Skiing in the Chamonix valley

The biggest ski area in the Chamonix valley with vertical drops of more than 2000 metres and off-piste skiing on glaciers. Many competitions and events are held at this ski area during the winter. In addition to outstanding off-piste skiing and ski touring you can also find long, groomed slopes and a fun and challenging snowpark.

The Domaine de Balme, referred to as ‘Le Tour’ by locals, is located on the Swiss border. It offers easier runs, some tree skiing and lots of sun. You can access the area by bus to Le Tour or the train to Vallorcine. Le Tour is a great place to look for stashes of fresh powder! If you’re heading off-piste, please have the necessary equipment and take note of avalanche warnings at all times.

Easily accessible from the centre of town and offering a wide variety of skiing from gentle, groomed slopes to very steep off-piste runs. Extreme skiing competitions are often held here each winter. Le Brévent is connected to La Flégère, which can be reached by a cable car departing from the village of Les Praz, just outside Chamonix. La Flégère, which is another of the sunniest ski areas in the valley, is very popular among snowboarders due to its natural jumps and park-like terrain.

One of the highest lift-serviced ski areas in the world can also be reached directly from Chamonix. This is a truly extreme place with breathtaking views of the Alps and of Mont Blanc. La Mer de Glace, one of the largest glaciers in Europe, also resides here. "The Sea of Ice", as it is directly translated, offers the unforgettable experience of La Vallée Blanche - a 22 km run taking you all the way back to Chamonix through fantastic scenery. The skiing from Aiguille du Midi is all off-piste so it is recommended you make the descent with a local mountain guide.

We recommend that you take out a private insurance policy for your whole stay. This insurance should cover illness, accidents, theft of valuable belongings and personal liability.

Skiing and other activities in the mountains are usually not included in your insurance. Search and rescue operations can be costly as well as transport and medical treatment. Therefore we strongly recommend that you study your insurance coverage. Insted recommend an extra insurance called the Carte Neige (60-65 EUR), which can be bought at the Tourist Office or at Maison de la Montagne. This insurance is valid all over the world.

There are two different season ski passes: Chamonix Le Pass covers the Chamonix valley and Mont Blanc Unlimited which also includes the top lift of Grands Montets and skiing in Courmayeur, Italy. Both skipasses are sold by Compagnie du Mont-Blanc, which is situated next to the Montenvers train station at Place de la Mer de Glace.  If you will loose your ski pass during the season you must report it to Compagnie du Mont-Blanc. To get a new ski pass you have to pay a fixed fee and wait for about two days. Your old ski pass will cease to be valid in the ski lift computer system.

If you stay in Chamonix for a shorter period you might want to buy a 10-day or 15-day pack of non-consecutive ski days. Contact Compagnie du Mont-Blanc  for information on prices, pistes, opening hours of the ski lifts, weather forecasts, etc.