A Snow and ski forum. SkiBanter

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » SkiBanter forum » Skiing Newsgroups » European Ski Resorts
Site Map Home Register Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

Argentiere



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old January 28th 08, 04:25 PM posted to rec.skiing.resorts.europe
LittleRob
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 18
Default Argentiere

Has anyone got any experience of skiing in Argentiere? Specifically, we
are thinking about trying to get a second week skiing later in the
season (April):

1. What is the drive like from the UK (I'm assuming we'd use the tunnel)

2. What is the condition of the roads in the resort?

3. What are the blue runs like as we'll be with the kids (8 & 5)

Rob
Ads
  #2  
Old January 28th 08, 05:51 PM posted to rec.skiing.resorts.europe
Snorer
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 10
Default Argentiere

Just back from Argentiere last week conditions excellent. In answer to your
questions.......
1. Just drive to Chamonix. Don't go through the tunnel Argentiere is in
France not Italy
2. The access to ski area is from valley level no more problem than anywhere
else and unless uncleared after a dump should not need chains.
3. Why Argentiere? Don't get me wrong I love it. its some of the best skiing
in the Cham valley. But with kids of that age I'm not so sure. I would
suggest Les Tours or Les Hooches which are more family orientated and have
better slopes for that age group. you also have a car so there is nothing
stopping you trying it one day. In spring we often ski Brevant / Flagere in
the morning and Argentiere in the afternoon when much of it is still in
shade.

How my opinions help.

Peter.

"LittleRob" wrote in message
...
Has anyone got any experience of skiing in Argentiere? Specifically, we
are thinking about trying to get a second week skiing later in the season
(April):

1. What is the drive like from the UK (I'm assuming we'd use the tunnel)

2. What is the condition of the roads in the resort?

3. What are the blue runs like as we'll be with the kids (8 & 5)

Rob



  #3  
Old January 28th 08, 06:23 PM posted to rec.skiing.resorts.europe
LittleRob
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 18
Default Argentiere

Snorer wrote:
Just back from Argentiere last week conditions excellent. In answer to your
questions.......
1. Just drive to Chamonix. Don't go through the tunnel Argentiere is in
France not Italy
2. The access to ski area is from valley level no more problem than anywhere
else and unless uncleared after a dump should not need chains.
3. Why Argentiere? Don't get me wrong I love it. its some of the best skiing
in the Cham valley. But with kids of that age I'm not so sure. I would
suggest Les Tours or Les Hooches which are more family orientated and have
better slopes for that age group. you also have a car so there is nothing
stopping you trying it one day. In spring we often ski Brevant / Flagere in
the morning and Argentiere in the afternoon when much of it is still in
shade.

How my opinions help.

Peter.

"LittleRob" wrote in message
...
Has anyone got any experience of skiing in Argentiere? Specifically, we
are thinking about trying to get a second week skiing later in the season
(April):

1. What is the drive like from the UK (I'm assuming we'd use the tunnel)

2. What is the condition of the roads in the resort?

3. What are the blue runs like as we'll be with the kids (8 & 5)

Rob



Peter

Many thanks for the info.

1 Sorry, I didn't explain myself very well. When I said Tunnel I meant
Eurotunnel. I was thinking about the overall drive time from UK-Argentiere.

2. Good to know, though I gather that Snow chains are a legal
requirement in France (I once drove to Chatel and had to use the chain
to get into the carpark !)

3. The only reasons for Argentiere are that:
a) It seemed a reasonable trip from the UK (or perhaps from Geneva if
we flew)
b) Through a friend of a friend we were being offered a private rental
at a reasonable rate and that's where it happens to be.

Having said that, there's no point us going with the kids if it really
isn't suitable.

Thanks

Rob

  #4  
Old January 28th 08, 06:30 PM posted to rec.skiing.resorts.europe
Mike Clark
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 58
Default Argentiere

In message
LittleRob wrote:

Has anyone got any experience of skiing in Argentiere? Specifically, we
are thinking about trying to get a second week skiing later in the
season (April):

1. What is the drive like from the UK (I'm assuming we'd use the tunnel)

2. What is the condition of the roads in the resort?

3. What are the blue runs like as we'll be with the kids (8 & 5)

Rob


Yes I've been skiing in Argentiere every year for over 10 years and
it's one of my favourite resorts for off-piste. Usually this has been
for only a few days each season since we use Argentiere, or more
recently Le Buet, as our base for the start of our annual ski-touring
trips. The drive out is fine and takes about 12 hours if you swap
drivers and only take short breaks. We generally leave Cambridge on a
Friday evening after work and end up in Argentiere on the Saturday
morning in time to enjoy the best part of a days skiing.

