 Poster: A snowHead
|
Hi all,
I've got flights booked to chamonix for a few days skiing in early February. I've never been there before and am looking at lift passes and accommodation this weekend. Just wondered if anyone has any recommendations for a hotel/chalet/apartment near the lifts so I don't end up with a big walk every day. and also which pass I'd be better off going for.
Actual skiing would be 3 days Thursday, Friday, Saturday and would need 4 nights from 5th to 9th feb.
Cheers,
Ian.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Chamonix all mountain pass gives you access to all areas if you need it. Depends what level you are. We stay in le tour as we can ski back and it's a good area for the kids but I also drive over so I can ski other areas if needed. The buses look ok though for getting around.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
|
I'm a good intermediate skier, not after off piste. Skiing back would be ideal.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
You can ski back to le tour but there's nothing there for the evening. Argentiere could be a good choice cause its closest to grand montets. Not sure what Accomadation is like there though. Chamonix is the best place to stay if you also want night life, I think. I'd get the all mountain pass, at least you can ski wherever you like then.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Thanks Jonesj, I'll have a look and see what I can find.
Ian.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Argentiere is generally nearest to the lifts (there are only a few places in Chamonix within easy walk of the lifts, and Le Tour accomodation is pretty limited, as are food venues etc.). Argentiere has about a dozen places to eat and a few bars.
Try www.agence-montagne.com who will rent apartments for short duration stays (i.e. long weekends). The Grand Roc apartments are 200m from the Grands Montets lifts, the Vert is on the slope just above the lift, and there's a few others nearby.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You could stay near Chamonix Sud where all the buses to the various areas go from - no long walk, just a bus every day. Or get a chalet with private transfers each day.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ianmg, if you don't have a car then Cham Sud is your best bet for getting to any of the ski areas by bus. If you stay anywhere else, then you will need to take two or three buses to get to ski various ski areas. Additionally, Cham Sud is only a 5-minute walk to the centre of town, so ideally placed for everything, really. Just use google to find the Chamonix Sud bus stop location and pick your hotel or apartment within walking distance.
Download this season's bus timetable and keep it on your phone – it's invaluable for planning
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
Guys, can't thank you enough! I've narrowed it down to a couple of places based on the info you've given me.
Really appreciate it.
Cheers,
Ian
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ianmg, some, errr, interesting comments above.
There are two lift passes, Mont Blanc Unlimited or Le Pass. Le Pass covers more or less everything. MBU adds: Courmayeur, Aiguille du Midi, Grands Montets topmost cable car (non-essential) and Les Houches. Unless you are a ski monster, I would expect Le Pass to be quite adequate for 3 days.
The bus table from Zero_G, will be handy.
If you haven't booked accommodation, I'd personally be looking at Chamonix centre. Cham Sud is basically an apartment complex. You don't need to be there to catch a bus...the stop at Chamonix Centre is just up from, the, centre, oddly enough. Argentiere an interesting idea, worth a look. You don't mention what sort of skier you are but most people could easily lose 3 days up the GMs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
If you want to be near the lifts, as specified, then neither Cham centre nor Cham sud meet that requirement. One of your ski days is a Saturday, when the bus timetable is curtailed (and can be a work of complete fiction, last week there were no buses for over an hour between grands montets and le tour).
From argentiere the only reason to change bus would be to get to brevent, all other lifts are a direct connection. Realistically, unless you hit peak queue time for flegere, you're better off getting the bus/train there rather than connecting buses for brevent anyway.
The best pass to get is neither le pass nor unlimited, but the RapidCard. It's E42/ day which is le pass price, but for unlimited access. Officially it's E50 upfront as well but if you pm me I'll send you a discount code that makes it free. In addition, you only pay for the days you use.
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
Hi all,
I've sorted my accommodation....... Phoned a friend who's a travel agent and ended up in a chalet in Morzine 
However, I'm going to do chamonix the first week of March so will use all of your tips and advice then.
Thanks for your replies all, much appreciated!
Ian
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowdave, why do I know nothing about this Rapidcard? Definitely, if you can get it for "free" it look very promising.
Cham centre to Brevent isn't very far, although it is reasonably (!) steep 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
RapidCard is on the compagniedumontblanc site and advertised pretty widely. It's a great deal, cheaper than illimite with much more flexibility. Every 7th day is free, les Houches gets charged at a lower rate, and no charge for unused days.
I'm reluctant to post the discount code publicly in case it gets withdrawn, but it's a code given to a very large customer group from one of the local partners, so I'm happy to pm it. It's not some secretive employee only deal or similar.
I agree centre to Brevent isn't horrendous, but it's much longer and steeper than most people are used to with modern convenience- oriented resorts. I think most people would be disappointed if they specified a short walk to the lifts and ended up with that!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
Thinking abou it, I recall a guy telling me about his lift pass and it sounds something similar to what you're talking about. His could be used in val d'isere region and about 6 others I think. Is it the one you can use in various resorts too?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
snowdave, i guess I don't spend much time looking for such. It's very good deal indeed. We may have been better doing that last year vs an annual MBU.
Ianmg, can't recall the name but there's a pass that works in similar fashion but around the Tarentaise.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
snowdave, it's funny though, people complain about. Cham being "spread out"/inconvenient, etc. But we spent a week last year in Val d'Isere and were forever hopping on and off shuttle buses.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
|
Having not actually set foot in chamonix I can't really comment but I spent Christmas in val d'isere and only used the buses when I finished a days skiing in la daille. Looking at a piste map of chamonix it does look quite spread out but I don't really think it would be a problem
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
There is a lift from the town to Brevent, if you get on the beginners drag behind club med it drags you up there.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
jbob, good point.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Ianmg, we were in an apartment (rabbit hutch) in la Daille.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
under a new name, that might explain it then! I was in a hotel next to the tourist information office.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ianmg, oh, definitely.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
It is possible to be near Cham Sud without staying in the apartment complex as mentioned above - I've stayed in Les Aiglons hotel which was lovely and right beside the buses, and this year I'm going to stay in a chalet beside the Jekyll pub near Cham Sud, again handy (though chalet has daily lift transfers).
I also stayed in apartments called Ginabelle which were across the other side of town but on most bus routes and handy to town centre.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cham Sud is bargain basement, dog sh*t, vomit and condom central. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Mollerski, I've never seen vomit or condoms in Cham Sud. The dog shit is bloody everywhere, not just in Sud
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I organise our 'lads' ski trip every year. We stayed previously in the 'Le Vagabond' in Cham. Really impressed with the place, good accommodation, really good food, and very reasonably priced. It takes about 10 mins to walk to the Brevent lift (or a short bus ride), but is only round the corner from banging nightlife. Well worth a look for anyone on a budget in Cham.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
| Ianmg wrote: |
| I'm a good intermediate skier, not after off piste. Skiing back would be ideal. |
| Ianmg wrote: |
| Hi all, I've sorted my accommodation....... Phoned a friend who's a travel agent and ended up in a chalet in Morzine |
Thats handy - Chamonix is an off-piste delight for the hungry and talented powder hounds (so I'm told)
If you prefer to munch the mileage on-piste then Morzine is much better bet as the piste skiing areas in Chamonix are small and only bus linked and quite spread out. Some of the areas are so small you could ski all of the pistes before noon (if not sooner) and then it's on the bus for the arvo session somewhere else or repeat repeat repeat.
Personally if you're a piste mile muncher unfortunately doing 3 days in Cham, i'd spend a day in Les Houches, a day in Courmayeur where at least you get some decent mountain restaurants, and then day picking 2 of Argentiere, Brevent/Flegere, Vallorcine
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
