Chamonix, Courmayeur or Morzine

A snowHead

Hi,

Going for a 4 day ski break with my girlfriend first week of February, flying into Geneva, and we are looking for a good resort. We are both intermediate to advanced skiers but mostly do piste skiing. We are not looking to rent a car because there is only 2 of us and want to avoid the hassle (plus rent a car in Geneva is relatively expensive). We are looking for a cute town with decent slopes to keep us busy for 4 days and the three above resorts spring to mind.

Last year I spent a week in Val D and loved it, but the transfer was a nightmare and its too far away for the 4 day trip.

Thanks!

A snowHead

Morzine - more piste skiing than Chamonix, and shorter/easier transfers than Courmayeur.

It is a cute town too, with lots going on - good bars and restaurants etc.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Courmayeur is very nice and currently has significantly better snow but the transfer is likely to be trickier. Winter looks like it might be (re?)-suming next week so all might change.

Both Morzine and Chamonix work fine otherwise.

You need to Login to know who's really who.

I'd go Chamonix as first choice, connection is probably the best out of the three you've chosen. There are just so many services running up to there and all within about an hour.

Brevent area with direct gondola access from the town, and linked along to Flegere along one side of the valley give some great piste skiing and in the sun generally this time of year. Good altitude also, so if the snow stays sparse then you'll be ok.

People generally talk about using buses to access the different ski areas at chamonix, I've just never thought of that being any problem and think you should discount that as a reason to not go.

Last time I was there we had a temp inversion, so came up from a misty valley into amazing sunshine. One of the best things I've seen. It's a great destination.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Its got to be Courmayeur if your going with the girlfriend. St Valentine came from courmayeur!

Morzine does have a lot of piste's but its a very average ski town.

Cham is amazing, but they don't look after the piste's so well here, the mountain restaurants are terrible, and while town does have a good variety for evenings, it's not Italy.

COURMAYEUR IS JUST SO LOVELY! Great piste skiing, amazing ski restaurants, amazing coffee, free aperitivi with your afternoon beer (snacks), and did i mention the food for the evenings? Also you can pop down to Pre Saint Didier to the lovely spa for an evening of relaxation.

The transfer is slightly longer, 30 minutes than Cham/Morzine which are virtually identical. For the experience, it's well worth it. There are several Chamonix based transfer companies that will do private transfers to Courmayeur from GVA. Or there is a public from chamonix, I don't know the times tho.

You'll need to Register first of course.

At 08.45 yesterday, we spent 90mins in the queue to get through the Mont Blanc tunnel from France to Italy! It seemed to mostly cars going from Chamonix to Courmayeur as the snow is better in Italy at the moment.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

I've been to Morzine (well Avoriaz but skied the whole area) and Courmayeur in the last 12 months and I'd second Courmayeur. Snow conditions in both places were almost identical but I really liked the atmosphere in Courmayeur. Food is great, the town is lovely (in my opinion esp. suited to going with the Mrs) and if you do run out of pistes (which is probable given the rather limited size) then you can jump on a bus, or do as we did and get a taxi to take you, 25mins down the road for a day in La Thuile. That is also covered I think in a 4 day pass and defo worth the trip. I must admit we did have 2 feet of powder overnight before we hit La Thuile, so perhaps that made it a little more memorable. We went in mid-March and had no lift queues at all. Leaving all your kit up the mountain and getting the lift down is a little different, but finishing the day up at the Checrouit for a few drinks before heading down is not a bad way to end the day. The mountain restaurants are very good, especially the one at the bottom of a few runs that barbecues suckling pig. One of the smallest resorts I have skied, but one of my favourites. Transfer is slightly longer than Morzine and it does depend on the queue for the tunnel but was okay when we went. We used Alps2Alps (I have used them 4-5 times and always found them good value and on time).

After all it is free

@boon123,
Suckling pig central is at Zerotta.

And is called the Vallee Blanche iirc. Only been once, very good. On mountain our fave by a long way is Chiecco.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

Hi,

Thanks all for the input it's all very useful information.

1. Is Courmayeur enough piste for 4 days of skiing? If not how hard is it too get to Chamonix for a day or another resort to ski piste? Is this best done with car (if so don;t we have to pay the 30 euro per transfer fee for the tunnel or can this be done with the bus?)
2. Courmayeur is a bit lower altitude wise than Chamonix, is there a risk of less now end of Jan beginning of Feb?
3. We land fairly late on Wed eve (9pm), I am not sure how to arrange transport to Courmayer without a car rental?

Thanks

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

I like Chamonix and Courmayeur. If you only want to ski pistes, I think you would probably have more fun in Courmayeur... the pistes are much more fun there. If off piste is more your thing then obviously Chamonix can be the place to be. With 4 days, I think Chamonix would be my choice.

For me, if were out of the two choices, my reasons for each would be:

Chamonix
- It's easy to divvy it up and ski an area a day. So you can do a day on GM, a day on Brevent-Flegere, a day at Le Tour, and a day to a neighbouring ski area (see below)
- Buses to neighbouring ski areas are easy (and accessible with a Mont Blanc Unlimited ski pass). You could do to Courmayeur, Les Houches, Evasion St Gervais or Verbier quite easily.
- Whilst the mountain restaurants are generally cack (except La Ferne at Les Houches), the town is great and will give you a bit more holiday vibe in the evenings.
- The transfer will be more straightforward and very quick
- You can go up to the Aguille du Midi and even if you don't fancy skiing it (The Vallee Blanche is the popular way down) there is a tourist thing up there so you can admire the mountain. It's nice

Courmayeur
- It's much cheaper to ski there, eat there, stay there and generally everything costs less
- The Italians are generally more friendly and they very much act like they are hosting you rather than tolerating you
- The pistes are, IMHO, much better designed (as in they follow nicer paths etc), the ski area is more scenic, and the snow is well managed. Lots of tress too so whiteout conditions are not so problematic.
- Everything is better operated. Most chairlifts are new, and large to avoid queues. Things are generally more efficient and better managed.
- There's better food and drink on the mountain, and they understand hospitality.

I would say the skiing in Courmayeur is better. But on a 4 day trip, you might just get a bit more out of Chamonix in general - IE the nightlife, options for visiting other resorts, etc etc.

snow reports

Unless you really can't bear skiing the same run twice I would say Courmayeur. If your idea of après is more nice bar for a drink and then a good dinner than skiboot dancing on table it ticks that box and based on a couple of trips I think there is enough skiing for 4 days.

No idea about transfers as first trip was TO organised and second drove myself.

If your girlfriend is looking for a cute town and is anything like Mrs DJL you won't go wrong.

This is perfect thank you everyone for your recommendations. We choose Chamonix at the end due to ease of transfer and abundance of accommodations, but may go to one of the other resorts/towns for the day.

Help!!

Chamonix, Courmayeur or Morzine

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