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Chamonix and les houches

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hi
 
We are thinking of heading to Chamonix (staying in Les Houches) for the New Year.  I have read lots of differing reviews of the whole resort – many pro’s and negatives!
 
Undecided whether to go or look somewhere elsewhere within reasonable distance to Geneva.  I will be hiring a car so transferring between the various ski areas once in Chamonix shouldn’t be much of a problem.
 
We are strong intermediate skiers who found most of the runs in places like val d sere , tignes, les arcs, zermatt fine. 
 
The negatives:
 
-  are the lifts old with long queues – is this to be expected?
- Low altitude and snow reliability – will there be enough snow? Les Houches ok for snow at this time of year?
 
Should we be concerned about the above? 
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Hi,

Les Houches is a lovely village about 7kms along the Chamonix valley from Chamonix itself. If you have a car, access to all the other Chamonix ski areas, or indeed, in the other direction St. Gervais/Les Contamines/Megeve will not be a problem.

The Les Houches ski area is 57kms of piste and is actually the largest pisted area in the whole of the Chamonix Valley. Being tree-lined and on meadow, the area can be one of the first to open as it does not need much snow cover as it is not on glacial moraine.

The runs are all covered by snow-cannons and you can ski back to the valley floor, or even your chalet, depending on where it is located.

There are a few old button lifts, but there has been a lot of investment in Les Houches over recent years on the lift system. So now it's mainly chairs and the new Prarion Gondola. (9million euros).

Restaurant prices on the mountain are a lot less than the rest of the Chamonix ski areas, and in fact Les Houches has the greatest choice (10+) which is pretty much the total of the rest of the chamonix ski area restaurants put together.

The Chamonix mens world cup downhill is held in Les Houches in January every year.

Hope this helps. More info at: www.ski-leshouches.com and www.leshouches.com

Cheers.

Andrew
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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?
If you stay in les Houches and have a car then you can hit the entire Chamonix Valley and the Italian Courmayeur without going down hill. Les Contamines is just at the back of Les Houches and you will hit St Gervais first (access to Domaine Evasion or Megeve). Going downhill to the valley bottom is the motorway. Its second exit is Cluses where you can either ski the Grand Massif (Fliane) or the French side of Porte de Soleil. Massive amount of choices for skiing the whole month if you have time.
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Thanks for the info!
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
it's not always possible to ski down to the valley floor - this was Les Houches, 1 April this year...... wink
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HI 10196986, we've been to Les Houches for the last 3 years over New Year , great wee village , although long and on one street. Conditions have been pretty good and with the world cup they will be building up a base on the run home down verte when the cannosn can blow. There is a childrens race on over New Year , 2nd and 3rd I think , normally around 140 kids racing so Grand Bois and part of Verte will be in use for racing and practice. Good mountain food too , would recommend stopping for coffee/beer cake at the bottom of crozats or cha , not sure which , even in January has loads of sun. Also another one, old rickety building but great reasonably priced food , used alot by the locals and 3rd of the way down the downhill , at the top of Maison Neuve. If you are over enjoy ...
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Les Houches is in the middle of nowhere and practically at sealevel.

Stay in Argentiere.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Whitegold, Have U drink to much? Les Houches is on 1000m level and for christmas time the snow should as Chamexpress, say, even better than rest of Chamonix valley, and pam w, april is not a good time for Les Houches, but for christmas it use to be excelent,,
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For the years I skied Les Houches I would say there is always good snow at the top but coming down to the base station level next to the main road is another matter.

Factually the contour map here does show Les Houches lowest station starts at 1000m level so "practically at sea level" is hard to swallow. This is because if this is true then probably 99% of UK would be living below the sea as the highest peak at Ben Nevis is only 1,344m.

When I ski Chamonix I would go to Les Houches only if the snow cover reached the bottom. This would be plain obvious whenever I pass it on my way to or away from Chamonix. On record the chance was less than 30-50% that bottom run was skiable during the 8 years I ran a static caravan in Chamonix.

