Mont-Blanc - Argentiere

Built beside the Torrent de l’Arve, the village of Argentiere retains a large number of traditional wooden houses, as well as ancient farmhouses where the farmers still subsist on mountain agriculture. Argentiere provides an interesting base to explore the surrounding ski areas of the Chamonix valley. There is a newer side of Argentiere too with all the modern amenities and services, a variety of cosy bars and restaurants and a disco.

A shuttle bus runs from Argentiere into Chamonix every 15 minutes.

View here for a 360 degree view from the top of the Aiguille du Midi in Chamonix (hold down the left click of your mouse and drag left right up and down whilst still holding on the left click button to move 360 degree).

Chamonix Resort Opening Dates

Chamonix Valley is open from 18/12/10 - 08/05/11

See individual areas below:

Domaine des Grands Montets from 18/12/09 – 03/05/10

Partial opening* from 05/12/09 – 18/12/09 & 03/05/10 – 09/05/10

*depending on snow conditions

Domaine de Balme open from 19/12/09 – 25/04/10

Brevent/Flegere open from 19/12/09 – 25/04/10

Follow the links below

Why Argentière?

·          For the challenging skiing

·          Spectacular scenery

·          Traditional old villages

Childcare in Argentiere/Chamonix

The Panda Club Tel: 00 33 4 50 54 04 76 www.panda-club.com

Entertains children from 3 to 12 years old.

Open: Mon to Sun 8.30am to 5.00pm.

Rough prices

Please use the above prices as a guide only.

Childrens Ski Lessons in Argentiere

Children can ski from 4 years old in Argentiere with ESF.

Peak Retreats can pre-book this. See here for details.

Activities in Argentiere

Bowling, skidoo, cinema gym/fitness room, indoor pool, parapenting, shops, heated outdoor pool, ice skating, snow shoeing, walking trails.

Please see a list of activities on the CHAMONIX PAGE

Eating Out and Après-Ski in Argentiere

Bars, very reasonably priced restaurants, nightclub, shops.

And all the après-ski activities and night life of Chamonix, only 4km away.

www.chamonix.com

All the above information is for information only. For the most up-to-date information please visit the resort tourist office website

Argentiere Tourist Office

Opening times: High Season: 8.30am to noon / 3.00pm to 7.00pm. Low season: 10.00am to noon / 4.00pm to 6.00pm.

English spoken (Level may vary from basic to medium)         

Tel. 0033 450 54 02 14

Access to Argentiere

By Road: Driving distance from Calais to Argentiere 563miles (7hrs50)

From Calais, take A26 Motorway towards Reims and Troyes, then Dijon, Mâcon then ‘Autoroute Blanche’ Motorway (A40 Mâcon – Cluses) exit Chamonix. Follow signs to Argentière (4km from Chamonix) on the N506.

By Rail: TGV to Saint-Gervais (35km transfer or regional train)

Airports:

Geneva Airport is 108km from Argentiere (1 ¼ hours)

www.gva.ch/en

Chambery Airport is 146km from Argentiere (1 ¾ hours)

www.chambery-airport.com

Turin Airport is 181km from Argentiere (2 hours)

www.aeroportoditorino.it

Lyon Saint-Exupery Airport is 229km from Argentiere (2 ¼ hours)

www.lyonairport.com

Grenoble Airport is 236km from Argentiere (2 ¼ hours)

www.grenoble-airport.com

Getting around the Chamonix Valley area

(Argentiere, Le Tour, Chamonix, Les Houches, Vallorcine etc)

The Chamonix Valley has very good shuttle bus links throughout all its resorts so it’s easy to hop on the resort shuttle to whatever ski area you desire. For a full timetable for all resorts in Chamonix Valley, including the night bus, download the PDF document here. Link up to Chamonix town, Les Houches, Vallorcine; buses run from early in the morning to late afternoon and the night bus runs between 10pm-12pm, returning latest 12.30am.

The Mont Blanc Express train also provides access between the Chamonix Valley resorts. See full PDF train timetable here.

Airport Transfer

Pre-book your taxi transfer with Peak Retreats

From Geneva Airport to Argentiere – from £75 per person return based on 4 people sharing. 

