| Skiing Europe's Best |
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Page 3 of 6  The Capital of CoreChamonix, France For more than a century, skiers, mountaineers, and nearly every breed of mountain athlete have flocked to this village below the scalloped summit of 15,771-foot Mont Blanc, at the intersection of Switzerland, France, and Italy. Skiing Cham is like lunching at Hollywood’s Chateau Marmont: Everyone who’s anyone shows up eventually. “I always run into people I haven’t seen in years,” says U.S. pro freeskier Seth Morrison. Here’s why: With 30,000 acres of terrain (including loads of glacier skiing) and 9,200 feet of stomach-dropping vertical, Chamonix serves up some of the Alps’ most challenging terrain—and chases it with a charming but cosmopolitan atmosphere. Snow Report Chamonix’s four main ski areas sit 3,000 feet above the valley floor, which means long cable-car rides from town to snow. It’s worth it: The lifts at the highest area, Grands Montets, reach 10,800 feet and offer in- and out-of-bounds runs on three glaciers above the village of Argentière, a 30-minute bus ride upvalley from Chamonix. From the top of the town’s Aiguille du Midi cable car, drop off into the Vallée Blanche, a 12-mile ski adventure best tackled with a guide (from $91; www.chamonix-guides.com). The Mont-Blanc Unlimited lift pass ($63; chamonix.com) grants access to every last run in Chamonix and Courmayeur, Italy, the sunny and “more rustic side of Mont Blanc,” according to U.S. pro freeskier Dana Flahr. Go for It Click into your skis and strap on a mini-parachute for a “speedflying” session at the Ailes du Mont-Blanc paragliding school (lesailesdumontblanc.com). Or check out arguably the world’s most legendary ski tour, the six-day Haute Route, which wends from Chamonix to Zermatt ($1,105; www.chamonix-guides.com). Lodging The newly renovated, ultramodern Le Morgane sits right in the middle of Chamonix’s lively pedestrian district; downstairs, Le Bistro keeps a well-stocked wine cave (doubles from $215; morgane-hotel-chamonix.com). It’s just a quick walk to the Aiguille du Midi cablecar station. Upvalley, between Chamonix and Argentière, the four-star Jeu de Paume has easy access to the steeps on the Grands Montets (doubles from $205; jeudepaumechamonix.com). Après At Hameau Albert 1er (hameaualbert.fr), chef Pierre Carrier serves seasonal delicacies like venison on pumpkin risotto and Jerusalem artichokes with truffles. The wine cellar stocks 20,000 bottles, including an exceptional sparkling white from vines in nearby Ayse. > HONORABLE MENTIONS With only two lifts and two marked trails, but more than 7,000 vertical feet of backcountry terrain, La Grave, France, is a miniature yet more extreme version of Chamonix. The focus is on the slopes of Le Meije, the 13,065-foot massif rising above town. Stay The centuries-old l’Edelweiss makes for a cozy base in town (doubles from $80; hotel-edelweiss.com). Situated at 4,900 feet in southern Switzerland, Verbier is legendary for its accessible off-piste steeps and casual attitude. “The town is not conservative or stodgy,” says Swiss freeskier Dominique Peret. Stay Chalet d’Adrian (doubles from $450; chalet-adrien.com) is the hot hotel in town, serving some of Verbier’s only Italian cuisine. Try the risotto con funghi. |
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