Chamonix is just one of a multitude of ski resorts in the French Alps with other famous names including Les Arcs, Val d'Isere, Tignes, Courchevel & Meribel.
So why visit Chamonix?... well, many secondary reasons spring to mind such as the short transfer (from Geneva) and the good snow record. However, the ultimate reason, the "killer app", for Chamonix is the truly fantastic skiing.
For a first day of easy skiing to work yourself in, head to the "le Tour" area at the top of the valley and enjoy the gentle red and blue runs down from Domaine de Balme.
Day 2 and with your skiing legs back underneath you, head for the heights of Le Brevent chairlift up to 2525m and admire the views over into the adjoining valleys. Then take a deep breath and point your skis down the hill back towards Chamonix and the challenging black run down to Planpraz 2000. After lunch, allow your food to go down by heading to the long sweeping red runs down from Col Cornu. Stop often to admire the stunning views and to take a (small) swig of schnapps from your hip flask.
Day 3 and head back to try that black run again... try it without falling over this time. Then take the cable car from Brevent over to the Flegere slopes. More fantastic skiing here so head straight to the top of l'Index bubble at 2385m and then cruise the long red or blue runs all the way back down... skiing nirvana!
Day 4 it's time for a rest .. Chamonix offers another delicious delight in the towering peak of Aiguille du Midi at 3842m. A cable car from Chamonix town centre whisks you to the top and from this "top of the world" viewpoint you can see Mont Blanc with it's huge glacier and a stunning vista of peaks and valleys.
After the heady heights and freezing air of Aiguille du Midi, why not come back down to earth and warm your cockles with a vin chaud or two. Place Garmisch in the town centre is a good bet and makes an excellent central meeting point if you are in a group.
For your last couple of days, either revisit your favourite slopes or (if the snow quality is diminishing) head to the Les Grands Montets cable car up to 3275m. This skiing area is higher and more shaded than the other areas of Chamonix and so offers good quality skiing even after several days with no fresh snow.
One thing to remember is that the main lifts for accessing the different areas are often a short bus ride away. Indeed, only the Brevent and Aiguille du Midi lifts are accessible on foot from the town centre. All in all, Chamonix excels at offering a variety of slopes and skiing conditions, with plenty of choice for all. Don't miss it!
Article by Fiona Sheppard at http://www.360TravelGuide.com - leaders in interactive travel information
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Fiona_Sheppard
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