Chamonix Activity Report: 18th June 2011
There are a few lifts open in the valley now and things are starting to look a little more like full swing summer, with mountain bikers, hikers and climbers wandering around looking for their next adventure. We currently have the Brevent, Flegere, Aiguille du Midi, Montenvers Mer De Glace, and the Tramway du Mont Blanc, all open and ready to deliver you higher in to the mountains for whatever adventures you desire.
There are so many activities to do in the mountains in the summer, even more than is possible in the winter. There are winter possibilities for the high altitude experienced mountaineer, added with that you can experience activities such as downhill mountain biking, touring or road biking. Climbing traditional on slab, crag or high mountain. Hiking around some of the lower trails or many higher ones with amazing panoramic views of the Mont-Blanc Massif. Aerial sports such as paragliding, skydiving, base jumping. Water activities such as rafting, hydro speeding, and so many more are all on offer in or around the valley and whether you are experienced at any of these, want to get in to them for the first time, or simply get out and have a go, there are so many providers out here offering all of these services and more!
Evolution 2 is a company based in the valley who offer many of the above possibilities and are a good all round company to go with for any outdoor adventure activities you desire. Even if it's just for a hike, they will take you to see some of the most amazing views in the valley. There are loads of other specialist companies out there, such as Fly Chamonix, who offer tandem paraglides and paragliding lessons.
A new sport that I have found myself drawn towards recently is skydiving, with the idea of progressing toward base jumping in the future. There are a number of airfields in the area which will allow you the opportunity to do anything from a tandem jump to becoming a fully qualified instructor. I recently completed a PAC (equivalent to the UK Accelerated Free Fall course) course at the lovely setting of the airfield near Lac Chambery. It's a course which runs at around a week with about 2 days of safety chat and includes 1 jump with 2 instructors, 5 jumps with 1 instructor and 1 jump on your own. Although this is an amazing course to jump on, and will give you the thrill of your life, it is all in French so it was the ultimate way to test my language skills. If your French isn't quite up to scratch getting a tandem flight is a great idea; you won't have to worry about anything like pulling your chute, just enjoy the thrill of the ride and amazing scenery as you fall back down to earth.
The weather recently has been a bit changeable, we have had a mix of sun and rain, right now the skies are pouring but there is always something to do. Make sure if you come out to the valley soon that you bring out a good set of waterproofs and get out and enjoy some of the many muddy puddles on offer at the moment! We also have Fete de la Musique on Tuesday, which is an amazing party to be out for as the laws about music being played in public are eased along with licencing hours, so if you fancy a quiet one next week, make sure it's not Tuesday night! Come over enjoy, and party in the mountains of Chamonix!
Editor's note: So, that's it for winter 2010/2011 then! We hope you've enjoyed reading our reports as much as we've enjoyed writing them and we look forward to bringing you more up-to-date info next season.
You can read all of our reports from this season and previous ones by using the “Archived Reports” box in the top right-hand corner. In the meantime, there will occasional interseason updates and be sure to check back around the beginning of June when our summer reports start up again, bringing you regular updates on local events and activities.
Chamonet.com is one of the Skinets.com ski resort websites; we are looking for enthusiastic and reliable reporters who will be in the Alps all season to produce written reports and/or present video reports. If you are planning on spending next winter in one of the following resorts and are interested in working for us please send an email to alison@skinets.com.
Alpe d'Huez – Avoriaz – Chamonix – Courchevel - La Plagne - Les Arcs - Les 2 Alpes – Meribel – Morzine – Tignes - Val d'Isere - Val Thorens - Verbier
Check out our Mountain Guide Listings for contact details of local guiding and activity companies.
Check out what to do around town once the lifts have closed with our Apres Ski Report - a weekly round up of what's hot and where to party in Chamonix!
