Ski area in Chamonix

Brévent and Flégère are on the sunny, south-facing side of the Chamonix Valley with cracking views of Mont Blanc. 

Linked by a cable car, these are the closest ski areas to Chamonix town centre, and there are pistes (and off-piste) to suit skiers and snowboarders of all levels. 

There's quite a lot of steep stuff, but some long flowing groomed runs too. On powder days, the options are endless. 

Find accommodation near Brévent and Flègere

Sitting above the village of Argentière and known as the freeride centre of the Chamonix valley, Grands Montets is one of the largest pisted skiing zones in the area.

It tends to be very cold here in the mornings due to its shady northwesterly aspect, and this means it's prone to be icy first thing. On the plus side, the snow here tends to stick around longer than anywhere else in the valley, which makes Grand Montets a great resort for late season skiing.

There are better places in Chamonix if you're a beginner, but for intermediate and expert skiers and snowboarders, Grands Montets rocks.

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Also known as the Domaine de Balme, these two villages have a nice mix of wide cruisey blues and easy reds, making this one of the best places in Chamonix for intermediates. 

It's also a good place for beginners. The nursery slopes at La Vormaine (at the foot of Le Tour) are the largest in the Chamonix area, so this is a good spot to learn your turns and perfect your skills.

Domaine de Balme also has some fun off-piste and an awesome snowpark.

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About 6km down the valley from Chamonix town is Les Houches. This area is full of gentle tree-lined slopes, making it a great resort for beginners, intermediate skiers and families.

You'll still find plenty of terrain to keep you challenged if you're a competent skier or snowboarder. This is home to the Kandahar World Cup downhill run after all.

Les Houches really comes into its own in poor weather. The trees here help to give you some definition when it's otherwise hard to make out the edge of the piste.  

There's also a great snowpark here for those who like to jib, olly, nolly, and all that jazz.

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This famous 20km off-piste route is on the bucket list for many skiers and snowboarders.

On a sunny morning after it's dumped it down, you'll find the queue for the Midi lift snaking round Cham Sud. It's an early start, but worth it for a day you'll never forget.

Although it's not strictly part of the Chamonix valley, Cormayeur is included on the Mont Blanc Unlimited lift pass. It's easily accessible from Chamonix through the Mont Blanc Tunnel (journey time 30 minutes).

Read more in our detailed guide to the Courmayeur Ski Area.

The Mont Blanc Unlimited ski pass might only be the size of a credit card, but with the addition of the Evasion ski area it gives you access to a huge and varied ski area that includes: 

• Megève
• Saint Gervais
• Les Contamines
• Combloux
• St Nicolas
• La Giettaz

Read more about the Evasion Mont Blanc Ski Area 

Chamonix has a reputation for being an extreme resort, but that's not entirely accurate. Sure - you'll find some of the world's finest lift-accessed off-piste here. But there's also plenty of terrain in Chamonix suitable for all types of skiers and snowboarders - including beginners. 

Whether you're a total beginner, or looking to find your ski legs after a few years away from the slopes, you'll want to check out: 

• La Vormaine (1,480m) in Le Tour
• Les Chosalets (1,230m) in Argentière
• La Poya (1,120m) in Vallorcine / Le Buet
• Le Savoy (1,049-1,125m) in the centre of Chamonix by the bottom of the Brévent gondola
• Les Planards (1,062-1,242m) near the town centre and Montenvers train
• Le Tourchet (1,000m) in Les Houches next to the outdoor ice rink

Once you've exhausted the beginner zones and you're looking for something a bit more challenging, we'd suggest heading up to Le Tour for some nice cruisey wide blues, or down to Les Houches for some sunny sliding.

The Chamonix valley is known for its steep pistes and challenging slopes, and it's a mecca for advanced skiers and snowboarders.

Grands Montets is where most people flock to for long runs that give your thighs a serious work out. And after a big dump of snow, the off-piste here is almost limitless. 

If you want to go ski touring in Chamonix, the top lift in Grands Montets is your gateway to endless bowls, gullies and ridgelines. But you don't have to be extreme to enjoy it here.

There are plenty of gentler lines too.

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Are you itching to try your first kicker or rail? Freestyle is great fun and if you want to learn, there's no better place to head than a Chamonix snowpark.

As well as the natural gullies and half-pipes in the Chamonix valley, there are also a growing number of snowparks, boardercross and freestyle zones for you to try out. There are also a handful of fun zones for children.

Summit Park - one of the biggest snowparks in Europe

The biggest snowpark in Chamonix is at Le Tour.

There's also: 

• a small snowpark at Les Grands Montets
• a boardercross and airbag at Brevent
• a funzone/snowpark in Les Houches

Chamonix's off-piste and backcountry skiing is legendary and people flock here from all around the world to experience it.

If you want a detailed guide of where to go and what to do in each of Chamonix's off-piste areas, check out our page on off-piste ski areas in Chamonix.  

To get the most out of the off-piste here, we'd always recommend you hire a Chamonix mountain guide. Their local knowledge and expertise means you'll often get to ski fresh lines even when the more accessible off-piste is completely tracked out. 

If you go with a bunch of mates, the cost of a guide is less than a night out - and you'll end up having an awesome time you can actually remember! 

When the cloud comes in and the snow starts to fall, it helps to know where to head to. 

The trick is normally to head for the pistes that are tree-lined, as they help provide definition when everything else seems to be white. Although sometimes when the valley itself is a white-out, the top of the mountains can be bathed in glorious sunshine. 

It's always a good idea to check out the webcams in Chamonix. 

You can read more about where to go on our dedicated bad weather page.

Some of the world's best ski touring terrain is to be found in the Chamonix valley, especially high up on the glaciers at Grands Montets and behind the Aiguille du Midi.

There are also numerous routes from the back of Flégère over towards Le Buet (Vallorcine).

Wherever you go and whatever you plan on doing, we always recommend you hire a Chamonix mountain guide.

Up and out in the wilderness, there are often no real markers for pinpointing where you are. Glacial skiing requires complex route finding, and having someone with you who knows the terrain will help you get the most out of your day.

They might also get you out of a spot of bother if things go south.