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Snowshoeing in Chamonix
The heavy silence of the winter forest is broken only by the soft, regular "swish, swish" of the snowshoes as you move quietly through the deep, virgin snow. This is snowshoeing at its best. The only way for you to travel through a world otherwise populated by deer, chamois, hare, fox and marten.
History
The snowshoe was already perfected by 4000 BC by people from Central Asia crossing the land bridge to North America. Made from a frame of ash covered with leather it was the only means of traveling by foot across those immense northern forests and plains.
Developed over several thousand years by North American Indians, snowshoes were quickly adopted by the first white hunters and trappers to invade these regions - the French in the 16th century.
New technologies in snowshoeing, particularly of plastic and light metals, and new ideas of leisure time have brought about a new interest in this ancient technique. Snowboarders need snowshoes to get to that untracked powder.
People who don't, or who no longer ski, can use them to get away from the crowded pistes: and it's good fun too. But don't underestimate it. It's hard work, much harder physically than skiing. You need to be competent in the mountains (you're at 1500 to 2000 meters here) and you need to be comfortable with snow and with winter conditions.The experience
The experience: Snowshoeing in Chamonix
In Chamonix all the guide and accompagnateur (trek leader) companies offer a wide variety of snowshoe experiences including:
Introductory half-day outings
Full day treks (for which a good level of fitness is needed)
Evening walks - to finish with a traditional meal in a mountain hut or restaurant.
This last one, particularly if done as a FULL MOON trek, is very popular and the drunken stumble and slide back to your chalet is great fun.
The essentials
If you feel you can find your own way round then the major sports shops all hire snowshoes - "raquettes" in French. These will cost around 5 euros (£3) a half-day and 8 euros a day as a rough guide. This price includes the essential ski poles.
Guide books (in French) are available for ideas of typical routes with difficulties and times; e.g. "Raquette a Neige, Haute-Savoie" published by Didier Richard lists 20 routes around Chamonix and 80 routes in total between Lac Leman (Geneva) and Megeve. In the Chamonix valley you should try them in: Vallorcine La Flatiere/Le Coupeau (opposite Les Houches) Vaudagne/Charousse (west of Les Houches).
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