Chamonix Resort Information

Resort Information

Here is collection of general resort knowledge compiled from years of responding to email enquiries, getting ourselves lost, finding ourselves, late-night bar conversations, your feedback, plus translations of French brochures. We have put this resource together to help you out when you are planning a trip to the resort. Updating this section is a never-ending task so if we have missed anything out, or you spot that we are out of date or just plain wrong, please do let us know!

Chamonix Resort Information - Select a subject:

About Chamonix
	E-Mails : Where can I pick up my emails?
	Food : What are the local food specialities to try?
	History : What is the history of the Chamonix region?
	Money : Where can I change money?
	Shopping : When do the shops open?
	The Resort : I have never been to Chamonix before - what's it like?
	Transport : How do I get around the resort?
	When is the best time of year to come?
Activities & Skiing
	Equipment : Should I hire or buy equipment?
	Equipment : Should I wait until I get to resort to purchase a new pair of skis or snowboard?
	Insurance : Should I get ski and travel insurance?
	Mountain Biking : Where can I go mountain-biking?
	Mountain Huts: When do the mountain huts open and close for the season?
	Non-Skiers : I don’t ski/snowboard - what is there for me to do?
	Ski Safety : What are the 10 Rules of Ski Safety?
	Ski School : Do the ski instructors speak English?
	Ski School : Should I have lessons?
	Ski Servicing : Can I do my own maintenance or should I take my equipment to a shop?
	Ski Servicing : How often should I have my skis and/or snowboard serviced?
	Ski Servicing : I have recently bought my first snowboard, should I be doing anything to the board (i.e. waxing or the like) before taking it out on the slopes?
	Summer : What is there to do in the Summer?
	Telemarking : What is telemark skiing?
	Theft : How can I avoid having my skis/board stolen?
	Theft : What should I do if my skis get stolen?
	What’s the difference between Telemark, Alpine Touring and Regular Alpine skis?
	Where can I get more information on the climbing / mountaineering / skiing / touring routes?
Avalanche Awareness
	Are avalanches an 'act of God'?
	Can I get out of the way of an avalanche?
	Can screaming and yelling start an avalanche?
	How can I begin to evaluate if the snow is stable or if it can fail?
	How do I judge if a slope is 'dangerous'?
	How long can you live under the snow?
	I ski on the piste most of the time, why should I be bothered about avalanche risk?
	Is the slope safe after an avalanche has gone?
	Isn't it most dangerous in springtime when there are more avalanches?
	Once I'm out there, how can I reduce the odds of getting caught in an avalanche?
	What causes slab avalanches to fracture?
	What kind of avalanche is most dangerous?
	What kind of weather produces avalanches?
	What should I do if I'm caught in an avalanche?
Children
	Activities : Are there any free activities, or discounts for children?
	Activities : Can you suggest some activities in Chamonix for children?
	Babies : Can I take my baby to a ski resort?
	Childcare : Are there any crèches / childminding / baby sitting services in Chamonix?
	School Holidays : When are the French School Holidays this year?
	Ski School : Do the ski schools have English speaking instructors?
	Skiing : At what age should my child start skiing?
	When are the French School Holidays this year?
Driving
	Cars : Do I need a car in the resort?
	Mont Blanc Tunnel : Where can I find information about the Mont Blanc Tunnel?
	Routes : How long does it take to drive to Chamonix from the UK?
	Snow Chains : Do I need to carry chains in the car (often a paying optional extra in car-hire)?
	What else should I know about driving in France?
	Where can you park in Chamonix?
Employment
	Job Hunting : How can I get a job in Chamonix?
	Job Hunting : What sorts of jobs are available?
	Work Permits : Do I need a work permit?
Health
	Altitude : Will I suffer from altitude sickness?
	Doctors : Are there English-speaking Doctors?
	EHIC Card : What is an EHIC card and do I need one?
	Fitness : What exercises should I do before my holiday?
	Injury : How can I reduce the risks of injury?
	Sunburn : Can I get sunburnt in winter?
	Water : Can I drink the water?
	What are the commonest injuries?
Lift System & Passes
	Access : Can I take my dog/Gran/parapente/goldfish....?
	Free Lifts : Are there any free lifts in the valley?
	Lift Passes : How much does a lift pass cost?
	Lift Passes : What else do I need to know about the lifts?
	Lift Passes : What lift passes are available in the summer?
	Lift Passes : Which lift pass should I buy?
	Live Info : What lifts are open and what's the weather like before I decide to get out of bed?
	Opening/Closing : When do the lifts open/close for the season?
	Photos : Do I need a photograph for my lift pass?
	Piste maps : Where can I get a copy of the piste maps?
	What do the different abbreviations for lift types mean on the piste map?
Ski Area
	Bad Weather : Where do you head when the weather is bad / in a whiteout?
	Beginners : What’s Chamonix like for beginners?
	Cross Country Skiing : Can I cross country ski in the Chamonix valley?
	Events : What is Chamonix Freeride Days?
	Off Piste : Where do you go for easily reached off piste?
	Pistes : What do the different colours of piste refer to on the maps?
	Ski Area : What are the different ski areas like?
	Ski Area : What’s Chamonix like for skiers/snowboarders?
	Ski Area : Where do you go for steeps and long vertical descents in Chamonix?
	Ski Area : Where should I go for sun, mountain restaurants and picnic spots?
Travel & Transport
	Airport : How do I get from the airport to Chamonix?
	Airport : Which is the nearest airport?
	Flights : How do I find the best flight deals?
	Flights : Where can I book flights from the UK?
	Independent Travel : How do you go about arranging a 'DIY' holiday?
	Packing : How should I pack my skis and/or snowboard?
	Planes, trains or automobiles : Which method is easiet to reach Chamonix?
	Saturday or Sunday travel?
	Trains : Can I get to Chamonix by train from the UK?
	Trains : Where is the nearest train station?