Chamonix Activity Report: 7th September 2005

You take the road out of Chamonix and through Argentiere winding up the hairpin bends towards Vallorcine. The route soon reaches a plateau where the scenery opens out, as the valley is less steep here and this in itself is a great place to explore; there is actually a nature reserve on the plateau (Aiguilles Rouge Nature Reserve). Just past this as you descend, you will come to La Buet and a spacious car park on your right. This is where you ditch the transport and enjoy the rest on foot. If you don't have your own transport it is possible to take either the bus or train here too

Following the signs you head off across the field opposite and up into the woods. You have the choice of visiting the cascade de Berard, the mountain refuge de Berard or even the top of Mont Buet if you are up to it. As always, the signposts give you estimated times to reach these places

After around 20 minutes you reach the cascade and a bridge leading you to the welcoming and strategically placed buvette – a great stop for coffee, lunch or just an ice cream. If you take the steep rocky path that runs behind the buvette there is access to a viewing platform and a tiny grotto that actually takes you under the waterfall. There is also a larger grotto there, Grotto Farinet, named after a local money forger who hid there in 1873 to escape the police

To continue your walk, return to the main footpath, follow it along the river and enjoy – this is quite a popular route and so there are many people to ‘bonjour' en route. People walk their dogs here (they must be kept on a lead as it is a nature reserve), sit & read by the river or pick blueberries. You'll also see the odd group of people laden with backpacks on route to the refuge. The terrain is not too taxing – a steady incline with plenty of rocks and tree roots to scramble over. All in all, a beautiful area with plenty to keep you occupied and a kind of relaxed ‘Sunday' feel to it

Useful Information
Cross-country skiing is Closed
Piste Maps for Chamonix (pdf format), Les Houches (jpg format), Cross-country skiing (pdf format), and Mountain-bike trails (pdf format)
Current status for opening of Pistes & Lifts
Chamonix Webcam Index

We will be keeping this Chamonix snow report updated often during the season, but if you want even more up-to-date news on the ski conditions, why not sign up for our Dump Alert? We'll email you each time it snows enough to significantly change the skiing conditions. It's great to know that the snow is falling in the run-up to your holiday, and it might even allow you to book a last-minute weekend when the snow is particularly good. The service is free, and you can unsubscribe whenever you like.

Useful Links
Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research
French Avalanche Research Institute
Meteo France - Mountain weather and avalanche conditions bulletins (in French)
Henry's Avalanche Talk - popular avalanche training sessions based in French Alps as well as translation of current avalanche conditions
PisteHors.com - Backcountry Skiing and Snowboarding News in English for the French Alps. Excellent coverage of avalanche safety and advice

Additional snow and weather information provided, with thanks, by meteo.chamonix.com and the Tourist Office