There is quite often a lot of snow in Argentiere down to village level
and the road between Chamonix and Argentiere is one where they require
you to carry chains in your vehicle during winter months. I've
encountered serious road conditions on about 25% of the trips I've made
there. The road up to Argentiere itself has some nasty corners, bad
cambers, and in some places a drop-off from the edge. In recent years
they've put up concrete barriers alongside the road where there have
been frequent accidents in the past.

Argentiere is not a resort that I would think to recommend for beginners
or for intermediates who are only wanting to cruise on blues. For
example although the Grand Montet has a few blue runs I think some of
them (particularly when icy conditions prevail) would be difficult to
distinguish from red runs at some other resorts. The Grand Montet is
very popular with advanced and expert skiers who wish to ski all over
the mountain. Thus the pistes higher up tend to be used to get around
the mountain for the off-piste runs, and the easier "blue runs" lower
down are mainly used as a cachement to funnel all those off-piste skiers
back to the lift system again.

The alternative ski area easily accessible from a base in Argentiere is
Le Tour. This is probably a better area for beginners and intermediates
and it also has some great off-piste runs down into the Le Buet side of
the hill or alternatively down into Switzerland. There is now a lift
system that operates down into Le Buet. There is also a good train
system that connects between Chamonix and via Agentiere, Le Buet and on
into Switzerland and which allows for a lot of off-piste single day
tours with a return by public transport.

Cheers,

Mike
--
o/ \\ // |\ ,_ o Mike Clark
\__,\\ // __o | \ / /\, "A mountain climbing, cycling, skiing,
" || _`\,_ |__\ \ | immunology lecturer, antibody engineer and
` || (_)/ (_) | \corn computer user"
  #5  
Old January 29th 08, 07:33 AM posted to rec.skiing.resorts.europe
LittleRob
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 18
Default Argentiere

Mike Clark wrote:
In message
LittleRob wrote:

Has anyone got any experience of skiing in Argentiere? Specifically, we
are thinking about trying to get a second week skiing later in the
season (April):

1. What is the drive like from the UK (I'm assuming we'd use the tunnel)

2. What is the condition of the roads in the resort?

3. What are the blue runs like as we'll be with the kids (8 & 5)

Rob


Yes I've been skiing in Argentiere every year for over 10 years and
it's one of my favourite resorts for off-piste. Usually this has been
for only a few days each season since we use Argentiere, or more
recently Le Buet, as our base for the start of our annual ski-touring
trips. The drive out is fine and takes about 12 hours if you swap
drivers and only take short breaks. We generally leave Cambridge on a
Friday evening after work and end up in Argentiere on the Saturday
morning in time to enjoy the best part of a days skiing.

There is quite often a lot of snow in Argentiere down to village level
and the road between Chamonix and Argentiere is one where they require
you to carry chains in your vehicle during winter months. I've
encountered serious road conditions on about 25% of the trips I've made
there. The road up to Argentiere itself has some nasty corners, bad
cambers, and in some places a drop-off from the edge. In recent years
they've put up concrete barriers alongside the road where there have
been frequent accidents in the past.

Argentiere is not a resort that I would think to recommend for beginners
or for intermediates who are only wanting to cruise on blues. For
example although the Grand Montet has a few blue runs I think some of
them (particularly when icy conditions prevail) would be difficult to
distinguish from red runs at some other resorts. The Grand Montet is
very popular with advanced and expert skiers who wish to ski all over
the mountain. Thus the pistes higher up tend to be used to get around
the mountain for the off-piste runs, and the easier "blue runs" lower
down are mainly used as a cachement to funnel all those off-piste skiers
back to the lift system again.

