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[email protected]**
When: 12 - 15 January 2024 *Bus departs Patch 1200 on 12 Jan*
Where: Chamonix, France
TC: Joey Buckley
TC Email: [email protected]
Price per person:
Children pricing is with 2 adults in room.
The trip includes the following:
Picture this, It's MLK weekend and you just finished up a solid day of skiing. Your legs are tired and your belly is full of fondue and baguettes. You are sipping on some fine wine and playing charades with your best friends. Perhaps you are wearing a knitted sweater with reindeer on it, or maybe some snowflakes. Perhaps it’s a turtleneck, or maybe it’s just a crew, either way you look great. It's snowing outside and you guys are all sitting around a roaring fireplace. You’re laughing because you had a great day… and the wine is hitting just right because it's freaking delicious. Oh right I forgot to mention that you are completely surrounded by beautiful glaciers with some of the best snow in the world. I’m once again going to mention that the wine is amazing. Well if this sounds like heaven on earth to you, well I have great news. This so-called heaven is just a small mountain town in the French Alps, that sits on the border of Switzerland and Italy. Yeah, I’m talking about Chamonix.
We’re talking about the home of the 1924 winter Olympics. Which newsflash, that was the first winter Olympics…. EVER. Yep, you read that right, the first ever location for the first winter Olympic games was chosen to be in a small mountain village in France. So yes, if you like history and the Olympics then Chamonix is a golden nugget of things to find. Another fun history fact for you history buffs, in 1821 the Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix was established. If you know anything about mountain guiding, then you know this was the first mountain guide company in the world. I’m sure that you are getting the point and have realized that Chamonix is essentially the birthplace of EXTREME! First Olympics? Check. First mountain guide company? Check. These French Mountain folks just know how to do mountain stuff right!
So, if you are like me, you have probably heard about Chamonix in passing or have read about it. I’m going to make an assumption here and assume that you most likely do not speak French. If you are anything like me, you look at the word “Chamonix” with the same cross-eyed look that I did when I first saw it. How do you pronounce an x at the end of a word? Anyways I have no shame and I did what any normal person does, I googled it. (Sha-mon-nee). Here is the link to a certified Frenchmen saying it too. There is no shame in making sure you pronounce it correctly. Don’t ask my advice on any other French words… I only know how to pronounce ski areas at this point, and I have googled them all!
Meet your Trip Captain and *Assistant to the Trip Captain*
My wife Steph and I have skied Chamonix twice now (10 days total on the slopes) and hosted the Trip last year! We are familiar with the area and the hotel so feel free to shoot me any questions that you may have about the trip! It our favorite area to Ski in Europe! We love to Ski and and Apres and know all of the best spots to do so in Chamonix! Additionally I plan on booking a guide this year to tackle the Vallee Blanche so if you are off Piste inclined let me know!
Skiing Info
*Real photo from the 2023 trip! White out powder day!
Skiing in Chamonix gives you loads of options. You have the 4 main resorts Les Grand Montets, Brevent/La Flegere, Le Tour (Balme) and Les Houches. There are plenty of other smaller resorts in the area that offer ski schools for novices also. Also if you are goin full send this is the home of the notorious Vallee Blanche tour route! All of these resorts are easily accessible from our hotel via using the FREE local bus system. Yes, I did all caps on “Free” to emphasize my point. So, with that being said, it's going to be FYOW2L (find you own way to lifts) from the hotel and you have the freedom of going to any of the resorts that you want!
Here are the Piste Maps to the more popular Resorts in the area!
Roughly 3K from access to Brevent/ Flegrere access (Piste map)
Roughly 5K from access to Les Houches Ski area (Piste map)
Roughly 12k from access to Les Grands Montets (Piste Map )
Ski School
Here is a link to a ski school in the area that has options at all of the main resorts. There are other options out there, this is just the most popular one that I could find.
Ski Passes
Unfortunately Ski Passes are not included on your trip fees but if you book them early and online they are cheaper then they would be if you buy them day of! There are two Passes The standard pass that gets you access to the main resorts and the unlimited pass that gets you access to all of the lifts and resorts in the area. Here is the site that goes into detail of the passes and their pricing.
Rentals
I highly recommend getting your equipment prior to going on the trip, typically its cheaper and much better quality to what is offered at the mountain. The Kelly MWR does great season rentals! Here is the link to the MWR Site that has all of the details! If you do not get equipment prior to the trip, there is a plethora of options to get skis/boards in town and at the base of the mountains.
Not Skiing?
Just coming along for the ride? Knees cant take skiing anymore? No worries! Chamonix has an awesome downtown with lots of shops and restaurants! You also always have the option to get a pedestrian ticket up to any of the mountain summits! Or hop on the world famous Aiguille Du Midi Cable Car and check out the breathtaking views of the Mont-Blanc!
Getting around
The PSC bus gets you from Patch Barracks to the Hotel, after that you are on your own! I highly recommend using public transportation! Its easy and its free if you have a lift pass! The hotel is just a short 5-10 min bus ride from downtown Chamonix! The concierge at the hotel knows the Patch Ski club and will be ready to help you navigate Public transit to wherever you want to go!
The Hotel Aiguille Du Midi
The Patch Ski Club has been coming to the Aiguille Du Midi For the past 10+ years! They know us and they love us! They are more than prepared to take on 30-40 Americans for the long weekend! They are very helpful and are able to provide you with all sorts of information! They offer a wonderful breakfast each morning and we will also have Dinner the second two nights! They also have a bar area that is a great spot to hang out after dinner and have a few drinks! The hotel has a Ski room to store all of you gear so dont worry about that either!
