Chamonix Vacations, France

Chamonix has recently become a popular skiing resort. The location at the foot of the Mont Blanc makes it one of the most attractive places to go for a winter holiday.

The best thing about Chamonix is that it really is a town. Many other French winter sport places are just a bunch of high rise buildings close to the skiing lifts, but here you find a cosy center with nice bars, restaurants and cafes. The slope of the Mont Blanc is very spectacular. You get a lovely view over the valley and the glacier is of extraterrestial beauty. The bad thing about Chamonix is that the slopes are divide in three areas and you can't ski from one to the other. You need to take a bus which is a drag.

There are 7 major glaciers and several minor ones in the Chamonix valley. The Mer de Glace (sea of ice) is the second largest glacier in the Alps (the largest being the Aletsch Glacier, Switzerland). It is estimated to contain approx 4000 million cubic metres of frozen water; it is 12k long and varies in width from 700 - 1950m.

The average depth of the ice is 240m with a maximum 420m just down stream of the glacier du Geant . The Mer de Glace moves forward 90m per year, or 1cm per hour. During the 20th century all alpine glaciers receded. The Mer de Glace receded 7.5m every year on average. > More information on Chamonix travel at wikitravel.org

The Chamonix Valley, France

Author: Andy Ward

To describe the Chamonix Valley as beautiful would be a lot more then an understatement. It is, without doubt, one of the most picturesque areas in the world.

One hour from Geneva by road, this skiing and mountaineering haven has become popular the world over with skiers, mountaineers, climbers and mountain lovers alike. The valley itself is dominated by Mt Blanc, as well as other ranges meeting in this most dramatic mountain area. Towering pillars of granite dominate the area often bewhildering you with the very scale that they represent. It is difficult not to be impressed once the clouds lift, the peaks towering above you like sentinels.

Chamonix has become very popular with the British, who have now gathered there in significant numbers, though many leave and go somwhere else once the ski season is over. Scandanavian peoples also appear to favour the area, and, of course, there are the French.

Chamonix has become so multicultural in some areas that it would be easy to say that it is not typically French. Though French is widely spoken, you will never be far from a British accent. Most Brits have picked up the baton, so to speak, and learnt French, but a minority remain who expect to use English wherever they go. This has lead to small amounts of friction between the two communities, but nothing too serious.

If you are going to go to Chamonix, you should expect to speak some French.

As a ski area goes, Chamonix has some of the most extreme skiing available to man. There are many resorts, all reachable via a small bus or cable car ride from Chamonix or the surrounding area. For the more extreme routes like the Vallee Blanche you should look to find yourself a guide, or ski the route with people that know the way, or you may find yourself in a crevasse.

Some skiers complain of the layout that Chamonix offers - of course you can't please all the people all of the time - if you want extreme skiing, come to Chamonix, and expect to take a few short journeys to the venue of your days skiing, that's all.

As well as being a mecca for skiers and snowboarders, Chamonix offers excellent climbing and mountaineering options, with climbs up fantastic granite cliffs suitable for all comers, stretching to huge extreme alpine rock routes like the Walker Spur. Pleasant woodland walks can also be easily found!

Not far from Chamonix are the mountain villages of Argentiere and Les Houches. Les Houches is only a 20 minute bus journey from Chamonix and is actually a ski resort in its own right, so you don't need to be in Chamonix itself to enjoy some of the best skiing the Alps has to offer.

About the Author:

Andy Ward - Author is a resident of the Chamonix Valley, France

The Chamonix Valley, Online Guide http://www.chamonix-valley.com

Things To Do and See in Chamonix

Vallee Blanche, Chamonix
Chamonix Mountain Guides : Mountain Guide Adventure

Mountain Guide Adventure : A Mountain Guide team in Chamonix

providing around the Alps : heliskiing, ski touring, off piste skiing..
Attraction type: Mountain; Ski area

Mont Blanc, Chamonix
A towering mountain range on the Italian border, the highest peak of which

measures nearly 16,000 feet, making it the second highest mountain in Europe.
Attraction type: Mountain

Montenvers Train - La Mer de Glace, Chamonix
This train takes visitors on the short ride between

Chamonix and the Mer de Glace glacier.
Attraction type: Scenic railroad

Aiguille de Midi, Chamonix
At nearly 13,000 feet, this mountain in eastern France, next to

the towering Mount Blanc, provides some great skiing in its own right.
Attraction type: Mountain

Bar National, Chamonix
This local bar has a strong international atmosphere because of its

location in a resort town frequented by tourists from all over the world.
Attraction type: Bar/club

You may also be interested in...

- Traveler Reviews of Chamonix

- Top 10 Tourist Attractions in France - Photo Gallery & Map

- Unbiased Hotel Reviews, Photos and Travel Advice

TRAVEL & TOURISM INFO | by Trip Advisor

Tours & Activities in Chamonix

Traveler Reviews

Hotels & Hotel Deals

Vacation Packages - Hotel + Air Deals

Quick Search (hotel prices & availability)