 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello, back after a time away ... I've just been persuaded (not tht it was difficult!) to go for a long weekend to Argentiere in March with 12 other 'girls' ... I've never skiied it before, anyone got any tips on the skiing? places to eat/drink? places to avoid? recommended runs? we've only got 4 days but I intend to make the most of them 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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My friends were recently in your position (kind of). They'd never skied before and came for a week with me to Chamonix.
Your options are fairly limited as a beginner. There are beginner's areas such as Les Chosalets in Argentiere with drag lifts and nice easy slopes. There is also La Vormaine just up the road in Le Tour, which has nice open snow fields and 3 drags. There is also a blue run at Vormaine which undulates, but isn't exactly steep. Planards, in Chamonix has a red run to give an extra challenge.
The down side to the beginners areas are that they don't give you opportunity to get up the mountain. They're their own self contained areas. You can certainly learn quickly in these areas, but will need to progress quickly if you're going to be able to get up to the standard required to progress to the main slopes in the time you have available. To facilitate this I'd recommend booking an instructor, as even if your friends can ski well, it's unlikely they'll be able to teach you properly. There is also the safety factor attached to this...your friends may teach you bad technique/habits which would not be good.
For instructors I'd recommend Evolution 2. They have English and English speaking instructors and were great with me when I was there last month.
The main ski areas are quite a jump up in difficulty level. Even Domaine de Blame (Le Tour) which has the easiest blues in the valley (generally speaking) can be quite steep in places. It's nothing that a beginner can't handle if they've been taught well. My friends managed a couple of days on the main slopes at Balme and Brevent. Flegere and Grands Montets are probably a step too far.
If you can do some fitness/muscle stength work before you go I'd recommend you do just that. Learning to ski is one of the most tiring things I've ever done.
Eating/drinking........Chambre Neuf in town is a cool buzzy bar for some apres food and drink, and is open quite late. MBC is also quite good, and serves their own brews, but can be very busy. I can't really recommend many restaurants, but The curry house 'Tigre Tigre' is excellent.
There's lots of other bars, cafes, bistros etc to find, and I'd recommend doing some research yourself on chamonet and chamonix.com to find out where the best happy hours are.
Last tip....take as much oney as you can afford. It's expensive. Non happy hour prices are generally in the regionof 5 - 7 euro a pint.
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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?
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poma, From your post I am assuming that you can ski but have been to Argentiere before?
You will love it and, as its pretty much half way along the Cham valley, its easy to get to Brevent at the western end or Le Tour/Vallorcine at the eastern end. But in reality, I suspect you will spend every day of your trip at Grands Montets and that you will love it.
There is no where to avoid, don't eat on the mountain unless you got a good bonus at work try and ski a few of the other areas too. If you have the time (and budget for a guide), the Vallee Blanche will be fantastic at this time of year. If not, its still worth a ride up the Aiguille du Midi, especially late afternoon before a few drinks in Cham of an evening.
Get an MBU pass and the AdM cable car is free, as is the cable car to the top of Grands Montets.
I've heard the bars in Argentiere are good but haven't tried them myself.
Have fun.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Argentiere does have two places that are worth eating in though, if you fancy a mountain lunch on a couple of days.
The Refuge du Lognan (v.atmospheric, access via a black from the top or from the Herse, and leave by an off-piste run through the trees, nice for tea and cakes too)
Cremerie du Glacier (near the base, look out for the tiny white sign on the right near the end of the Pierre a ric red, follow the tracks through the trees. Or you can drive up from the base, follow signs to the heliport, it's just before it)
Both of these are absolutely great.
The food at Lognan is terrible. Plan Joran is a bit better.
Do the little walk up to the right of the top of the Bochard lift and goggle at the Poubelle Couloir.
Anyway you'll have a fantastic time! Some of my recent pics here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chaletlaforet/
I'd recommend having a day at Flegere / Brevent to see the rest of the valley though, especially if you get a lovely sunny day.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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THanks for all the advice - sorry folks, should have given you more information; not a beginner, I am a fairly strong intermediate skiier, spend most of my time trailing along behind my husband who seeks the off piste and teenage son who races for entertainment ... so I'm looking for some good long blacks/reds and some lush off-piste recommendations (although I would always take a guide in unknown territory) to enjoy with the other ladeez ...i skiied the VB about 20 years ago and remember loving it (although not the long muddy walk at the end). I'm guessing that with the snowline so low this year, that might be avoided so possibly the year to do it again! We've only got 4 days so I want to make the most of them!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I think there's a lot to be said for taking a guide for a day at Les Grands Montets...do some off-piste from the top and the Pas de Chevre if possible.
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firebug, thanks for the recommendation and for the pm, will have a look at my map! and give your contact a ring. Cheers
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poma,
Hi! Was there in January for a week - brilliant!
For a 4 day break there's enough not to even worry about other areas!
Most people head up to the top station on the Lognan lift early on but there's enough to do even without that if you go for the cheaper lift pass option. The Hearse chair gives a good area of off piste to go at but you can spend a couple of days just exploring the area accessible from the Bochard lift. On the way up look at the huge area to the right. Chamois black run takes you off into a big bowl with endless opportunities for relatively safe off-piste. Lots of little off-track interest even off the bottom chair lifts over that side.
Must say though, most of the fun is to be had off of the pistes, which aren't extensive, so start building the thigh muscles!
Good small bar about half-way up the main road, just set back off the road in a liile shopping complex (Grand Roc I think). Reasonably priced pizzas and omlettes, get there for happy hour and cheap schooners of Stella! The "English" bar is the Office in the middle of the village near the cash-point machines (which you WILL need as there is no bank!)
Have a fantastic time!!!
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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.
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Oh bug. I read the OP as "I've never skied before"
It was late. I was at work.
What a clown.
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It did strike me as odd that someone who had never skied before had posted 411 times
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| rambotion wrote: |
| It did strike me as odd that someone who had never skied before had posted 411 times |
 Never even noticed.
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