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Snowboarding in the Chamonix Valley
Snowboarders! One of those mind-numbing choices that you have to face in Chamonix (apart from arguing where the best beer in town is or which club has the best atmosphere) - where to ride?

If the snow is thin in Chamonix, Aiguille du Midi or Grands Montets have enough altitude to always get snow. This is serious snowboarding off piste riding. If you're into tricks, check out some of the natural kickers at Le Brevent and La Flégère.

To learn, the pistes of Le Tour and Les Houches are most accommodating. There's a halfpipe built at the Grands Montets and a natural one at Le Tour. Check out our Snowboarding Parks & Pipes page for more information.

These are just guide lines. Each area has the potential for serious action as well as being a useful learning environment. The Chamonix Bus will take you for free to any of these areas.

Chamonix rates high on the competition/freeride circuit and hosts a number of events each winter. Check out our events page to see what's on.
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BréventFlégèreGrands MontetsLe Tour Les Houches
Snowboarding Brévent Chamonix

La Flégère have been linked by a horizontal cable-car allowing skiers and boarders to jump from one ski area to the other.

On the sunny side of the Chamonix Valley, with stunning views of the Mont-Blanc range, this is a great all-around area. There are some good green, blue and easy red runs for the less experienced boarder. At the other end of the scale, the off piste is excellent with some of the steepest gulleys (couloirs) in the Valley. Most of these are in easy hiking distance (10-15 minutes) from the top of a lift.

Have a look at the Chamonix weather conditions and piste map before you leave.

For more information on Brévent:

Piste

Off-Piste

Snowboard Hire
Snowboarding Flégère Chamonix

With all it's natural hits, Flégère is a snowboarder's dream! The cat tracks make for some good take off points and have many great obstacles and kickers. This area is perfect for fine tuning tricks.

The off piste is excellent and Flégère is often bathed in sunlight till the end of the day. The Combe Lachenal is hard to beat for powder, with a good vertical drop through the trees. One great ride for all intermediate to advanced boarders. Check with the ski patrol before venturing out as this area is prone to avalanches.

The index lift has a new 6-man chair lift that opened in 2006 giving much faster access to the slopes. Index is the highest lift in Flégère and offers some steep reds, blues and some fun off piste riding with a great natural hip.

Don't forget to look up the Chamonix snow and weather conditions.

For more information on Flégère:

Piste

Off-Piste

Snowboard Hire
Snowboarding Grands Montets

, with a 2000m vertical drop to Argentière! This is glacier terrain (crevassed) so experience and mountain awareness are essential. For newcomers to this area, we recommend following the marked trails. To venture off the piste, hire a guide or at least take an avalanche awareness and glacier travel course.

The Pas de Chevre is an excellent run, for expert boarders. It runs south west from the top station, has three variants and descends to the Mer de Glace at the end of the Vallée Blanche. Beware this is a high risk avalanche zone.
For the slightly less experienced or adventurous, Les Grands Montets has some excellent groomed pistes. Grands Montets has recently created a park great for all levels and for perfecting your tricks.

Before you set off, take a look at the lift maps, prices, times and parking facilities for optimal planning. This resort is a 20 minute bus ride up the valley from Chamonix and on powder days, you better be on the first bus!

For more information on Grands Montets:

Piste

Off-Piste

Snowboard Hire
Snowboarding Le Tour Chamonix

This is probably the best area in the valley for beginners and intermediates. At the bottom, three drag lifts make up the Vormaine area, ideal for complete novices or children with its green and blue runs.

For confirmed riders, there are some interesting kickers scattered around the area slightly off of the main slopes - keep your eyes open. A natural half pipe exists, but is often dependent on snow conditions.

On big snow-dump days, take idyllic off-piste runs off the back, down through the trees, then get the Esserts chair lift back up and start all over again. Alternatively, continue right down to Vallorcine via the track. At the bottom there is the Vallorcine train station and Arête Bougnette bar restaurant. The scenic train rides back into the Chamonix valley.

Get the latest slope maps, prices and weather updates.

For more information on Brévent:

Piste

Off-Piste

Snowboard Hire
Snowboarding Les Houches

Les Houches is a resort in its own right, just inside the south entrance to the Chamonix Valley.

Like Le Tour, this is a good place for beginners and intermediates. Much more sheltered than the other ski areas, it' s a good place to go when the weather's bad. Lots of fun piste runs through the trees. Check out the piste maps, prices and parking and don't forget to look up the snow and weather conditions.

For more information on Grands Montets:

Piste

Off-Piste

Snowboard Hire
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Snowboarding in the Chamonix Valley

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