Chamonix Snowshoe and Ski
Fun in the sun!
This 8 day trip is especially suited to those who are regularly active and would like to experience a winter wonderland on both skis and snowshoes. It is aimed at those of you who have little or no cross country skiing or snowshoe experience. Both activities are very easy to pick up and enjoy in a week.
The world famous Chamonix Valley in the French Alps is a good base from which to explore the alpine valleys and plateaus of the Mont Blanc Massif. With Switzerland and Italy each just a 30 minute drive away it allows us to experience three different cultures in just as many days.
- Learn to cross country ski in both skate and classic technique on both Swiss & Italian snow
- Snowshoe peaks around Mont Blanc
- Ski along an Italian Valley, then snowshoe to a remote mountain hut for the night
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Departures
Trip
Departure date
End date
Price
Status
CSS
Sun 27 February 11
Sun 6 March 11
£995 or 1095 Euros
Places available | Make a Booking
Day 1 Arrival in Chamonix Valley
We meet you at your hotel the evening you arrive to brief you on the days ahead and answer any questions. Your guide will be at your accommodation at 6.30pm.
Day 2 Introduction to snowshoeing - Chalets de Chailloux
Today we fit our snowshoes and travel along the Chamonix Valley to the start of our route. We begin with a climb through thick woodland. We pass ancient farm buildings to reach a ridge whilst learning snowshoeing techniques along the way. This lovely walk has a great vantage point, allowing us stunning views of Mont Blanc and its glaciers. We willl aim to have lunch at the summer alpage or meadow. Ascent 700m.
Day 3 Classic Skiing
Our morning is spent fitting our skis and taking the time to learn and look at the classic technique of cross country skiing. After lunch we re-visit those newly learned skills and develop them further. We finish the day with a journey along lovely groomed tracks.
Day 4 Snowshoeing – Loriaz Alpage, Vallorcine
We head towards the Swiss border and the hamlet of Vallorcine which means the ‘valley of the bears'. Unfortunately because the locals used to pay their taxes in bear meat there are none left today! We leave the village to climb steadily until we reach the open mountainside of the alpage at Loriaz. This true mountain day gives us excellent views of the Mont Blanc range, where we can see into Switzerland and also Italy. Ascent 700m.
Day 5 Skating Style or Classic skiing
Today we try the ‘skating’ method of cross country skiing which uses shorter skis and is very much like the action of an 'ice skater' but on skis. We have plenty of opportunities to rest and enjoy the valley views whilst gaining exercise and learning new skills along the way. The afternoon is optional to stay with your 'skates' or revert to your 'classic' skis. We’ll head back to the tracks and continue to explore the valley. You can now see how far you have progressed since your first day on skis!
Day 6 Val Ferret, Italy – Bonatti Refuge – Ski and Snowshoe day
Today we travel through the famous Mont Blanc Tunnel into Italy. We ski along the beautiful Val Ferret with our journey taking us through the trees to the snowy meadows at La Vachey. Here we stop for lunch in a rustic mountain restaurant which has great atmosphere and cake! The views of jagged ridges, spires, and glaciers are stunning.
In the afternoon we swap our skis for snowshoes, and head deeper into the mountains for a night at the famous Bonatti Refuge. The Refuge enjoys stunning views of the Mont Blanc Massif from the Italian side giving another perspective to this famous alpine range. This is a new mountain hut which pays homage to the world renowned Italian mountaineer and photographer Walter Bonatti. It makes a fantastic overnight trip, with excellent accommodation, Italian coffee and pasta to match!
Day 7 Val Ferret, Italy – Snowshoe and ski - Return to Chamonix
After a relaxing breakfast in the high mountains we make our way back down to the Val Ferret valley floor and remove our snowshoes. We then need to return onto our skis to ski out and down the valley back to our transport. As this is our last day and depending on how we feel we can do as much or as little skiing as we wish. Val Ferret has 20km of groomed tracks to keep us busy. We complete our trip with a little ‘après ski’ celebration in the delightful Italian town of Courmayeur before returning to our Chamonix Valley accommodation.
Day 8 Departure
Today is departure day. The package ends after breakfast.
Accommodation
Our accommodation for this week is in The Yeti Lodge in the lovely alpine village of Argentière. The chalet has a sauna, hot tub and wonderful views of Mont Blanc. The bedrooms are twin or triple bedded, so you should be prepared to share your room with one or two course participants. The group has the use of the comfortable lounge area which has a real fireplace, satellite TV & DVD and free WIFI. There is a secure underground car park, ski lockers and overnight ski boot warmers in the basement. All meals (breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and three-course dinner), are included.
Price
Included: The price includes full board accommodation. Based on two people sharing, in a chalet at Yeti Lodge and half board in the mountain hut based on non-segregated dormitory accommodation. Twin rooms can be arranged in advance in the mountain hut, subject to a small fee. The transport to and from the ski area’s via mini bus, the ski passes, ski and snowshoe hire, essential avalanche equipment, trip organisation, the fees of a qualified BASI Nordic Ski Instructor/International Mountain Leader and their expenses are also all included.
Not included: Insurance, flights & transfers (but we can advise on the best options), drinks and any ski lifts that could be used as an alternative itinerary. Lunch on the last day as we descend from the Bonatti Refuge.
Minimum numbers
This trip requires a minimum of 4 clients to run. We take a maximum of 8 clients.
Insurance
Please note that you must have the appropriate insurance for your chosen activity. You must be covered for helicopter rescue, repatriation and medical costs. With regard to this please be sure you have read the Insurance section in our Terms and Conditions.
