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Chamonix Events
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There are heaps of events held throughout the year in Chamonix, ranging from small and quirky local festivals, to world renowned sporting events. Music festivals are also hugely popular during the summer months and provide a great excuse to make a quick trip out to the Alps. In this section, we bring you information about the major annual events in resort, and don't forget to check out our weekly what's on calender.
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| Talents Aiguilles - Weekend for Women (mid-Jan) |
Salomon and Chamonix join forces for a weekend series of events geared entirely towards women. There are a host of mountain activities organised and on offer - and it is all FREE OF CHARGE, including access to skiing on Les Grands Montets. (Sorry guys, no concessions for blokes in tights and Freddie Mercury house-wife outfits as far as we know, you could always give it a go - send us your pictures if it pays off!). Highlights include:
Salomon fashion show
Live Concert - ladies be sure to download your invitation
Free entry to Chamonix's museums and exhibition centres
Wintersports activities accompanied by mountain professionals, including snow-shoeing and ice-climbing (equipment and instruction courtesy of Talents Aiguilles and their local partners
Talents Aiguilles Chamonix Women's Weekend website
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last updated 5-Oct-2007 |
| Le Kandahar - World Cup Downhill Skiing (late Jan) |
Les Houches in the Chamonix valley is home to the Kandahar World Downhill Ski Championships. This race has become one of the main sporting events in the Chamonix valley and represents the excellent skiing reputation Chamonix possesses.
Created in 1928, the Kandahar was the first international alpine competition to combine downhill and slalom events. This combination still exists in the Olympic Games and the World Championships. Both are spectacular and very difficult, it the race remains a measure of excellence, even if over the past few years, skiers are increasingly less suited to such events. The downhill race takes place every two years on La Verte piste in Les Houches during early February and has in the past attracted the big downhill competitors including: James Couttet, Karl Schranz, Emile Allais, Ingemar Stenmark, André Aamodt and Alberto Tomba.
Chamonix World Cup Skiing - Le Kandahar website
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last updated 5-Oct-2007 |
| Boss des Bosses (mid-March) |
The Boss des Bosses is the longest running season worker’s comp in the Alps. Its roots go back to a gauntlet - doubtless luminous - flung at a Val d’Isere fop who impudently suggested that Val’s skiers were better than Chamonix’s. A team bumps competition settled the matter in Chamonix’s favour and now, seventeen year’s later on, the comp is still moving from strength to strength. Most of those original competitors - once hard drinking, powder skiing, all-in-one wearing, bums for life - are likely living in suburbia, worrying about the implications of the new one way system to house prices and saving money for their off-springs’ university fees. Still at the helm is the man who rose to the challenge so many years ago: Mr Tom Banfield; sporting, as always, his trademark battered tan ski suit and a beard to make Gandalf feel inadequately whiskered.
Along the way the Boss des Bosses – ‘bosses’ being French for bumps – has snowballed. First Verbier and Zermatt joined the contest, then Meribel, Courchevel and finally Val Thorens. In previous years Chamonix and Zermatt have dominated, at least since the departure of Verbier, who haven’t entered since 1997. For several years it formed the core event of the Chamjam music and snowsports festival, before that was unfortunately ended by excessive Chamonix regulations.
Flick through our photo gallery to see more Boss des Bosses images
The Boss des Bosses website
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last updated 5-Oct-2007 |
| Freeride Days (early May) |
The Chamonix Freeride Days signals the end of the Chamonix ski season.
The Grand Montets skiing area plays host to the event providing entertainment in the form of music, swimming pool, a waterslide, BBQ and lots of beer. The event is essentially a last gasped effort by the locals and seasonaires to really hurt themselves on the rails or the big wall that are set up at Lognon ski area. If that fails to entertain, there is still drowning by waterslide, or attempting the slide topless as has been done by brave kids in previous years! It’s not a huge problem if you do not make it across the slide as there is a hot tub waiting for you to dip into!
In previous seasons, the Ecole de Ski Française (ESF) have set up a speed test to the left of Marmottons piste, however a helmet is required if you want to test yourself. There’s usually a DJ in place at the bottom of the Herse chairlift, where a BBQ, beer, and those huge tartiflette pans full of sausages and potatoes are free flowing. In 2005 there was a volleyball match too and if past years are anything to go by, and the weather allows, you might be lucky and see some daredevils leaping out of helicopters.
In 2007 Freeride Days were held on the 29th April 2007 (this is not the last day of the season by the way, as is normally the case for the Freeride Days event). The resort supposedly closes a week later (conditions permitting). |
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last updated 5-Oct-2007 |
| Chamonix Hockey Club (usually weekly matches) |
Get yourself down to the ice-rink and support the local team, usually on a weekly basis there is a match. The Chamonix Hockey Team actually do quite well and the matches can get quite riotous...
As an alternative evening out maybe have dinner in the nearby Micro Brewery de Chamonix (aka 'The MBC') and then head over to the rink with a group of friends. There is a bar so you can get a few beers in whilst you watch the game. Remember to take some warm clothes and shoes, hats and gloves - you are going to be sitting in a large freezer in a ski resort, believe us - it's doubly cold!
