We have a trip to Chamonix planned for March this year.
There will be three of us: one advanced boarder, one advanced / intermediate skier (10 weeks) and one less advanced intermediate skier (4 weeks). The less advanced intermediate skier is a little concerned by the reputation that Chamonix has for being a "hard" resort in terms of piste classification.
Are there any black runs / red runs that that we should definitely avoid on the basis that they are disproportionately difficult? Ie I don't think anyone in the group is ready for jumping into a couloir just yet...
And are there any easier black runs in Chamoix (relative to the others in the resort - I appreciate that by definition there is no such thing as an easy black run)?
We were considering the Vallee Blanche as well, but one of our party suffers from vertigo and I understand there is a walk along a precipice at the start. How bad is this?
We are staying close to the Brevant lift - any recommendations for restaurants and bars would also be appreciated.
Thanks
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
You won't be able to ski for a week without reaching a steepish run at some point. You will just have to suck it up.
Flegere and Le Tour areas are the easiest.
The entry to the VB is not that scary. But some losers do panic on the way down, so be prepared for that.
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?
There was an excellent piece about Cham in last saturdays Independant written by Roger Alton.
You might be able to get it online.
It was part of a 50 page ski special.
Hope this can help.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Gerard McNeely, Charles Bozon at Brevent is steep (very) if you ski straight don it- but theere is also a track that zigzgas down and is easy- ie not blak at all
The only piste to be wary of is Varient Hotel- which is a fiendishly difficult unpisted red run and is often closed.....rocks/trees/stumps/holes/maor moguls etc it is a sandbag
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
The idea that the red runs are harder arises from their length. So, it can be hard work top to bottom and not just for a section. On blacks, those of the top of Brevent are as hard as any I have done (though the snow was heavy the last time). The Plan de Vue off the Grands Montets, by comparison, was tough only for the first 500 metres. Neither of these are guaranteed to be pisted so the Run to Les Esserts off Le Tour may be marginally easier.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Gerard, IMHO nothing is unduly worse than you'd expect and most things are about as anywhere else. Chamonix really isn't any harder IMV than any other resort. I would avoid the path down from Brevent - we last came down on Jan 4 and it was patchy to say the least. You will trash your skis/boards. It is almost certainly closed.
If you're staying near the Brevent, you'll find lots to do on Brevent-Flegere. Regarding restaurants/bars. The little outdoors only cafe at the bottom of the Brevent has Pelforth on draught which makes it great in my book.
The usual suspects for Bars are all OK (Pub, Bar'd Up, Munster). I personally like Bistro des Sports and Couloir Cafe.
Restos; for fantastic food at a reasonable but not cheap price Le Bistrot in the Hotel Morgane is fab. Other good names include Munchie (you will need to book), Boccalatte, Bergerie and one of the best pizza restaurants in the world, Casa Valerio. Also very good sushi at Satsuki. Good curry at Tiger Tiger too. Oh yeah and how could I forget, Jekyll under new management, great food at good prices, reasonable wine list and the best steak pie I've had in a long time.
Last edited by After all it is free on Fri 16-01-09 19:07; edited 1 time in total
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
I think there's no shame in being scared of the Vallee Blanche arete, it's very steep. But you'll be roped together and there are thick ropes to hold. I'd say unless your vertigo is completely incapacitating, you'd be alright.
The only place I'd be a bit wary of is the top of the grands montets, you might want to check this out yourselves and leave the less experienced person on the reds for a bit, then take them up if you think they'll be OK. Having said this I did it with my sister who was about that level last year when conditions were far from ideal, and she was fine with a bit of side slipping and a stiff drink at the bottom
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
David Murdoch, I agree, I think people like to talk it up a lot sometime. It's not THAT bad. There are some steep reds (lachenal bowl is quite steep for a red I think) but I don't think it's as bad as people make out. There's a couple of blacks at Flegere from Index and Floria which are nice, and next to reds on the same lift so they're good to progress to, and I've never really noticed that they are much harder than the reds either.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Oh and finally I just went in the Rhododendrons near the base of Flegere and it's really nice now! Flegere has a good apres spot AT LAST. New owners, nice ambience, log fire, and they turned off the hellish fluoro lighting - hurray! Recommended
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Fri 16-01-09 19:14; edited 1 time in total
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.
Gerard McNeely, I don't do heights but had no probs with the arete - it was only when we got to the plateau where you don skis/boards and I looked up to what I'd come down that I really sh@t myself! Don't take vertigo sufferers outside at the Panoramique restaurant as the terrace is built on girders and wobbles and has clear glass and a pathetic-looking handrail round it - a VERY winky moment!
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Charles Bozon is not that scary IMV and is well doable. The runs back to resort from Brevant (if open) will be steep. If the weather is ok then do VB with a guide. A couple of the blacks at Grand Montets are tough. There is a short black at GM which was called Roumasz (I think) - short but mogully and christened "ruin yer ass" by my buddies. Im not a brill skier but any of the pisted runs should be fine for a confident skier. Where Cham scores highly is off piste but apart from VB I'm too much of a fraidy cat to tackle it.
I know I always say this but the best apres bar when I was last there (4yrs ago) wast Chambre Neuf which is attached to Gustavia hotel.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
David Murdoch wrote:
one of the best pizza restaurants in the world, Casa Valerio. .
this is so true- it is fantastic.......pages and pages of menu, fantastic wine list, great service....even nice plates.......go there -eat pizza-be happy . A must after the Valle Blanche
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
firebug wrote:
The only place I'd be a bit wary of is the top of the grands montets,
this is quite steep and biggish bumps- but Point De Vue (the usual piste down from Grands Montets) gets steeper still - just keep to the right hand side and you'll be ok (Mrs Ed used to always head left and had to be rescued (by me- very crossly) a couple of times on account of cries of 'I'm sliding')
some picces of Point de Vue.....if Carlseberg did pistes....it is a must
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
It sounds like you'll have no probs up Brevent and if your close its the obvious choice for the first day and then maybe up brevent and across to Flegere on the 2nd or 3rd day where again from the sounds of it should be no probs for your group.
If after a few days you feel your at your limits up Brevent-Flegere I would'nt take you up Grand Montets but anywhere else in the valley will prob seem mellow.
Enjoy the place, its not really that dangerous on the pistes at Chamonix it's just the sheer size of the mountains can make you feel a little more intimidated than your average pistes!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
The high black at Brevant is only difficult due to narrow sections...
It's not a place to be if you can't slow down without making wide turns. On the other hand... where it opens out therre is a nice little off piste section which gets moguls forming... between where the pistes diverge and meet again.
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?
Thanks for all the advice. I will let you know how we get on!
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Poster: A snowHead
