Chamonix Apres Ski Report:8th February 2008
As promised, I've entertained myself this week in and around Chamonix Sud, the area affectionately known locally as “The Ghetto”! However, don't let that put you off; Cham Sud is a great spot to base yourself if you're after cheaper accommodation that's close to the centre (5-10 mins walk), close to the ski buses (2 mins), and slap bang at the base of the Aiguille du Midi. Apart from this, there are also a good number of bars and clubs down there, meaning you should never have to walk more than 3 minutes for a pint and some entertainment. Brilliant!
I started off at the Monkey Bar this week, which has been a popular spot in this part of town for a couple of years now. It sprang up in what was one half of the Tetras restaurant and has developed a loyal clientele of both locals and tourists alike. Live music at après ski is courtesy of the Soul Rats who are guaranteed to turn heavy ski boots into dancing shoes, aided by the generous happy hour prices! Later on, there are various DJ sets from 10pm throughout the week, ranging from Drum n Bass on a Monday to Funky Hip Hop on Wednesdays. One of the other big draws to Monkey Bar (especially for locals) is that they do a full roast dinner every Sunday for €10 and then Curry Night on Tuesdays when you can get curry and a pint for €10! Can't say fairer than that.
Pretty much next door to Monkey, is South Bar, favoured by the Scandinavian crowd and fans of these statuesque beauties. This is where the hardcore gather to swap stories and compare fatness of skis – the Swedes don't mess around when it comes to time on the mountain. Every day the place is pretty much rammed from 4pm through to 2am, with live music at après and DJ's later on in the night. As the days get longer, the après band often plays outside on the terrace so you can enjoy the tunes and the beer in the last rays of sunshine. One of the best eye candy venues in town!
If you're after something a little quieter, then head across the square to Munster Bar - an Irish themed pub that is all dark wood and Guinness. A perfect choice if you're after a quiet drink, or simply a bit of a breather from the frantic goings on elsewhere in Cham Sud. It's not all sleepy Irish hospitality in here though and sports fans should get themselves down here early if they want a good seat for any big televised sporting events. A dedicated sports bar, Munster has 3 widescreen TVs and will be showing all the 6 Nations rugby matches over the coming weeks.
Another good place to watch the rugby is in The Jekyll, just past the Cham Sud bus station and next door to restaurant L'Impossible. As with most sport viewing venues (Le Pub on the High St is another good one), it gets pretty chocca very quickly, so allow time to get settled with a good view and a pint before kick off. However, the highlight of the Jekyll's entertainment again this year, is their regular comedy nights on a Thursday, boasting some of the big names on today's comedy circuit (Ed Byrne, Barry Castagnola etc). Places are limited for these evenings so you're advised to buy your tickets in advance from the bar staff (plus they're cheaper!) - €10 in advance or €15 on the door. Or, if you want to guarantee yourself a good seat as well, why not take advantage of their “Dinner & Show” offer for €35 p/p, which includes a 3 course set meal (veggie option available) and entrance to the comedy show.
Unlike the centre of town, where most of the fun stops at 2am – in Cham Sud you can keep going until 4am with late night clubs Le Garage and Le Tof. UK DJ Sugashaker will be performing in Le Garage tonight from 11pm and late night party bar, Le Tof hosts a number of DJ's throughout the week.
If your idea of fun off the slopes goes beyond bar hopping, then Cham Sud is also host to a range of great restaurants from the gastronomic Le Bistrot at the Hotel Morgan, L'Impossible for it's great local specialities (perfect for a special occasion) and Alan Peru for modern, Asian flavours. For something quicker, the Grand Central Bagel Bar has relocated from the Pointe Isabell Hotel in the centre of town, to it's new location on Promenade Marie Paradis (right after the bridge). As well as a range of tasty bagels, wraps, salads and coffees, they are currently exhibiting some of the beautiful textile artwork of local designer Lisa Pocklington.
For some good all round family entertainment, there is also a bowling alley beside the bus station, with 8 fully electronic lanes, licensed bar serving snacks and a pool hall upstairs. Having worked in Austria for a number of years where bowling was a compulsory weekly torture in our après ski programme, I've never actually been in the alley here, breaking out in a rash at the mere thought of bowling for fun. However, word on the street tells me that it can get pretty busy in there so it might be worth reserving yourself an alley(s) so as not to be disappointed. Call +33 (0)4 50 53 74 37 or pop in.
Well, that's it for my Cham Sud special round up for this week, and having reminded myself just how much goes on down there, I think I'll be frequenting it more often! If none of this takes your fancy then don't forget to keep an eye on our What's On Calendar, which is stuffed full of things to do in the coming weeks.
