Chalet Saphir can be found in Les Houches in the Chamonix valley, France, just under an hour drive from Geneva Airport and close to both the Italian and Swiss borders. The views of the nearby piste and surrounding valley are truly spectacular.
This is a fantastic location for ski-in ski-out, just a very short walk from a chair lift and cable car as well as a small handful of restaurants, bars and shops. You are also within a 10-minute stroll to Les Houches centre where you find moew restaurants, cafes, bars and shops as well as shuttle buses that take you through the Chamonix valley to many of the region’s other ski areas. There are numerous places to hire ski and snowboarding gear, alternatively equipment hire and ski passes can be arranged via the chalet staff, as well as skiing lessons, guides and other services.
The nearby Kandahar piste is well known amongst professionals across the world with its bi-annual downhill race yet there are also many options for beginners as well as more experienced skiers across this area. There are 55km worth of pistes across Les Houches, as high as 1900m in altitude, passing forests, always surrounded by the incredible scenery of the Chamonix Valley. As well as four black runs, there are 13 red runs, 8 blue and 2 green as well as snow parks and sledging opportunities, making Les Houches especially ideal for families.
Other skiing areas across the Chamonix Valley include Les Grands Montets, up to 3300m altitude, the Brévent area, close to Chamonix town centre and the challenging yet amazing off-piste Aiguille du Midi for the most experienced of skiers. You can even reach Courmayeur in Italy via the Mont-Blanc tunnel for more intermediate pistes and beautiful vistas.
The Region
Chamonix is often preceded by its own reputation. As one of the most famous ski resorts in the world, it has visitors travelling from all corners of the world to experience the epic runs year after year. The Chamonix town centre, also known as Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, is an endlessly inviting little city with enough going on to entertain skiers and non-skiers alike for weeks on end.
For those travelling from the UK, it is fabulously easy to reach. You can drive straight from Calais by motorway and be set up in a gorgeous chalet in less than half a day.
The
Chamonix Valley encompasses five main ski areas on four different mountains (with easy transfers in between). You can get yourself a single-resort lift pass or one that encompasses the whole valley. If you go with the latter option you’ll even have access to the Italian side of the valley in Courmayeur. The wider area encompasses 106 pistes at up to 3842m altitude and unparalleled off-piste runs.
Most of Chamonix’s ski areas are best suited to those who already feel at home on a pair of skis. Beginners definitely won’t get as much out of this valley as those who are comfortable tackling a black run. But that’s not saying Chamonix is unromantic by any means. There is incredible scenery for everyone to enjoy, from non-skiers to experts, and nature lovers will fall in love with the Chamonix in summer too. Ski season, however, often lasts until mid-March.
Once the skiing is over at the end of the day you’ll still find plenty to keep you occupied in town. There is an excellent selection of restaurants to choose from, ranging from Michelin starred fine dining to street food that will line your stomach for the après-ski (and rest assured there are dozens of great bars and clubs to choose from!)