Chamonix Hockey Club website
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last updated 7-Mar-2008 |
| Chamonix Mont-Blanc Marathon (end of June) |
The Mont Blanc Marathon at a distance of 42kms and height differential of 2240 metres, starts in the centre of Chamonix (1035m), where there’s a steady climb to the upper valley of the Arve, progressively passing through the hamlets of ‘Les Bois’ and ‘Lavancher’ until reaching Argentière (1250m). The route then crosses the Col des Montets (1461m) in the heart of the Aiguilles Rouges game park. Following the Chemin des Diligences, the old stage-coach route, the course arrives at the hamlet of Le Buet before reaching Vallorcine (1260m) which is nestled at the bottom of a friendly valley, only a stone’s throw from Switzerland.
Heading towards the Col des Posettes (1997m) with splendid views over the Mont Blanc massif, opposite the Aiguille and the Tour glacier, the route gradually descends across the mountain passes to reach Charamillon (1850m). A steady gradient increase until the village of Le Tour (1453 m) follows before it becomes calmer along the road leading to Montroc (1382 m). After crossing the hamlets of Frasserands and Tré-le-champ the route returns back onto the historic route of the Mont-Blanc cross-country race. At the heart of the Aiguilles Rouges massif, opposite the Mount-Blanc range, the route ascends until La Flégère (1875m) where after a crossing the magnificent coomb of Charlanon (1812m), a gentle yet progressively steeper climb ensure until just before the arrival at Planpraz (2050 m) which offers further spectacular beautiful views of Mont Blanc.
The Cross du Mont Blanc is half the distance of the marathon at 21kms ad covers a height differential of 1300 metres. Starting at the centre of Chamonix town, the route runs through Argentiere, retracing the 1995 French Championships before returning on the route to Planpraz.
Mont Blanc Marathon website
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last updated 5-Oct-2007 |
| World Climbing Championships (mid July) |
Chamonix is host to the finals of the World Climbing Championships (Coupe du Monde d’Escalade). Although the competition includes a heavy European prescence, competitors come from far & wide: USA, Canada, Hong Kong and Australia.
Located in the heart of town, just outside the ice rink & sports centre, a towering climbing wall with all the trimmings of big screen, food stalls and climbing equipment stands springs up for the event. It is estimated that a crowd of around 10,000 turn up each year to watch the final event. Lively commentary is provided throughout the competition which encourages the crowds to cheer & support the competitors as they Spiderman their way to the top; it’s amazing how much tension can build watching someone suspend themselves upside-down by just their kneecaps – awesome stuff, all of this in the backdrop of the Brevant and Flegere mountains. |
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last updated 5-Oct-2007 |
| Tour de France - July |
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Every summer France is gripped by the biggest and best cycle race in Europe - Le Tour de France. The Alps have played a large part in the race over the years with the gruelling mountain climbs providing some of the most exciting spectacles of the event. The route changes slightly each year, taking in different towns and villages along the way. Even if the race doesn't pass near to where you are this summer you can guarantee that it will still be avidly watched in bars and cafés around the country with everyone joining in to cheer on the famous yellow jersey! ... see "Le Tour de France" for more |
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last updated 22-Jul-2008 |
| Fete de Guides de Chamonix (mid August) |
Each year during the middle of August the Chamonix valley celebrates the history of its mountain guides and their courageous achievements. Over a 4 day period the Guide Company (La compagnie des Guides) and the event sponsors put on a variety of attractions to raise money and awareness for the guides and to award those with outstanding achievements, as well as remembering those who lost their life on the mountain.
The main event of the Festival of the Guides of Chamonix (Fete des Guides de Chamonix) is generally started at the climbing wall at Les Gaillands, Chamonix. This is a ‘tickets only’ event held in the evening and offers live music, traditional food, games for children, fireworks and best of all, a performance on the cliff face by the local mountain guides.
The official ceremony is usually followed the proceeding day and commences with the laying of wreaths at the Chamonix cemetery. Guides in traditional costume, consisting of cords and ice axes, make a procession through the town to the church. The president of the company presents medals, blesses the tools of the mountain and announces the honorary guide of the year. There are a number of stalls present selling local fare & mountain related products. To find out the history and traditions of the mountain this event is well worth attending. You can learn more about the company of guides by going to the Maison de Montagne next to the church in Chamonix or visiting the Compagnie des Guides website.
Compagnie des Guides website
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last updated 28-Jan-2008 |
| The North Face : Ultra trail of Mont Blanc (end August) |
Over the course of three days, participants cover a total of 155kms, 3 countries, 7 valleys, 71 glaciers and 400 summits, experiencing a difference in altitude of 8500 metres. This race is a true test of endurance, a combination of pleasure/pain, highs and lows. The trail begins and ends at Chamonix but you can catch sight of the runners as they pass through Les Houches, Les Contamines, Les Chapieux, Courmayeur, La Fouly, Champex, Trient, Vallorcine and Argentiere. Each of these areas celebrates the achievement of the runners by holding a fete with concerts, barbeques and general encouragement, clapping and cheering as the runners pass by.
There is no monetary prize for being the first to complete the course as the philosophy of the trail is that everyone’s a winner – it’s a personal achievement and as such there is a wonderful sense of team spirit about the event. In 2005, the winner crossed the line in an amazing 21 hours and 6 minutes. For us lesser mortals, it is possible to take a similar tour of Mont Blanc over a period of 8 to 10 days, staying in mountain refuges and hopping on the odd bus if necessary! Many people come to Chamonix each year to do just that, the scenery is quite spectacular and you really do feel on top of the world.
Ultra Trail de Mont Blanc website
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last updated 5-Oct-2007 |
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