The Ski Resort
Chamonix Mont Blanc is one of Europes top luxury ski resorts. Widely regarded as the mountain capital of the world, it is also considered to be the extreme ski capital too.
A high altitude luxury ski resort, Chamonix offers one of the best snow sure records in Europe and great off-piste skiing too.
For luxury ski holidays Chamonix is not just an expert off-piste destination. Whilst well suited for advanced skiers, it has much to offer all skiers with La Tour and Les Houches providing ideal ski slopes for beginners, intermediates and family ski holidays looking for a great luxry resort.
The town of Chamonix has a real luxury feel to it too with Michelin star restaurants and boutique shops alongside the more traditional mountain gear retailers. There are also numerous bars and restaurants with the Mix on the Rue des Moulins a luxury bar that is great for apres-ski and that special cocktail.
Worth Knowing
Chamonix offers the second highest lift station in Europe at 3,842m so it really is a high altitude luxury ski resort. From this lift you can ski the famous Vallee Blanche off-piste route which is must for good skiers (with a Mountain Guide) with 17km of spectacular scenery, beautiful mountain peaks, skiing over a glaciers and magnificent seracs. in good condition there is a descent of 2,800m too.
Family ski groups are best advised to head for La Tour or Les Houches, the latter is a great family ski resort with a travelator (magic carpet) and a dedicated chair lift for children with a modified safety bar and great green and blue slopes.
The Vallee Blanche is one of the most famous off-pite routes anywhere in the world and is must (with a guide) for any intermediate and advanced skier as it offers 17km of spectacular scenery, with stunning peaks, glacier terrain, and seracs, and a descent of 2,800m.
Family ski groups are best advised to head for La Tour or Les Houches, the latter is a great family ski resort with a travelator (magic carpet) and a dedicated chair lift for children with a modified safety bar.
Off Piste Skiing
Chamonix off-piste is quite simply the best in the world and here at Luxury Chalets we consider there to be no rival. The Vallee Blanche (mentioned above) is spectacular and well worth the days descent, but we understand our Luxury Chalets clients will also want to ski the true backcountry and some of Chamonix steep and deep. The Poubelle Couloir is just one of the famous steep couloirs but there is much more to explore. The Brevent couloirs below the Plan Praz cable-car are another steep death defying example.
But what makes Chamonix special is that it has something foe all and its not thereore all extreme. Combe Lachenal, facing the Mont Blanc Massif is one example, a gentle off-piste route and great for photos opportunities too. La Tour is also a good Guiding day, dropping into Vallorcine via the back bowls (note some parts are however high avalanche risk). Then there is the Grands Montets glacier, the Lavancher bowl (note Lavancher means avalanche in French) or the skiing between the Bochard and the Herse lifts, all in all adding up to the best off-piste luxury ski resort in our view.
Ski School
The main school in the Chamonix Valley is ESF and offer very good tuition. ESF in Les Houches is particularly good for luxuy ski holidays with the family.
Evolution 2 and BASS are just two of the others.
Snow Boarding
Being probably the best off-piste destination, certainly in Europe, if not the world, Chamonix is the mecca for back-country snowboarding.
The Grands Montets (Argentiere) and Les Houches (Area 43) both have snowparks for those who enjoy free-style boarding.
Other activities include ice climbing, indoor climbing, sleigh rides, huski sleigh rides and much more.
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