Chamonix

Few resorts evoke the pioneering feel of Chamonix. Long after everything has been climbed, skied and photographed, it still has an air of discovery, unlike any other ski resort in the World.

Above on your right towers Europe's highest mountain, Mont Blanc, the blue ice from a brimming glacier tumbles towards the road threatening to break off and take you out. Chamonix was a town long before anyone thought of making purpose-built ski resorts and unlike most French resorts it's a year-round destination, with climbers flocking here like migrating geese when the snow melts. 

The hardcore locals have largely been pushed out into neighboring villages, and Chamonix high street is a mix of designer shops, expensive hotels and restaurants, but you don’t have to go far to still find plenty of bars, cheap eats and fascinating old buildings that hint at its amazing history.

Chamonix isn’t your regular lift linked resort; there are 4 main areas covering 110km of pistes connected by bus or car, up to 10km away from the town. Plenty of free buses shuttle skiers around, but it's inevitable when the lift closes that things are going to get busy, so either sharpen your elbows or have a beer and relax.

The town won’t be expanding any of the skiing areas, but they have been steadily investing in improving the lifts, especially the ones from the base, often replacing several with a single gondola. The Charamillon gondola opened in 2023 at Balme which doubled capacity.

Chamonix doesn’t just need to be about snowboarding. The Aiguille du Midi cable-car, famed for the entry to the Vallée Blanche, has a 4d cinema, museum and other attractions, not to mention the views. Montenvers is reached via the cog-railway near the train station in Chamonix, from here you can view the breathtaking 7.5km long Mer de Glace glacier and then head into the La Grotte de Glace and see what it's like on the inside via the new Gondola that opens in December 2023. You can even step back 150 years and stay in the Refuge du Montenvers for an unforgettable experience.

You can access the Brévent-Flégère area directly from Chamonix, it’s a bit of a steep walk on the edge of town but easily doable if you’re in the center of town. They are technically 2 different areas, but they are linked via the Liaison Brévent-Flégère cable-car. Alternatively, you can head 3km to Les Praz. Do be aware though that given the altitude you’re realistically going to need to download by lift, those black-runs back into the village do look tempting, but the reality will be a walk through cow-pats if you chance it.

The Grand Montets is the area above the village of Argentiere, about 9km from Chamonix. 11km from Chamonix you’ll find the ski area of Balme which is accessed from the villages of Le Tour and Vallorcine. Heading 8km back towards the head of the valley, you’ll find Les Houches, this area bills itself as the family ski resort. 

With good snow and an alarm clock, there is nowhere in the world better for freeriders to head for. When the snow isn’t plentiful and fluffy, your choices are a lot more limited; each of the areas are pretty small, and you’ll quickly tire of the pistes. Beginners are surprisingly well catered for. Absolute beginners have some specialised areas, but once you’ve got the hang of the basics, then head up to the main areas for some more advanced beginner runs. If you’re with friends or family that don’t want to spend every day on the slopes, then there is no better resort to head to.