For all other transfer prices please click here

Access Plan

Argentiere

Click on maps to enlarge

Resort Map

Argentiere

Expert skiers throng to what is undoubtedly the mecca of off-piste skiing and boarding. The world famous couloirs and steep gullies of the Grand Montets provide the best challenges. The vertical drop of 2000 metres from the summit to Argentière is not for the faint hearted. Whilst the run down the glacier is not too difficult the Rectiligne gully is something else, with the Vallee Blanche stretching from the Aiguille du Midi at 3790m down to Chamonix 24kms later.

Then there are the Point de Vue and Pylones, steep slopes where the piste bashers never venture. Grand Montets has at least 30 off piste runs from the top like the formidable Pas de Chèvre with 1000m drop to the Mer de la Glace.

La Pendant is a powder bowl par excellence and is both a good place to learn about off-piste skiing and a favourite with the regulars. By far the best and highly recommended way to explore the limitless off piste is with one of the many local experienced guides, who run group sessions or private days.

Argentiere Lift Passes

Save Time in resort and budget ahead by pre-booking lift passes. See below for prices.

PRE-BOOK* your CHAMONIX VALLEY LIFT PASS with PR

(1) Chamonix Le Pass: Brevent/Flegère (Chamonix), Lognan (Argentière, except Lognan - Grands Montets cable car), Balme (Tour/Vallorcine) + Les Planards, Le Savoy, Les Chosalets, La Vormaine (family area, bottom of the valley). Access to the resort shuttle service also included.

(2) Mont-Blanc Unlimited: Chamonix Le Pass + Les Houches + Verbier/4 Vallées - Suisse + Les Grands Montets (Argentière) & Courmayeur (Italy) + unlimited access to lifts, mountain trains and excursion sites of Aiguille du Midi & Panoramic Mont-Blanc, Montenvers gondola, train & ice grotto visit, Tramway du Mont Blanc and Funivie Monte-Bianco (Italy). Access to the resort and Chamonix - Les Houches shuttle service is also included.

(3) Ski Pass Mont-Blanc: Mont-Blanc Unlimited (except Verbier and Funivie Monte-Bianco (Italy) + St Gervais, Les Contamines, Megeve, Passy, Combloux, Cordon/Sallanches, Praz sur Arly.

NOTE: Compulsory €3/pass for hands-free pass to pay locally (reuseable annually). No photo necessary.

FAMILY PASS (as above)

*2 adults + 1 child (4-15yrs); extra children free (people with same name living at same address).

FREE PASSES!

Children aged 2-3yrs receive a FREE lift pass.

Note: Proof of age will be required for reduced price passes.

Argentiere Ski Schools                  

PRE-BOOK* your Argentiere GROUP SKI/BOARD LESSONS

Please note that a booking fee of £9 per party will be charged

Group Ski Lessons

Times and Schedules (ALL TIMES TO BE CONFIRMED, SUBJECT TO CHANGES).

Sun-Fri for 6 days, or Mon-Fri for 5 days

¹ SKI OR SNOWBOARD: Children/Adults:

² SKI ONLY: Piou Piou (Ourson/Flocon levels):

³ SKI ONLY: Evasion for Adults only:

Please note that lesson times are subject to change right until the last minute. Outside French school holidays the ski school reserves the right to cancel group lessons should numbers be insufficient. For peak periods (18/12-2/1, 13/2-13/3 & 9/4-24/4) we strongly recommend that you book as early as possible and in any case at least 6 weeks prior to the required dates. Morning lessons tend to get booked up first and therefore we may only be able to offer afternoon classes within 6 weeks of departure. In some resorts English speaking instructors may not always be available, particularly at peak times.

Argentiere Individual Tuitions

(10/11 prices, NOT pre-bookable)

Please note that prices are an indication only and are subject to change

Vallee Blanche - €285 for 1 – 4 people.

Individual tuitions can only be purchased directly from the ski school. Peak Retreats cannot pre-book these.

Ski school Argentiere contact numbers:

Ecole du Ski Français +33 450 54 00 12

www.esf-argentiere-valleedechamonix.com

Mountain restaurants 

3

Cross-country  

42km of marked tracks

*ALL PRE-BOOKABLE EXTRAS ARE PAYABLE TO PEAK RETREATS IN STIRLING PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. PRICES ARE IN £.

ANYTHING IN EUROS (€) WE ARE UNABLE TO PRE-BOOK AND

WILL BE PAYABLE LOCALLY.