The alternative ski area easily accessible from a base in Argentiere is
Le Tour. This is probably a better area for beginners and intermediates
and it also has some great off-piste runs down into the Le Buet side of
the hill or alternatively down into Switzerland. There is now a lift
system that operates down into Le Buet. There is also a good train
system that connects between Chamonix and via Agentiere, Le Buet and on
into Switzerland and which allows for a lot of off-piste single day
tours with a return by public transport.

Cheers,

Mike

Mike

Thanks for the info. You're not a million miles from us (We're about 20
miles South) so the timings would be almost spot on. However, as you are
the 2nd person to suggest that Argentiere is not ideal I think we'll
take the advice and continue looking.

Many thanks

Rob
  #6  
Old January 29th 08, 09:23 AM posted to rec.skiing.resorts.europe
Excess
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 61
Default Argentiere

On Jan 28, 4:25*pm, LittleRob wrote:
Has anyone got any experience of skiing in Argentiere? Specifically, we
are thinking about trying to get a second week skiing later in the
season (April):

1. What is the drive like from the UK (I'm assuming we'd use the tunnel)

2. What is the condition of the roads in the resort?

3. What are the blue runs like as we'll be with the kids (8 & 5)

Rob


I am a big fan of Argentiere myself but would agree that Les Houches
would be far better for you with the kids. Alternatively you could
base yourself in Argentiere and ski in Le Tour which has some really
nice easy run and is well suited to children. If you have a car this
is easy enough (snow chains are only compulsory in France on some
mountain roads when there is snow on the road - very unlikely you
would need them for going there early April but you never know as they
can still get snow in early May overthere). Early April should be fine
for Le Tour or Les Houches although late April may not be as good from
a snow point of view.
Drive is easy from the UK as all motorway.
More info including Eurotunnel packages on http://www.peakretreats.co.uk/ski/argentiere.htm
http://www.peakretreats.co.uk/ski/les-houches.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
XS
Peak Retreats http://www.peakretreats.co.uk
Ski Collection http://www.skicollection.co.uk
  #7  
Old January 29th 08, 09:53 AM posted to rec.skiing.resorts.europe
LittleRob
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 18
Default Argentiere

Excess wrote:
On Jan 28, 4:25 pm, LittleRob wrote:
Has anyone got any experience of skiing in Argentiere? Specifically, we
are thinking about trying to get a second week skiing later in the
season (April):

1. What is the drive like from the UK (I'm assuming we'd use the tunnel)

2. What is the condition of the roads in the resort?

3. What are the blue runs like as we'll be with the kids (8 & 5)

Rob


I am a big fan of Argentiere myself but would agree that Les Houches
would be far better for you with the kids. Alternatively you could
base yourself in Argentiere and ski in Le Tour which has some really
nice easy run and is well suited to children. If you have a car this
is easy enough (snow chains are only compulsory in France on some
mountain roads when there is snow on the road - very unlikely you
would need them for going there early April but you never know as they
can still get snow in early May overthere). Early April should be fine
for Le Tour or Les Houches although late April may not be as good from
a snow point of view.
Drive is easy from the UK as all motorway.
More info including Eurotunnel packages on http://www.peakretreats.co.uk/ski/argentiere.htm
http://www.peakretreats.co.uk/ski/les-houches.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
XS
Peak Retreats http://www.peakretreats.co.uk
Ski Collection http://www.skicollection.co.uk


Thanks for the info. It seems a shame to be based in Argentiere (in an
apartment offering easy access to lifts) and then drive up the road each
day. I think we'll just look for something that is better located, and I
suspect that means not the Chamonix valley.

Rob

  #8  
Old January 29th 08, 10:02 AM posted to rec.skiing.resorts.europe
Mike Clark
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 58
Default Argentiere

In message
Excess wrote:

On Jan 28, 4:25*pm, LittleRob wrote:
Has anyone got any experience of skiing in Argentiere? Specifically, we
are thinking about trying to get a second week skiing later in the
season (April):

1. What is the drive like from the UK (I'm assuming we'd use the tunnel)

2. What is the condition of the roads in the resort?

3. What are the blue runs like as we'll be with the kids (8 & 5)

Rob


I am a big fan of Argentiere myself but would agree that Les Houches
would be far better for you with the kids. Alternatively you could
base yourself in Argentiere and ski in Le Tour which has some really
nice easy run and is well suited to children. If you have a car this
is easy enough (snow chains are only compulsory in France on some
mountain roads when there is snow on the road - very unlikely you
would need them for going there early April but you never know as they
can still get snow in early May overthere). Early April should be fine
for Le Tour or Les Houches although late April may not be as good from
a snow point of view.
Drive is easy from the UK as all motorway.
More info including Eurotunnel packages on http://www.peakretreats.co.uk/ski/argentiere.htm
http://www.peakretreats.co.uk/ski/les-houches.htm


