Le Tour & Vallorcine (Domaine de Balme) skiing in Bad Weather

Skiing Areas in Chamonix

The Chamonix lift system consists of several distinct and very different ski areas high above a steep-sided valley where the town and its villages are located. Chamonix is often criticized for being 'disjointed' however this is perhaps a little unfair as it is the physical geography of the valley that largely dictates this situation whilst also giving each of the ski areas - Brevent & Flegere, Les Grands Montets, Le Tour & Vallorcine (Domaine de Balme), L'Aiguille du Midi / La Vallee Blanche and Les Houches - their unique character.

Domaine de Balme (Le Tour & Vallorcine) in Bad Weather

A favourite spot of ours is the tree area at the back of Le Tour above Vallorcine (Le Domaine de la Balme), which also offers some great terrain. When it’s snowing, the front of Le Tour is normally in a whiteout so instead we take the long traverse round to the back through to the trees on the Esserts piste and then to the Tete de Balme chairlift and take that up to the top. It can be bitterly cold and windy on this chair in a snowstorm so we make sure we are prepared with warm clothing. From the top we follow the Tete de Balme chairlift down and then duck the fence and head skier’s right into the open trees but don’t go too far right as there are some very open and avalanche prone bowls beyond the trees. In the trees the visibility is normally better and the woods shelter the snow from the wind, thus keeping it in good condition. The terrain is less steep than the Dream Forest. There are a few rocks to drop and lots of gentle rollers that often develop small cornices to jump off. It’s easy to get carried away with the powder and go down too far, so we have to remember to traverse back skier’s left to the bottom of the Tete de Balme chair - to avoid having to walk back up. Again this area is all off piste and unpatrolled so if you head this way you need to take care and go equipped for avalanches.

last updated 11-Oct-2007