Chamonix Skiing terrain is an off-piste powder paradise, offering the most extensive off-piste skiing in the Alps, plus 79 pistes including one that is 19 kilometers long. Because most of Chamonix’s skiing is located above 2000 meters, it is the perfect destination for early and late season skiing. Read on to find out more details the Chamonix area, how much Chamonix skiing trips cost, local knowledge, and things to do.
Chamonix Skiing At A Glance
Total Elevation: 3,842 Meters
Total Descent: 2,805 Meters
Number of Lifts: 53 lifts
Total Pistes: 79 Pistes
Longest Piste: 19 Kilometers
Total Piste Length: 116 km
One Day Lift Pass Cost: 50 Euro
Seven Day Lift Pass Cost: 287 Euro
Three Country One Day Lift Pass Cost: 62 Euro
Three Country Seven Day Lift Pass Cost: 333 Euro
Chamonix Skiing Trip Budget
How much will a Chamonix skiiing trip cost? Chamonix is only an hour drive from the Geneva airport. Because of the high volume of travel, many shared transfer companies offers service for as low as 40 euro round trip. Local lodging starts as low as 35 euro (with 4 people sharing an apartment). If you are on a tight budget, check out Argentière Refuge – if they are not full you can get hostel beds for under 30 euro. Add 10 euro a day for food from local stores prepared at your apartment. With flights to Geneva around 100 euro and your 7 day lift pass, you could pull of a Chamonix skiing trip for as little as 700 euro.
Chamonix Skiing Resort Overview
Chamonix hosted the first winter Olympics in 1924 and its been a powerful magnet for skiers ever since. The resort is on the east side of the Avre river valley at the western base of highest mountain in Western Europe, Mont Blanc. On the other side of the valley to the west of Chamonix, the Aiguilles Rouges massif rises up. Ringed by towering mountains, anywhere you are in Chamonix you will find the scenery truly spectacular.
Apres ski options abound in this busy little town. Whether you want to chill in a cozy cafe or go dancing all night long (Moo Bar, Elevation and Chambre Neuf), hang out at a microbrewery (Micro Brasserie de Chamonix) sampling beer, or eat at a Michelin-starred restaurant (Albert 1er), Chamonix has something for you.
Chamonix Skiing – Local Knowledge
Even without the vast off piste territory to explore, there are over 100 km of piste runs in the Chamonix area. Local guides can help you get to the ideal conditions for you, taking into account your skill level and preferences. If you are great on parks and pistes but not so experienced on off-piste, a local guide can help you with technique and start you in the right place. Explore and hone your skills on runs like the famous 20km Vallée Blanche run, starting at the Aiguille du Midi cable car and descending 2,800m to the Montenvers rail station.
Because Chamonix has a sizable town, lots of visitors, and so much off-piste territory to explore, it is a hub for some of the best guides in the Alps. There are a bewildering array of choices. Ridewithlocal has narrowed down the options to a list of the best Chamonix ski guides.
Things to do in Chamonix
Want to take a rest from skiing? The town of Chamonix has an app for that called Itinerio. You can even rent a tablet from the tourists office to use it. The app covers 110 points of interest in this historic town, with a multi media guided tour. The Montenvers funicular railway takes you up for a view of Europe’s largest glacier, the Mer De Glace. You can also come close to the summit of Mt Blanc by riding the cable car to the peak of Aiguille du Midi at 3,824 meters. Chamonix also offers ice-skating, swimming, skijoring and dog sledding. You can even experience the thrill of flying suspended from a para-glider.