This picture show the snow at the top with the Chamonix valley at the background.

The Chamonix Valley is a major thoroughfare between France and Italy and less able to retain snow as other quieter Swiss and Austrian valley resorts could at the same altitude.
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I think Whitegold was exagerating just a tad - and last season was grim fairly generally - there was certainly nothing open at Les Houches when my picture was taken (I asked).

The only time I stayed in Les Houches, which was mid January, the snow was ghastly - even at the top - and the bottom of that run in the picture was bare - but that was a bad year too. We went to Flaine to find some snow and it was very soupy in the Flaine bowl too, though OK higher up.

My main concern about the whole Chamonix area at new Year would be crowds; the worst lift queues I've ever encountered were at Le Tour - that same mid-January - took ages to queue to buy a pass, then ages to queue again for the lift. Les Houches might be quite a bit quieter - and it's certainly a pretty ski area. I guess parking could be an issue at other areas in the valley at half term - I've not been there then, and when I've been to Brevent/Flegere it was with a friend who lives in Chamonix and knows where/when to go to find a parking space.

Are you dead set on New Year? If it's your only ski holiday of the year, there are so many better times to go.
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New year in Chamonix isn't too bad. It is the French mid term break one should avoid.

Parking in Chamonix Mont Blanc the village can be a problem but Brevent has some paid car parks and La Flegere parking is free if one hit it early and find a space. Parking in Les Houches, Grands Montets, Le Tour and even Courmayeur should be free and spaces are available if one arrive early say before 9:30am or no later than 10am. That was the situation about 5 years ago.

Christmas and New year is slight too early for many Alpine resorts but this is same even for the Scandinavian resorts. If one doesn't mind the skis scratches by the stones then skiing at this period is just on a thinner base and may be in a restricted area of the domain. When I skied Vermont USA last Christmas the snow condition is very much same as Europe with several resorts opening only about 60% of the area, partly due to lack of snow but predominantly to cut cost due to lack of visitors. Thus if one has to ski in Christmas/New year my advice is to accept the less than perfect snow condition if it happens because it is universal.
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 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.
Cheers for the tips... My wife is a teacher so unfortunately we have to go new year and Easter ! Was in tignes few years ago and it was great at new year. My in laws are going to look after our son - so was looking for somewhere with something for non skiers and with shortish transfer. Skied zermatt two years ago at easter and it was great - looked into again but was quite expensive . Also going thurs to thurs which isnt helping with accommodation as most places are sat to sat .
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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
Quote:

Also going thurs to thurs which isnt helping with accommodation as most places are sat to sat .

yes, can imagine that that is making things far more difficult, especially in France - though the chalet we stayed in in Les Houches, which was very good, did odd periods (can't remember the name, it was a long time ago, but the people who ran it also did telemark lessons). Les Houches would be OK for non skiers, with lots of stuff to do in the Chamonix Valley, including the Aiguille du Midi.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
10196986, Les Houches is where the British Ski Academy are based. They have always been able to ski there over the new year period. Snow is normally great.
They will be preparing for the first British races of the season and the Anglo/Scottish cup races held there on the 2-3 Jan 2012. So watch out for all the up and coming young GB racing talent.
The BSA is where virtually all of the current GB senior team trained when younger.

The mens World Cup DH is normally towards the end of Jan so there are no worries with that.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Plugboy,
Quote:

Snow is normally great.


Depends on what time period you're looking at...wasn't great two seasons ago... unless you were a skiing duck...
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
10196986,
Quote:

going thurs to thurs


As I assume over NY weekend, tricky, very tricky. You could look at maybe staying in Servoz or St Gervais? Maybe?

You do realise that you're cutting into the highest week of the year.

I reckon could sell our apartments for 2-3 x list price on December 31. (I haven't tried because I'm not sure I believe the "I'll pay anything you ask" mails.)

