Chamonix Activity Report: 20th July 2011
Summer seems to be passing by quite quickly, it only seems like a couple of days ago that it started but now we are in the last bit of July and with a fresh dump of snow on the Brevent this morning we can almost smell the winter beginning to stir! There is still plenty of time left to get some summer fun in the mountains with lifts staying open until mid-September, so get booking and get out here!
The weather has been a bit changeable this week and when it's been raining motivation has been pretty low to get out and do anything, but there is always the possibility of fun to be had. Getting on the bike and splashing through puddles is one of my favourites and if you have a decent set of waterproofs with you then hyperthermia is less likely to set in and more pleasure will be had.
We had one amazing day of torrential rainfall which had the river to the point of overflowing and with all this rain and snow higher up it has left most of the trails pretty slippy and muddy so if you're out on the bike be sure to have a good set of brakes and tyres with excellent grip on hand.
Between the rain showers I've been getting myself down to the dirt jumps in Le Bois by the river. There is an excellent selection of jumps to satisfy all levels of rider from complete beginner with some very mellow rollers without any gap, to very large jumps with a fair size gap to clear before the landing area. There are other intermediate jumps with a small gap, and even a crate placed between the small gap to aid the psychological step up from the beginner to intermediate levels. There is also a wall ride, a hip and really small jumps in the vicinity to play on, and the area is not often busy so you will be sure to get a shot on the jump you want when you come down.
Renting out a jump bike or BMX from one of the local bike stores is a much better option than taking your road or downhill bike to this area. The main difference between a BMX and a larger jump bike is that the BMX will be more manoeuvrable but less stable and the jump bike will be more stable but less manoeuvrable, so take your pick, get down the jumps and give them a shot.
While the river is bursting it's a good time to get in it and have some fun with a sport where keeping dry isn't the most logical goal to have. Cham Aventure (www.cham-aventure.com) has a variety of adventurous activities for you to get into, and they operate a good river rafting and hydro speeding operation in the valley where you can raft directly through the centre of town and get your buzz on while the river is flowing a lot faster than normal. They leave from the promenade that runs alongside the river, near the swimming pool and tennis courts.
No matter what the weather, time of year, or quality of the season Chamonix always has something going on and there will always be outdoor activities for you get your teeth into. So, if you love mountains and the outdoor life then book yourself a holiday in Chamonix.
Editor's note: 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.
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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!
