A group of people standing in the snow with mountains in the background

A ski lift going up a snow covered mountain

Skiers on a snowy slope with mountains in the background

Chamonix Snow Report: 14th April 2011

featured in Snow report Author Kieran Sharp, Updated 24 October 2014

It has become amazingly cooler here in Chamonix with a drop of almost 30 degrees! So it's back to winter time mode, shorts are back in the cupboard and out comes the jeans and hat once more. It actually snowed in the town this morning, although a pitiful amount which didn't quite settle, but it has dumped a wee bit up high and with cooler temperatures the management from the lift company can begin to wipe the sweat from their brows during this fairly busy Easter period.

With most resorts in the Alps closing or with very limited skiing, there have been a lot of visitors from other resorts, even as far as Val Thorens! The ski schools are coming from miles away to take their clients to pretty much the only place where enough snow pleasurably still exists here in the reasonably pleasant valley of Chamonix. The local ski school that normally use the lower slopes have been forced to take their clients up to the Grand Montets which has a lot of step runs, but they have done a very good job of making it more accommodating using some of the normally un-used sections of the hill to take their clients too. So not to worry if you are out this Easter period and have some lessons booked with the ESF, and with the new snow and cooler temperatures, I'm pretty sure we the lift company can keep the hill going till the official end of season.

The lift company have been really good with pushing snow around on to the piste, using snow from the off piste, to make it possible for the ski schools to operate which is their main source of revenue. However unfortunately for the many that enjoy park riding this time of year, they have decided to shut the park and use the easily accessible snow from this to put on the slopes used by the ski school. It is normal for Chamonix to give anything else priority over freestyle which is a disappointment as it is a massively growing side to both skiing and snowboarding, and with slopestlye, half pipe and more freestyle events becoming common place in the Olympics it is unfortunate after one of the local towns confirmed to host the 2018 Olympics will not have the facilities for training local athletes in an attempt for France to win medals in events like this. So if you are out before the end of season, bring a shovel and as many motivated people as possible and get digging, building, and shaping your own park features!

Even though it is cooler right now, and thankfully so high up on the mountain, it's still good to get out on the lower trails for a bit of hiking, running or biking. So come to the pretty much the only option for skiing or snowboarding in the Alps and enjoy some of the many summer activities at the same time.

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!