Advice: One day each in Megeve and Cham

A snowHead

Next week, me and Mrs Golf will be staying in Morillon, where we have been a few times.

We'd like to do a couple of awaydays, maybe Chamonix, Le Grand Bornand and/or Megeve; each seems <90 mins away.

My request today is for specific advice on making the best of the day, by:

Hitting the right parking spot*/lift, right from the off- it appears that most resorts have several starting points- where best should a confident inter with a reticent one base themselves?

Any other tips are very welcome on piste restaurants etc; or view points to see.

We've never done this before, and might open some doors for future stays.

Thanks

CG

*paid is fine Very Happy

A snowHead

Cannot advise on Grand Bornand.

It depends on whether you are happy to pay for parking. Assuming you are, in Megeve we normally upload at the Rochebrun lift and car park as it is just off the centre of the lovely old town and there is a cable car up from there. For restaurants take your pick as all are good quality. The one at the top of Rochebrun is good; the ones at the bottom of Le Petite Fontaine lift are quieter and also good. if you don't want to pay for parking Cote 2000 is an option but way out of town. Don't bother with the link to St Gervais as it takes too long for a single day.

For Chamonix there is only one option for free parking and that is the Grand Montet, but that has the most challenging skiing and only one restaurant. The best area for food and intermediate skiing is at the top of the valley at Le Tour. The parking is expensive. The are 3 restaurants on the mountain. Skip the one at the top of the first gondola in favour of either the collection of buildings under the first chairlift (Autannes) or the Alpage by the Possettes drag lift.

I am not sure Chamonix works well as day trip to ski. You are probably better off choosing a sunny day, buying a mont-blanc unlimited pass for the day and going up the Aiguille du Midi lift as a pedestrian in the morning, get lunch in town and either ski in the Brevent area (Route Henriette d'Angeville) in the afternoon or go up the Montenver railway. The Aiguille du Midi and Montenver are spectacular and unique.

You might want to think about Les Contamines as well. Better for intermediates, free parking at Gorge Notre Dame and good restaurants but non-descript town. Or St Gervais - lovely town and free parking at Bettex near the centre. Good intermediate skiing again and good restaurants at the bottom of the lifts at St Nicola and Le Tremplin.

Have fun.

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

For Chamonix, and a real flavour in one day, I'd go to Brévent lift in main town, park there for the day (I've not any details on parking) to spend the day skiing in that section as it covers that side of valley including Flégère linked in. Evening in town after too.

It's a gondola straight up to ski area, and return at days end (no difficulty for a reticent one) with good choice of slope, places to eat, fabulous views of Mt Blanc across the valley and generally across Europe Very Happy

I feel it gives a great intro to the valley and ease of skiing too.

As above, the Aguille du Midi is worthwhile and spectacular in it's severity, probably I'd say a good day to try that if you stayed a week and see more of each area.

Absolutely worth the effort to take a day out there as you plan, I don't think it would give any regrets, quite the opposite in reality.

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I would personally stay put in the grand massif for the week and ski somewhere else on the final Saturday if you have the option. I would not do Chamonix if one skier is less confident.

Once when staying in the Grand Massif we skied in Le Grand Bornand on the final Saturday and I’d definitely recommend that. We have also done Les Contamines as a day trip and I’d recommend that too. Les Saisies would be another good option.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

As @22 dropout says, with Megeve you would need to decide which side of the valley you want to ski. Although there is a linking cable car, with just one day you need to choose.

For the Rochebrune ridge, parking at the Rochebrune gondola means that at the end of the day you can easily explore the town which has a definite (if high end) appeal. For just skiing you could think of driving further to the Cote 2000 car park, that end is where some of the best skiing is. If you plan to eat lunch on the mountain, be prepared to close you eyes and just hand over your credit card when the bills arrive, Megeve restaurants aren't cheap.

