CHAMONIX
by RACCOON1
Despite its reputation many other big ski resorts are better.
The area is composed of four satellite ski areas . La Flegere, Le Brevant , Te Tours and Les Houches. Skiable vertical drops on these areas is around 500 m.
You have to take a bus from Chamonix to the base lift ( ie. ski-in /ski-out does not exist ) These are intermediate areas with limited choise at each .
The major attraction is Le Grand Montet
with a vertical drop of 725 meters from the base to the mid station and a drop of 1300 m from the top to the mid station. Same as the others,take a bus from Chamonix.
Skiing the upper cable car is a must , but it can be brutal if it starts to snow .
The views at Chamonix : No one can compete.The mountains go straight up .
Tartiflette
by Manara
What is tartiflette? This is a question my companion and I asked each other on our very first day in Chamonix. It was mentioned in a leaflet advertising celebration for the 100th anniversary of the local railway. Celebrations apparently included music, dancing and tartiflette.
We soon learned more about it, because it seemed to be an essential ingredient whenever people got together to eat, drink and be merry.
It is a dish, very tasty and also very caloric, consisting mainly of potatoes, pieces of bacon and melted cheese.
I also learned that although in all menus it is listed among the typical local dishes, it is not actually a traditional dish. Apparently it was invented around 1980. Anyway, there must have been a time when traditional dishes were new. So long live the tartiflette, which in a few decades has become a classic!
In the website quoted below you will find the recipe, in English.
La Vallee Blanche
by firechick
The Vallee Blanche is a famous off-piste glacial ski 'run' which starts at the top of the Aiguille du Midi cable car and typically finishes near the Montenvers train station (or in the Chamonix Valley near the beginner's piste called Les Planards if there is enough snow cover). The level of skiing required is a person who can do red runs (to do the typical 'voie normale') up to expert to do variations such as the Plan d'Envers and others.
There are places where you need to ski across crevasses on snow bridges (which can collapse in Spring or at any time) which are quite narrow and other places where you need to ski down a steep hill and stop on a dime to avoid the crevasse at the bottom. Sometimes the route has sections which become very icey where the voie normale, and other routes come together to descend the most tricky parts of the glacier.
This run is beautiful, and most people do it for the scenery and not as much for the skiing. However the skiing on it can be wonderful too given the right conditions. At end of the season without a lot of new snow, it can really suck going down the seracs, which end up as simply glacial ice slides due to inexperienced snowboarders and skiers side-slipping the most dangerous sections.
Do yourself a favor - hire a mountain guide or go with expert skier/mountaineer friends who have done the route MANY times. Only travel with a group - never do the Vallee Blanche alone so that if something does happen, someone is there to possibly assist.
Each year there are several to many people who die trying this route alone or with little or no mountain experience. I don't say this to shock, but to give fair warning that this route is not to be taken lightly. The run starts out looking deceptively easy but quickly runs into very deep crevasses. The part just off the arrete is quite easy and can lull the unwary. You follow someone's tracks, not knowing that you are suddenly led down a steep serac/crevasse field, and suddenly whoops ..... Mountain guide
Crampons
Ice Axe
Harness
Rope 30m
Ice screws
Belay device
4 locking carabiners
Arva/Peeps
Probe
Shovel
Backpack to carry it all
Sunscreen
Lunch
Drink
Extra layer in case of sudden weather change
(Average time to do the route is 2-3 hours depending on route taken, skier ability etc. though experts who do it regularly during the season certainly can and do make it down faster)
After a fresh snow, often the routes are not tracked and you can quite easily get lost or end up on top of a cliff with no easy way out.
Even with tracks, do you know which ones to follow? Maybe the person who put those tracks in ended up at the bottom of a crevasse or enjoys launching over cliffs.....do you?
If you don't know why you would be carrying the above items, hire a mountain guide to assist you.
See this website for some true stories of those who tried and screwed up...
http://www.pistehors.com/comments/255_0_1_0_C/
Free transportation ticket
by Martinewezel
A Chamonix vacation without car is no problem.
A free host card is delivered by your hotel/ residence upon your arrival.
With this card you can travel free of charge on the local Chamonix Bus network (excluding the night bus) and also on the train between Servoz and Vallorcine. Valid during the period of your stay.
Looking over French and Italian Alps
by Toshioohsako
You take a cable car from the center of Chamonix city and go up to almost top of Aiguille du Midi mountain (3800).
You will have a magnificent heavenly view of mountains. Your will enjoy the view and awed by the greatness of the nature.
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That is me, honest!!!
Chamonix valley
The Aiguille du Midi from Vallot hut 22/9/06
Skiing down just past the crevasses
