chaletlaforet March 21st, 2008
6 am on Good Friday 2008 brought the forecast snow - thick, light flakes have been dropping all day. 40 cm were already on the ground this afternoon and there’s no sign of it letting up for a while - the snow is due to continue for the next two days with an amazing 120cm forecast. Adding to the already excellent base, this should now see superb conditions right into April. There were huge grins on the faces of everyone arriving for Easter as the town gets into full swing for the holiday, which looks like being a memorable one for all!
We have one long weekend available in March - check out the special offer late availability deal
if you want to grab some of these amazing conditions for yourself!
The chalet on Good Friday at around noon:
Snow sliding off the trees around the mazot:
chaletlaforet February 18th, 2008
With sunny skies over Chamonix, we decided to treat ourselves to the Vallée Blanche on February 14th 2008! We went to the Association Internationale des Guides du Mont Blanc office on Rue des Moulins, as we’ve talked to them before and they’ve been very helpful. There, we met up with Neil Hitchings, who’s English but has lived here in Chamonix for over 25 years, and arranged to meet him at 8.30 a.m. at the Aiguille du Midi.
I was very happy to see that the arête (the steep ridge that leads down to the start of the Vallée Blanche) is fully equipped now with sturdy posts and two ropes. We roped up, and carefully descended the ridge. Two paths have now been equipped, which are both very well trodden in.
Once we’d gone a short way, Neil decided to take us down the steeper “Envers du Plan” route. Immediately, the scenery is spectacular, with the trail leading over snow bridges between aparrently bottomless crevasses.
The Petit Envers route had some nice patches where powder had accumulated
before rejoining the regular route below
It’s difficult to convey the majesty of the scenery - the scale is so vast that it defies photography. Probably the nearest to heli-skiing I’ll get this year!
chaletlaforet December 23rd, 2007
All areas opened fully on the 22nd December 2007 with fantastic snow. We decided on Brevent for the day - here’s a couple of photos….click through for bigger versions which are well worth a look!
chaletlaforet December 7th, 2007
Last weekend brought thick snow to the Chamonix Valley, and it continues to fall with up to a metre expected over the next few days. Les Grands Montets will open fully for the first time this weekend. Brilliant early season snow has opened the runs to the base, and they were in super condition last weekend when we went to try them out. With the full complement of lifts running, Chamonix now has 1500 vertical metres of descent open! We’re hoping to see some work on the terrain park soon as it is very much in evidence in the Compagnie Du Mont Blanc’s brochures.
The snowfall began quite lightly at the chalet but soon began to settle on the trees:
Before long, it was coming down thick and fast - luckily it’s cosy in the mazot….
…which was well covered in the morning…
…when there was a some blue sky before it started again.