For the Mont d'Arbois ridge you would be better accessing it from the St Gervais side, there is very limited parking near that gondola in Megeve. If it isn't high season you should be able to get a spot at the gondola station up to Bettex (that lift replaced this year and now called L'Alpin). Drive time from Morillon will be very similar. There is more skiing to explore on this ridge - you won't manage it all in a day - and the restaurants are good and much better priced (as long as you eat on the St G side). Again, at the end of the day you can walk into town (a few minutes, you just need to cross the bridge) and while it is very different from Megeve it is characterful and pleasant.

Plenty of other options too. Les Contamines has been mentioned, about 20 minutes further up the road from St Gervais. Combloux (the other bit of the same lift pass area) is slightly closer to you than Megeve, and has a lot of pleasant skiing for a "reticent intermediate" as long as there is decent snow at its lowish altitude. Not far beyond Megeve is Praz sur Arly and access to the Espace Diamant area, though being at the very end of it means you will find it hard to explore much at the Les Saisies end.

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I feel Chamonix reputation for extreme may cause an unintentional bias in assessment here.

The area at top of Brèvent has suitability for raw beginner, training and progression. Certainly a reasonable network to enjoy a day out without undue concern. Ordinarily it's lift back to village too, so no frightened candidate feeling bad about the return after skiing.

Access to highest point via cable car, again with return if not inclined to ski it. They are simply fabulous views up there to see so much of that region. A little like sitting on the shoulder of Mt Blanc snowHead

Nothing to scare anyone. We've been there with a very mixed skills group too.

Chamonix is something special to add into your personal ski log.

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

Thanks everyone, I'll digest the notes, and maybe report back. CG

After all it is free

@Charliegolf, just for the avoidance of error, Flégère parking also free as is* Vormaine at La Tour ... but I'd park at Brevent myself. Sadly on mountain dining is not very special ... but as @22 dropout types, the Ecuries de Charamillon is OK and the Alpage de Balme a little cuter also fine enough. The Alpage probably requires reservation.

Brevent-Flégère on a sunny day has quite magnificent views and lovely long runs, not all of them difficult (I wouldn't take a reticient skier down Lachenal, f'rinstance, but even though it's "red" the main run down Index is pretty straightforward).

* it was last season, not been up this year

For Megeve i am going to say avoid driving up the mountain and park in the free train station car park at Le Fayete. Easy from there to ski both Saint Gervais & Megeve

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@Jonny996, but I think some spaces are short stay only (for drop offs). It is usually the ones with blue markings that are short stay, white markings long stay.

Building the gondola station will have meant a loss of some spaces, I don't know how crowded it will get - this is the first ski season of the new gondola.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

@j b, blue markings for parking disks?

snow reports

@under a new name, I think you are right, you are meant to display one of those discs indicating your arrival time. I don't know about the station but the short stay parking up in town (e.g. around the square and upper floors of multi-storey) is 90 minutes.

You know it makes sense.

@ski3, good points. It brings it into perspective when you consider that the Mont Blanc is >11 kms away Shocked

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

I've only skied once at Brevent/Flegere, with a friend who had a place in Chamonix, and it was many years ago. Much more recently I've been up there in summer to walk along one of the "balcons" paths. Quite magnificent. And so little effort!

A snowHead

A snowHead

Grand Bornand is a lovely ski area. If I were driving I’d probably look to park either at the Floria chair in Chinaillon or Charmieux chair also there. It’s a bit of a longer drive but gives better access to the best parts of the resort. Failing that you can park at Rosay but I’ve no idea how limited the parking is down there.

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

Agreed on Chinaillon area for LGB. Buy your pass online, ahead of time. You might even be able to get a card mailed to you.

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Very kind everyone, I do appreciate it, thanks. Defo going to do a few awaydays. The following week is Courchevel via Bozel, which we know well.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

For Megeve, if you want to ski the Mont D'Arbois side, which I have always preferred to the Rochebrune side, you could also park at the bottom of the Princesse gondola. You pass this before you get into town, so a shorter drive than either Rochebrune or Mont D'Arbois lifts.

Help!!

Advice: One day each in Megeve and Cham

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