Chamonix

This page features an article by a guest author about the area of Chamonix in the French Alps. For holidays in the Pyrenees (between Carcassonne and Perpignan), please click any link above.

Chamonix

If you are thinking about going skiing this winter, there is no better place than the French Alps. The most important mountain range in Europe peaks at the famous and gorgeous Mont Blanc, which is 4810 meters high. Mont Blanc means “white mountain”, but is sometimes also affectionately known as the “white lady”.

The skiing area around this peak is known as the Mont Blanc Massif. It is easily accessible by flying into Geneva. From there, one reaches the famous commune of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, which consists of 16 different pretty little towns and hamlets. Most commonly known just as Chamonix, it was the site of the Winter Olympics in 1924.

Chamonix is an area well loved by skiers, mountaineers and athletes from all over the world. If you are a beginner and are being scared of by rumours that Chamonix is only for the hard-core skiers, pay no attention! Though Chamonix has plenty to offer in the areas of extreme skiing, it also has beginner slopes and plenty of schools in which to learn.

Needless to say, you will also be surrounded by breathless natural beauty. One of the most spectacular things to do while in Chamonix is to take the 3842-meter cable car ride up to Aiguille du Midi, also known as the summit of the Mont Blanc. Its name means “needle of midday” and when you see it, you will know why, as in its center stands a very narrow needle-like point that seems to defy all gravity. It is also said that at midday, when viewed from Chamonix, the sun sits directly on top of the peak.

The summit also has a viewing platform from which you will get a panoramic view hard to match elsewhere. The Vallee Blanche, a very well known slope begins here. This is an off-piste route that runs for 20km and has a vertical descent of 2700 meters. If you can do it (intermediate levels and above), it is one of the most stunning runs anywhere in the world, as you literally descend through the white valley, surrounded by the mountain and glaciers, allowing you to feel as if you were alone in the world. The views have been called mesmerizing and dazzling.

If you need a little break in between, fear not! The French have thought of everything. About halfway down the slope, you can stop and have an excellent meal at the Requin Hut; a wooden restaurant magically perched atop a cliff. Eating there will have you wondering when you walked into a fairy tale…

Chamonix is a skier’s paradise. You are bound to find whatever it is that your heart (or legs) desire. At night, top off your invigorating day on the slopes, with a tasty nightcap in front of a roaring fire at one of the many beautiful lodges that abound in Chamonix.

Alpine Elements specialise in skiing holidays in French resorts such as Chamonix. See AlpineElements.co.uk for their range of ski deals.