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Chamonix |
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Europe offers more lift-served powder skiing than anywhere else in the world. Ski journalists Vanessa Webb and Pat Sharples, authors of The Top 50 Ski and Snowboard Resorts in Europe, pick the five best places to lay down fresh tracks. Click to view Top 5 EU Powder Ski Resorts.
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Best for Touring (Chamonix) |
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 As a touring base, there is no better place than the Chamonix valley and Mont Blanc Massif. Chamonix has endless possibilities for touring, from introduction courses to full 6 day expeditions. If you want to get away from it all, then this is Chamonix is the place to go. |
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| Far from the usual purpose built monstrosities that the French pass for ski resorts, Chamonix has plenty of olde worlde charm, a diversity of nationalities and more facilities than anyone could need. It is just one reason why Chamonix has been, and will always be a popular base for the serious extreme community. Here are a few others: |
Week-long itineraries |
The Haute Route is the classic 6-day, hut-to-hut journey from Chamonix to Zermatt, with a further option to Saas Fee. Zermatt is about 70km from Chamonix as the crow flies, but the actual route travelled is much further.
It is advisable to have completed at least one multi-day ski tour before you embark on this route. As well as the classic itinerary, there are the more interesting variations including the slightly easier Verbier route and the Grand Lui.
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 Your route will depend on the weather and snow conditions and recommendations from your guide.
Other week-long itineraries include 5 days of ski touring followed by a 2 day ascent of Mont Blanc. This climb is not technically difficult but you need training in the use of crampons and an ice axe.
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Day Tours |
Local day tours allow you to keep Chamonix as your base. From the Grands Montets you can tackle the popular Col de Passon and take in some breathtaking views. You will reach the Col (3028m) by midday (with the help of the Grands Montets cable car) and can then choose your descent down to Le Tour (1580m).
Alternatively, from Flégère ski area, the Col du Belvedere is an easy tour, but the descent is steep and for advanced skiers only. The start of the descent is a steep narrow couloir which may require a rope in bad conditions.
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 From the classic Vallee Blanche trail on the Aiguille du Midi you can skin to the Col de Toule. This 1200m run is ‘renowned as the spring snow descent to die for’ (www.ultimate-ski.com).
Other day tours include Crochue Bérard, Améthystes glacier, Col du Tour noir, Three cols, Le Buet… the possibilities are endless. Most of these tours can be done as day tours or as two day trips spending the night in a refuge.
For tour guides contact Evolution 2 (0033 (0)4 50 53 22 57, chamonix@evolution2.com, www.evolution2.com) or Chamonix Experience (0033 (0)4 50 54 09 36, info@chamex.com, www.chamex.com), both very well respected.
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First timers |
 If hopping off piste hasn’t satisfied your explorative nature touring may just be for you. Once you have skied fresh tracks days after the last snow and set off from a mountain hut before dawn, watching the sun rise as you go, you’ll be hooked.
Chamonix Experience offer good courses, a 2 day ‘taster’ course or a 6 day introduction. The 2 day course covers the basic skills and the 6 day course is a thorough grounding in the skills needed including using skins and couteaux, travelling uphill, kick turns for steeper terrains and a night in a mountain hut to complete the touring experience. |
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| Prices: Not frightening |
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