Chamonix is only about 45 minutes motorway (all the way, yay) from the IBIS hotel in Annemasse. Think of it like skiing in the US...
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
If you have a problem of finding Thu to Thu accommodation try Ibis in Sallanche as it is a lot near to Chamonix than Annemasse. You can choose to stay one night as this is a proper hotel charging £67/night. This hotel is facing the Sallanche Centre de Commercial so you have access to all facilities plus Sallanche is the biggest town in the area.

It is 8.2 miles to St Gervais(Domaine Evasion)
13.2 miles to Les Contamines,
14 miles to Les Houches,
17 miles to Chamonix town centre,
30 miles to Flaine,
30 miles to Les Gets (Porte du Soleil).
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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?
Quote:

access to all facilities


What, Macdonalds?

What facilities are you talking about? and about 2km to the town centre. A better location for skiing but not for anything else. Probably some central Sallanches hotels available though...
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I have accommodation lined up in les houches - think going go with it and hope the snow is fine!! Thanks for all your info - much appreciated!
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10196986, well done, where you staying?
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Hotel du bois. Haven't booked yet as still deliberating !
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saikee wrote:
New year in Chamonix isn't too bad.

Mygod, it was absolutely rammed this past new year and the one before. The pistes were like grid-locked highways. Lift-served off-piste was marginally less so. We were staying in Chamonix and drove to Les Houches to find some space to ski. It was my first time at Les Houches and we enjoyed it. What it lacks in vertical it makes up for with some lovely tree runs and a certain atmospheric intimacy you won't find in Chamonix.

Chamonix is my favourite destination but I'm seriously considering giving it a miss this coming xmas/new year to go somewhere quieter.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
10196986, We have stayed at the du Bois for the last three years , OK Hotel , food OK , but ate out on a number of nights at freinds who had apartments or across the road for Pizza and local dishes. Bar area and pool/sauna are good , at breakfast only hot option is boiled eggs , 10 euros for breakfast so made a packed lunch with bread , cheese and ham for the kids etc to make it seem good value. Free Mini bus to the Belllvue lifts, I think they are at 15 or 30 minute intervals. Staff friendly and if you arrive early we just dump our bags , and head off to the slopes. Free Wifi and the Pelforth on draught is good.

A few photos from 4th Jan 2010 - a foot of powder , last year was not that bad either.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/1750723@N21/
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saikee,
Quote:
New year in Chamonix isn't too bad.
Although I sometimes wonder what planet Saikee is on, (It is not the one I inhabit, clearly,) Zero-G, Cham is not usually so bad, just last year the snow was so poor in the lower resorts that everyone headed there.

We are big fans of Les Houches, often head there on a powder day so that we can ski while everyone else is in the Grands Montets top lift queue. And the on-mountain restaurants are so much better value for money than the SERAC operated Chamonix ones.

10196986, go on, be a devil, book 'em Danno...
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under a new name,

I ran a static caravan in Chamonix for 8 years. There are so many skiing opportunity there using it as a base. If you can't get decent skiing within a 75 miles radius of Chamonix then you will find the rest of the Alps isn't much different.

I live in a planet where skiers don't normally get excited at a small resort with 55km piste, 1 telepherique, 1 gondola, 4 chairlifts and the rest is made up by drag lifts.

Apart from Chamonix Valley and within a half an hour driving distance of Les Houches there are also Courmayeur (100km piste), Les Contamies(120km piste), Domaine Evaison (St Gervais/Megeve/Rochebrune with 300km piste), Grand Massif (Flaine/La Carraz/Morilon, Sameon with 265km piste) and the might Porte Du Soleil (France linking with Switzerland with 650km piste and can be reached by Les Gets/Morzine). I suppose price can drive skiers to choose Les Houches but it isn't "the" place to go for in that area.
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saikee, I'm sorry, I'm not trying to get at you, but I do find some of your suggestions rather "interesting"... in this case I still can't see the particular appeal of the Sallanches commercial centre... Laughing

