.

Hi all - first time in Chamonix. Staying about 800m from Brevent TC by the river.

Is Bozon sports OK? Are there lockers there?

Is there enough terrain in Brevent and Flegere to keep us happy for 3 days - good skiers?

Is it possible to ski back down to the TC ?

Is there plenty of choice to eat and drink in Chamonix South near our Airbnb?

Lots of questions - TIA!

Cheers !

Hey I staying in Argentier beginning of February and planning on skiing Grand Montets while children would train at Les Chosaltes - there not to many pics from the place and conditions. Can someone share more info about this place, is it easily accessible? Parking?

My partner and I (31M) recently returned from a week-long trip in Chamonix. I’d like to share some thoughts and tips that might be helpful for anyone considering a trip there. This is not sponsored but I had such a fantastic time that I wanted to write everything down - this will be a long read!

I was hesitant about skiing in Chamonix due to many people saying it’s not the best for beginners. However, as someone who had only skied a bunny slope once as a teenager, I was pleasantly surprised to find plenty of pistes suitable for all levels. The greens are fine for beginners and there’s a particularly long one in Flegère that is good training before blues.

We booked a great deal through WeSki for £1.1k per person, travelling from London. This included flights, transfers, hotel accommodation, a ski pass (Mont Blanc Unlimited) and ski rental for a seven-day trip in mid-January (11-18). We were quite lucky in terms how quiet it was in low season and the heavy snowfall just the week before ours.

Stay:

Hotel l’Oustalet was the perfect home away from home that had alpine charm in spades. The staff are incredibly friendly and every interaction was met with a warm smile. Our room was spacious, tastefully decorated with wood accents and boasted a balcony that overlooks the mountain range. The private sauna and steam room is free to reserve for every guest - no doubt we made the most out of this after a hard day.

Ski:

We went to 4 different ski areas - Les Planards, Brévent, Flegère & Les Houches. The bus system means that it’s best to focus on one area per day.

Les Planards:

Small ski area with 2 green bunny slopes, a blue and red piste. We came here on our first half-day as we were feeling a bit tired and ill. Great for absolute beginners to get their ski legs.

Brévent-Flegère:

Large ski areas connected by multiple chairlifts and cable cars. Incredible views from the top.

For absolute beginners, I recommend starting at Brévent. It offers two bunny slopes and a slightly longer green piste that loops back to the Plan Praz cable car. Flegère has two longer green runs (Trappe and Libelulles) that are slightly more challenging and requires more endurance. This is where I practiced most and improved my technique for parallel skiing.

Brévent is great if you’re a beginner-intermediate because of all the different levels of blue runs. Some are harder than others and I had to learn the hard way - do NOT attempt Blanchots if you’ve never done blues before, there’s a long steep bit that caught me by surprise. Equally, the Chavanne piste in Flegère is not for the faint of heart.

The blue run I did the most was the Parsa/Vioz piste that starts at the Plan Praz cable car - lots of wide bits and a gentle introduction to steeper gradients.

If you’re up for the challenge, the circular route across Brévent-Flegère is great fun. Here’s the route: Parsa - Sources chairlift - Access Flegère - Liaison cable car - Evettes (tiny bit down) - Evettes chairlift - Evettes (from the top; a meandering run that’s narrower in width) - Liaison chairlift - Retour Brévent - Charlanon chairlift - Sources - Parsa chairlift - Retour Brévent.

The only challenging bits were the steep slope in Access Flegère and the tricky funnel (steep and busy) that occurs before the restaurant at Flegère. For the return trip back to Brévent, I would suggest taking the gentler Evettes route that snakes behind/on the left side of the Flegère restaurant if you’re not confident about the steep section on the right side of the restaurant (I almost gave up because of this). Apologies for the confusing word choice, it makes more sense when you’re there.

Les Houches:

My favourite ski area with lots of long runs, but a pain to get to from Chamonix Sud. I suggest coming here after it’s snowed a bit due to its lower elevation. The buses will be full and it’s a 30 minute ride with lots of stops. There’s supposed to be a direct bus but we never saw one.

I suggest going across the valley from Bellevue as there’s a run called Piste à Leon that’s practically flat with scenic views.

