Holidays in France in winter is an opportunity to combine excursions to historical sights with skiing. Choosing a place for the latter is difficult. To do this, you need to explore each Mont Blanc ski resort, which operate from December to March. Popular with Russian tourists are Chamonix and Courmayeur
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About the ski resort of Mont Blanc – Chamonix
The ski tourist area Chamonix consists of five different sets of slopes. Two of which are connected together with the rest, separated along the length of the valley. Because the Chamonix valley is low and the ski lifts rise to over 3000m, there are plenty of opportunities for skiing at 2000m or more.
The skiing area in this Mont Blanc ski resort ranges from 950m to 3300m, while the backcountry skis offer steeper slopes with increased difficulty.
There are about 150 km of pistes, which can be reached by 65 ski lifts, divided between the main ski areas and areas with low mountain nature. Chamonix has 6 green runs, 30 blue runs, 31 red runs, 10 black runs and 2 snow runs. They are distributed over five mid-level ski areas.
Low mountain
Here you can find many gentle slopes along the Chamonix valley with easy access for beginners. These areas are suitable for beginners or those who want to brush up on their skills before heading to a higher mountain.
Ski slopes:
- La Vormaine (1480m) in Le Tour.
- Les Chosalets (1230m) in Argentiere.
- La Poya (1120 m) in Vallorcine / Le Buet.
- Le Savoy (1049-1125 m) in the center of Chamonix at the base of the Logs.
- Les Planards (1062-1242 m) close to the city center and train station Montenvers.
- Le Tourchet (1000m) in Les Houches next to the outdoor ice rink.
They are suitable for beginners and professionals. Each Mont Blanc ski resort has equipment rental. The cost is from 20 Euro per day.
Average height of the mountain
These areas are accessible via a system of lifts and offer a much wider range of trails of all levels, from confident beginners to experienced skiers and snowboarders.
List of ski slopes:
- Les Grands Montets (1235-3300 m)
- Logs / Fleurere (1030-2525 m)
- Le Tour / Vallorcine (1453-2270 m)
- L’Aiguille du Midi / La Vallee Blanche (1030-3842 m)
- Les Houches (950-1900 m)
If you want to ski on more than one day, you can buy a ticket for one of the regular buses or a train, the cost of which is included in the ticket. Thanks to service Mont blanc Unlimited , you not only ski in the Chamonix valley, but also in neighboring ski areas such as Courmayeur in Italy, ski areas Waising – Mont Blanc and Verbier.
Courmayeur
The Italian ski area of Courmayeur offers a completely different skiing experience in Chamonix despite being only 22 km away. There are simple trails and inexpensive mountain restaurants. The weather here can also be mild, with many sunny days.
The main ski area has 31 runs – difficult and easy. With plenty of snow cannons serving the pistes, skiing is guaranteed from December to mid-April. There is a system of lifts – one at an altitude of 1224 m, and most of the ski areas are above 2000 m.
Access to Courmayeur from Chamonix through the Mont Blanc Tunnel, or by car, with regular buses that operate in winter and summer. There is a discount for the tunnel and the bus ticket if you have the Mont ski pass blanc unlimited.
Trails for beginners
Courmayeur makes a great day trip from Chamonix for the early intermediate skier or fast progressing beginner at the end of their first week of skiing. Lots of blue runs combined with a huge number of cafes. Few options for a beginner.
The beginner areas are at the foot of the mountain next to the small village of Dolonne and on the hill by the Maison Orphanage and Restaurant Vielle . The Dolonne area is very similar to Vel Veni, with the difference that it is at the foot of a hill, so the snow conditions are not always as good, but the weather is a bit milder.
In the beginner zone next to Maison Vielle has a small lift called Tzaly and it is a few steps from the main pistes. Maison Restaurant Vielle also has an excellent reputation among the locals for its high quality Aosta food.
Slopes for experienced skiers
A challenge for professional skiers in Courmayeur is off-piste travel. The main descents start from the lift station of the Bertolini cable car. Rocce track Bianche has the most stable corners in the resort and being on the dark side of the mountain usually has good snow quality.
Further in the Mont Blanc ski resort is the Diretta track. It is a straight line under the Zerotta chairlift between the blue pistes. The Diretta track is not fully equipped, with several lower layers left unpaved, which contributes to the formation of places without snow.