Further Information
We prefer not to specify exactly where we will ski each day, but have given a possible itinerary (this is dependant mainly on weather/snow conditions at the time). Upon booking a full list of the necessary suitable clothing will be provided. Our starting point in Argentiere is easily reached by airport transfer, car, train and bus from Geneva airport. It is a drive of approximately 1 hour 15 mins.
Departures
| Trip | Departure date | End date | Price | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CSS | Sun 27 February 11 | Sun 6 March 11 | £995 or 1095 Euros | Places available | Make a Booking |
Day 1 Arrival in Chamonix Valley
We meet you at your hotel the evening you arrive to brief you on the days ahead and answer any questions. Your guide will be at your accommodation at 6.30pm.
Day 2 Introduction to snowshoeing - Chalets de Chailloux
Today we fit our snowshoes and travel along the Chamonix Valley to the start of our route. We begin with a climb through thick woodland. We pass ancient farm buildings to reach a ridge whilst learning snowshoeing techniques along the way. This lovely walk has a great vantage point, allowing us stunning views of Mont Blanc and its glaciers. We willl aim to have lunch at the summer alpage or meadow. Ascent 700m.
Day 3 Classic Skiing
Our morning is spent fitting our skis and taking the time to learn and look at the classic technique of cross country skiing. After lunch we re-visit those newly learned skills and develop them further. We finish the day with a journey along lovely groomed tracks.
Day 4 Snowshoeing – Loriaz Alpage, Vallorcine
We head towards the Swiss border and the hamlet of Vallorcine which means the ‘valley of the bears'. Unfortunately because the locals used to pay their taxes in bear meat there are none left today! We leave the village to climb steadily until we reach the open mountainside of the alpage at Loriaz. This true mountain day gives us excellent views of the Mont Blanc range, where we can see into Switzerland and also Italy. Ascent 700m.
Day 5 Skating Style or Classic skiing
Today we try the ‘skating’ method of cross country skiing which uses shorter skis and is very much like the action of an 'ice skater' but on skis. We have plenty of opportunities to rest and enjoy the valley views whilst gaining exercise and learning new skills along the way. The afternoon is optional to stay with your 'skates' or revert to your 'classic' skis. We’ll head back to the tracks and continue to explore the valley. You can now see how far you have progressed since your first day on skis!
Day 6 Val Ferret, Italy – Bonatti Refuge – Ski and Snowshoe day
Today we travel through the famous Mont Blanc Tunnel into Italy. We ski along the beautiful Val Ferret with our journey taking us through the trees to the snowy meadows at La Vachey. Here we stop for lunch in a rustic mountain restaurant which has great atmosphere and cake! The views of jagged ridges, spires, and glaciers are stunning.
In the afternoon we swap our skis for snowshoes, and head deeper into the mountains for a night at the famous Bonatti Refuge. The Refuge enjoys stunning views of the Mont Blanc Massif from the Italian side giving another perspective to this famous alpine range. This is a new mountain hut which pays homage to the world renowned Italian mountaineer and photographer Walter Bonatti. It makes a fantastic overnight trip, with excellent accommodation, Italian coffee and pasta to match!
Day 7 Val Ferret, Italy – Snowshoe and ski - Return to Chamonix
After a relaxing breakfast in the high mountains we make our way back down to the Val Ferret valley floor and remove our snowshoes. We then need to return onto our skis to ski out and down the valley back to our transport. As this is our last day and depending on how we feel we can do as much or as little skiing as we wish. Val Ferret has 20km of groomed tracks to keep us busy. We complete our trip with a little ‘après ski’ celebration in the delightful Italian town of Courmayeur before returning to our Chamonix Valley accommodation.
Day 8 Departure
Today is departure day. The package ends after breakfast.
Accommodation
Our accommodation for this week is in The Yeti Lodge in the lovely alpine village of Argentière. The chalet has a sauna, hot tub and wonderful views of Mont Blanc. The bedrooms are twin or triple bedded, so you should be prepared to share your room with one or two course participants. The group has the use of the comfortable lounge area which has a real fireplace, satellite TV & DVD and free WIFI. There is a secure underground car park, ski lockers and overnight ski boot warmers in the basement. All meals (breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and three-course dinner), are included.
Price
Included: The price includes full board accommodation. Based on two people sharing, in a chalet at Yeti Lodge and half board in the mountain hut based on non-segregated dormitory accommodation. Twin rooms can be arranged in advance in the mountain hut, subject to a small fee. The transport to and from the ski area’s via mini bus, the ski passes, ski and snowshoe hire, essential avalanche equipment, trip organisation, the fees of a qualified BASI Nordic Ski Instructor/International Mountain Leader and their expenses are also all included.
Not included: Insurance, flights & transfers (but we can advise on the best options), drinks and any ski lifts that could be used as an alternative itinerary. Lunch on the last day as we descend from the Bonatti Refuge.
Minimum numbers
This trip requires a minimum of 4 clients to run. We take a maximum of 8 clients.
Insurance
Please note that you must have the appropriate insurance for your chosen activity. You must be covered for helicopter rescue, repatriation and medical costs. With regard to this please be sure you have read the Insurance section in our Terms and Conditions.
Further Information
We prefer not to specify exactly where we will ski each day, but have given a possible itinerary (this is dependant mainly on weather/snow conditions at the time). Upon booking a full list of the necessary suitable clothing will be provided. Our starting point in Argentiere is easily reached by airport transfer, car, train and bus from Geneva airport. It is a drive of approximately 1 hour 15 mins.