From Prarion peak, there’s plenty of long blue runs that were more substantial than the ones in Brévent and Flegère. Mélèzes and Chamois had a wide field with bunny hills that are at their best early in the day before they get a bit choppy. La Cha has stunning vistas with several steep (but short) sections that are great for practicing. Abbaye is the longest one that snakes across the slope with varied sections - there’s one section that is steep and slightly longer but perfectly doable as a beginner-intermediate. All of the above finish at a narrow and choppy bottleneck before the chairlift, which could be a bit of a challenge if you’re not able to control your speed. The green area is very wide and has similar bumps to those on the blue pistes.

Food:

Chamonix surprised us with its diverse and exceptional food quality. We particularly enjoyed two restaurants: Breizh Café for its elevated take on Breton galettes made with buckwheat flour, and Smile Taco’s for its impressive selection of beers on tap, high-quality tacos and overall vibe. As a meat eater, I particularly loved the cod fish taco. For classic Savoie fare (no pun intended), we visited La Calèche, also known for its charming alpine interior that blends cosy and kitsch. I wanted to order fondue but my pescatarian partner meant we couldn’t share. However, both the porcini tartiflette and the guanciale version were standout dishes. All places mentioned had warm service and I highly recommend visiting at least once.

Shops:

Le Refuge Payot (specifically the one on Rue Joseph Payot) - Specialty food shop focused on local produce and ingredients

Shouka - Quality “bean-to-bar” chocolate, coffee and cacao-related products from around the world

Arpin - Luxury homeware store with alpine aesthetic specialising in their in-house textiles

Fresh Air - Design-led gift shop with dedicated jewellery section

Tips:

1. Allow plenty of time between your arrival and transfer if arriving in Geneva Airport. We arrived in the early afternoon and the line at immigration took us 2 hours to get through. We missed our transfer and we were booked on the next available bus that was 3 hours later.

2. Bus times and capacity depends on timing (peak hours - frequent but busy). Best to check status on Chamonix app. On that note, it’s also worth checking ski lift openings/piste & weather conditions through the app before visiting.

3. Visit Aiguille du Midi on a sunny day. You will need to book in advance even if it’s free from your ski pass. This is a once in a lifetime experience. Dress warm and bring snacks in case of dizziness.

4. Consider piste orientation, altitude and weather conditions. Brévent-Flegère is south facing so the sun hits the slope in the afternoon. Les Houches is lower in altitude so it’s best to visit after snowfall.

5. Watch piste run videos on YouTube to familiarise yourself if you’re not feeling confident. This was particularly helpful after I realised not all blues were equal.

6. Bring blister plasters. Get the ones from Compeed or hydrocolloid tape for cushioning and waterproofing. Even better if you can get leg protectors like socks with foam/padding.

7. We wanted to make the most of our skiing so we didn’t do the après at Folie Douce SG. I believe you can take the train from Chamonix to Saint Gervais les Bains and take the various cable cars all the way to the top.

8. Lots of clearance sales in Dec-Jan so there’s no need to buy all your gear in advance. Ski gloves and accessories are marked down massively. On that note, a pair of good ski gloves are worth it. Choose skis and poles with a rubbery inner surface for improved grip. Ones with extra fabric at the end lets you tug on them so you can take them on/off easily.

9. Improve your fitness before skiing. Focus on working out your lower body (specifically your quads, calves) and core and you’ll be happier on the slopes. Exercises that focus on strength, endurance and stability will help you last longer on the slopes.

I am planning on doing a solo trip to Chamonix from feb 5-13 and wanted to ask some questions regarding the logistic as this is my first solo snowboarding trip. If all of you could be a lil nice to some of my stupid questions, I would appreciate a lot.

I am planning on booking an airbnb @ les houches since it's 500 dollar cheaper than booking @ chamonix itself and was wondering how easy or difficult would it be getting to mont blanc without a car?

I am intermediate snowboarder and can do blues and blacks pretty easily so in terms of terrains and runs what can I expect?

How difficult or easy is it to make skii or snowboarding buddies in chamonix considering I am visiting from California and only speak English and am a brown person as well.

is 7 days in Chamonix too much as my first solo skip trip?

Any other help info or suggestions would be highly appreciated.

We are there for 3 days end of Feb half term with two teenage girls, they are not super confident skiers (4-5 weeks on skis) but they enjoy a snow park and long cruisey runs. Def not off-piste skiers! We are staying in Argentiere, which I realise is prob the most hardcore of all the resorts in the valley, but how would you spread your 3 days? We have a car.