Perhaps the most serious road conditions I encountered in Argentiere was
about two years ago in the second week of April. We woke up on the
morning of our last day to encounter about 0.5 metre of fresh snow on
the roads. The drive out was on roads that had not been cleared of snow
all the way down past Chamonix. I had an interesting four wheel
slide myself on one of the bends, but managed to correct it before
going over the edge. Indeed the snow level was as low as Geneva. Along
the way we encountered many accidents, particularly on the autoroute. I
think many local drivers had already changed over from winter to summer
tyres.

Given that from a base in Argentiere you can easily cross over the Col
de Monte pass into Le Buet, Vallorcine and on into Switzerland for some
alternative skiing, and that the snow conditions can be encountered
regularly throughout the winter season I think carrying chains is a good
idea.

Mike
--
o/ \\ // |\ ,_ o Mike Clark
\__,\\ // __o | \ / /\, "A mountain climbing, cycling, skiing,
" || _`\,_ |__\ \ | immunology lecturer, antibody engineer and
` || (_)/ (_) | \corn computer user"
  #9  
Old January 29th 08, 10:33 AM posted to rec.skiing.resorts.europe
Ace[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 77
Default Argentiere

On Tue, 29 Jan 2008 09:53:49 +0000, in
, LittleRob
wrote:

Excess wrote:
On Jan 28, 4:25 pm, LittleRob wrote:
Has anyone got any experience of skiing in Argentiere? Specifically, we
are thinking about trying to get a second week skiing later in the
season (April):

1. What is the drive like from the UK (I'm assuming we'd use the tunnel)

2. What is the condition of the roads in the resort?

3. What are the blue runs like as we'll be with the kids (8 & 5)


I am a big fan of Argentiere myself but would agree that Les Houches
would be far better for you with the kids.


Thanks for the info. It seems a shame to be based in Argentiere (in an
apartment offering easy access to lifts) and then drive up the road each
day. I think we'll just look for something that is better located, and I
suspect that means not the Chamonix valley.


Flaine is probably your best bet - easy access (closer than Cham),
great for kids, very central meeting points, ski schools etc.

And great skiing for all levels.

Yes, including off-piste as good as you'll find in Chamonix.
  #10  
Old January 29th 08, 12:34 PM posted to rec.skiing.resorts.europe
LittleRob
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 18
Default Argentiere

Ace wrote:
On Tue, 29 Jan 2008 09:53:49 +0000, in
, LittleRob
wrote:

Excess wrote:
On Jan 28, 4:25 pm, LittleRob wrote:
Has anyone got any experience of skiing in Argentiere? Specifically, we
are thinking about trying to get a second week skiing later in the
season (April):

1. What is the drive like from the UK (I'm assuming we'd use the tunnel)

2. What is the condition of the roads in the resort?

3. What are the blue runs like as we'll be with the kids (8 & 5)


I am a big fan of Argentiere myself but would agree that Les Houches
would be far better for you with the kids.


Thanks for the info. It seems a shame to be based in Argentiere (in an
apartment offering easy access to lifts) and then drive up the road each
day. I think we'll just look for something that is better located, and I
suspect that means not the Chamonix valley.


Flaine is probably your best bet - easy access (closer than Cham),
great for kids, very central meeting points, ski schools etc.

And great skiing for all levels.

Yes, including off-piste as good as you'll find in Chamonix.


Ace

Thanks for that. I'd heard of Flaine (heard it was ugly mostly ;-) but
until just now had no idea where it was. (I found it on Google Maps).

It does indeed look easy to get to. How do you think it compares with
the other resorts in the Grand Massif (Samoens, Le Carroz etc.?) and
there seem to me multiple Flaines (Flaine Foret and so on) are they very
far apart? Is there a "main one"?

Thanks

Rob
 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 09:16 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 SkiBanter.
The comments are property of their posters.