We had a fabulous long weekend skiing in Chamonix Mont Blanc, France. It was our first time to the famous mountain and we loved it!
The Town
Chamonix Mont Blanc is an Alpine valley town and has 4 main ski lift areas, spread about 50 minutes end-to-end. Chamonix overall is a functioning town, which is different than many alpine ski locations we’ve been to that consist mostly of ski chalets. There is plenty to do for non-skiers from shopping, exploring ice caves, viewing Mont Blanc from the highest platform of the area, at the Anguille du Midi, and even a phenomenal spa we found called QC Therme. The spa was so nice and had heated outdoor infinity pools looking out to the mountains… #spadreams. Our friends took some envy-inducing pictures here! We arrived after the sunset and missed the crisp mountain views but still hung out in the outdoor pool with the steam rising against the starry night. It is a must-do in Chamonix, and it’s free if you get a 3+ day Cham Unlimited ski pass! The fact that there’s so much to do and see in Chamonix outside of the slopes is a definite draw to visit Chamonix.
Chamonix town elevation is 1035 meters and the highest point is Mont Blanc at 4810m. It was COLD the entire time, highs of -11C every day when we were there in January. Good skiing weather but I was freezing every time we went outside ;). Lots and lots of layers is a must!
Where We Stayed
We went with a large group of friends and all got rooms at Le Prieuré Hotel, in a great central location walkable to the Brevent ski lift. Les Houches is about 25 min drive West, and the Grand Montets about 25 min drive East. The hotel’s indoor pool and sauna were closed for renovations unfortunately, but they did have a much appreciated fireplace in the lounge area. Overall it was a nice hotel.
Restaurants We Loved
Keep in mind this is the Savoie region, which means cheese, cheese, and more cheese. Think fondues, tartiflette, and raclette dishes with potatoes, bread, and of course some meat dishes. Good hearty mountain food!
La Calèche – this was my favorite meal and evening we had. The decor was so cute with nostalgic old brass pots hanging, oriental rugs covering the floor, you felt like you were at your grandmother’s log cabin if she were to live in the French alps ;). The service was very accommodating to our 18 person group (!), and overall great experience! I recommend the Raclette that our friends Chad and Ashton shared, it comes on the huge half wheel. Lots of fun!
La Maison Carrier Traditional Restaurant – This is the traditional restaurant, comfortable with a cozy home feeling while still smart. Food was phenomenal, wine was delicious, and again great service. They also have a Michelin two-star restaurant so make sure you know which one you’re booking! 😉
La Moraine – typical nice restaurant. I got the formule with faux filet, basically a steak frites dish.
Micro Brewery Chamonix – Canadian expats opened a brewery right in Chamonix. We had truffle burgers and tried some of their beers. Nice casual brewery, which do not really exist out here like they do back in the states. They also had hockey playing on a big projector which was kind of cool (you also never see TVs in European restaurants which I appreciate but this was a fun unexpected twist at a brewery!). Easy walk from the spa I mentioned earlier.
Le Fournil Chamoniard – bakery at the end of our street. Dave and I ate breakfast here every morning as opposed to the 17€ hotel breakfast. Croissants, quiches, cappuccinos and teas are more my style anyway 😉
The Skiing
Before arriving to Chamonix I heard it was more advanced skiing with mostly off-piste runs so was a little nervous going in, but quickly realized I had nothing to fear. There were plenty of on-piste runs with tons of variety. Score! We all got the Chamonix Unlimited pass, which allows access to all lifts in Chamonix and even some in the Italian side of the mountains. On different days we skied the wide, sun-filled Brevent – Flegiere, the beautiful, long tree-lined Les Houches, and the steep, shaded Grand Montets. We pretty much stayed on the red runs the whole time – we can ski blacks but I didn’t really feel up for it in Chamonix, the reds were definitely steep and it just felt like the perfect level for me this week!
Brevent-Flegere
The Brevent and Flegere are two separate lifts that you can ski between on the mountain, so you can go up one side in the morning, ski across, and come down the other side if you wish. Our hotel was walkable to Brevent, it’s very central to Chamonix and the best part IMO is it’s on the sunny side of the valley! We had cold but blue sky days and the sun made SUCH a difference! Not only can you see the slopes much better but it was sooo warming and felt so nice. The sun factor alone made this area one of my favorites, coupled with the fact that there are a lot of different runs you can do with the two areas combined.
All of the Flegere sunshine also means nice lunches out on the patio with views you just can’t beat. Someone pinch me! This was from one of the many long, boozy mountainside lunches we had with friends. 🙂
Les Houches
I really enjoyed Les Houches as well with it’s long, peaceful, tree-lined runs. It was less crowded than the sunny, almost cosmopolitan Brevent-Flegere and felt very peaceful. There were runs on both sides of the mountain as well so we explored all sides to see which had the best powder and conditions.
Some of the views were just phenomenal and we had another really fun, long lunch with friends. In the morning I was skiing really timidly and it was actually pretty frustrating but I just couldn’t kick it. After lunch I loosened up and felt like a pro 😉
Les Grand Montets
This ski area is in the Argentiere section of town. I know it is famous for it’s off-piste, but we skied the pistes or went off right next to the groomed run. If you’re similar I would recommend skipping Les Grand Montets, at least until 2020 or so. One of the main lifts burned down to the ground last year so there are now only 2 red runs. We skied these about 10+ times but it started to get boring.
You are also on the shaded side of the mountain meaning it is MUCH colder than the sunny slopes on the opposite side of the valley. The shade + open air lifts meant I was extremely frozen and numb. The piste runs were pretty steep, wide, and fun, but after a few hours out here we skied down to the bottom to hop on the bus and take us back to the sunshine. I just couldn’t handle the shady cold at the time! I think this would be more recommended on a warmer day or if you really are an off-piste skier.
That was the only picture I took from Grand Montets… it is painful to take your fingers out of your gloves when it’s that cold. We literally look blue and frozen in the picture because we are. Haha!
That’s all I have for my thoughts on Chamonix!! I hope this helps you to plan a trip, enjoy!!
xo