I have just re-read your post and must admit I must have mis-read it the first time. You're quite right, New Year in Cham generally isn't so bad. Although New Year's eve in teh main square is rather mad (and I object to paying to get into bars that are othertimes empty!)
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 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.
under a new name,

If one stays in Sallanche, which has no skiing facilities of its own then one will have a car. Sallanche is biggest town in that area and offer very good shopping facilites. Two major national skiing shops are located there and offering a much better and wider choices than Annemasse. The cafeteria of the Centre de Commercial serves a good choices of food. You will find your daily needs pretty well catered in Sallanche than in Chamonix or Les Houches. Les Houches is just a village and Chamonix is just a bigger version of the same but Sallanche is the local hub and the termination point of the regional French motorway.
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 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
saikee, I take your point (I have had a couple of very pleasant evenings out in Sallanches) and totally agree it's a better base than Annemasse - I just wouldn't park myself opposite Boite a'Outils. Although if you're in a camper van I can see why that might be totally sensible.

P.S. the motorway (?) now terminates at the roundabout below the MB Tunnel, project finally (!) completed. Although the speed limits are NOT motorway ones...
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
under a new name,

The main road beyond Sallache is not tolled and uphill all the way to the Mont Blanc Tunnel. I suppose when I say French motorways I mean those we have to pay. Sallance is the end of the flat ground. Thereafter all the roads are mountain roads with steep gradients.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
saikee, fair point.

But if you haven't experienced the new dual carriageway all the way to Cham, it's a joy!
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
under a new name,

My experience was to put in the 5th gear at Sallanche and charge my 3 tonnes Shogun all the way to Chamonix over the 17 miles continuously uphill distance without changing a gear. That must be 7 years ago as I drive an automatic since.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
saikee, While I applaud your efforts at staying in valley towns and using the flexibilty to go ski different places, which I have on occasion employed myself, I think its a bit of a stretch to suggest that "normal" skiers, who wouldn't be excited by somewhere perfectly serviceable as Les Houches, would in someway enjoy better facilities in Sallanches than Chamonix. Sallanches is a perfectly acceptable ordinary French town and a good hub but it simply doesn't have the character or "ski resort vibe" of somewhere like Chamonix. Not to say I wouldn't go to Vieux Campeur or Quecha to buy kit in preference to some of the stores in Cham.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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fatbob, Isn't Quechua amazing? Can't spend more than €50 no matter what you buy...
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fatbob,

I suggested Sallanche as the last resort to ski Les Houches as the duration is Thu to Thu and an ordinary hotel like Ibis would take guest for any number of days at any time of the week.

With a car one choose to stay behind after skiing, enjoy the resort, have a few drinks , dinner, the vibe and features of the place. Driving a short distance to sleep at another place isn't too bad I would have thought. I would probably finish the skiing at Les Houches and then go up a few miles to spend the evening in Cham. The distance from Cham back to Les Houches is only 17 miles. I myself would probably use the evening to check out St Gervais and Megeve too and go as far as Annemasse(on different evenings of course)
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17 miles?
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5 miles I think, per gmaps
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My page on Les Houches
http://www.chaletlaforet.com/ski-areas/les-houches

and a blog post I wrote comparing the areas of Chamonix with their pluses and minuses, might be useful

http://www.chaletlaforet.com/blog/where-to-stay-in-chamonix-in-winter


Les Houches is generally OK for snow by New Year but from what you say about your level, I would think you'll be skiing elsewhere in Chamonix for much of your trip anyway.

But if you've found somewhere that will take Thurs-Thurs over New Year I'd go for it, though many places will be shifting their dates this year because it falls on a Saturday.

Lifts are not as fast as they might be but not that bad either. Remember you'll find a lot of reviews which are out of date, as many of them have been hugely improved in recent years. I've been at New Year and if you get up early, have an early lunch, then ski through everyone else's lunch (not literally!) it's not too bad.
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