Brevent-Flegere, Chamonix, France 2-22 & 23-12

EMSC

Well-known member
Just a quick report for the past two days. I flew into Geneva mid morning and despite my credit card not wanting towork in the first toll booth on the A40 route. Then I couldn't figure out where my internet reserved ski shop was located only to find out I was only off by a couple hundred meters.

Based on the recommendation of the shop, I went to Flegere and bought a four hour ticket on a sunny quite warm day. Skiing a mix of on and off piste though nothing too crazy since I was by myself. Unfortunately I didn't take any cell phone pics and with no PC to see the real pics, those will have to wait. South and SW exposures especially got soft and even corn snow.

Chamonix has not had much snow for a few weeks now other than a few inches and both these resorts face south. It mad e for a mix of soft corn or soft/chalky snow on day one.

For my second day I hit Brevent. While connected, I limited myself so I would come down to my car correctly. Again I only did a 4 hour pass since I needed to drive back to Geneva to get my brother who missed a connection in Philly. He has also now lost his luggage. Never go through Philly. Today has been warmish, but heavy overcast making some slopes refrozen or 'granular' groomers but eastish facing is still chalky. I would have gone to Grand Montets, but wanted a fast exit to pick up my brother at 2pm. Ok, but flat light day. Skied the morning until 12:30 .hopefully pics in a second post...
 
Sorry folks. The wifi connection at my hotel is so slow and flakey that even downsized cell phone pics won't go through. Guess i might as well leave the pics for the good camera anyway O:)

It's an interesting gig over here. At least in chamonix there is little skiing on the lower parts of the mountains. So in that respect it's like anywhere else... go up a ways and ski the upper few K of verts. In good fresh snow I'm sure the lower parts must get skied. Though also true that there are tons of pitches and steeps everywhere you look. In some ways reminds me of Alberta last year but with more vertical relief and fewer slopes down low (not to mention th size of the village).

The French seem to be mostly very nice and very willing to speak English with me. Just one or two so far that have made it seem a chore to do such a thing. Every one knows English though. Not a big fan of the tiny in town roads of course. They can drive you nuts pretty quickly. Then there is the ever present parking issue, like in every busy ski town. Of course it is French mid term break this week - England had theres last week.

Anyway, enough random thoughts by yours truly. Time for some zzzzzz's
 
You're there about the same time I was in 2004. Brevant/Flegere is spectacular for the views but not where I'd want to ski much. South facing variable snow, can't ski to the bottom. You probably can ski down at Grands-Montets and Le Tour though you likely only want to at the end of the day. But you won't have a big line to download at those places like I did at Brevant.
 
Tony Crocker":1wy8ph61 said:
You're there about the same time I was in 2004. Brevant/Flegere is spectacular for the views but not where I'd want to ski much. South facing variable snow, can't ski to the bottom. You probably can ski down at Grands-Montets and Le Tour though you likely only want to at the end of the day. But you won't have a big line to download at those places like I did at Brevant.

Pretty much spot on... Only skied there for convenience... first day the ski shop I rented my skis from suggested Flegere might still have parking, 2nd day at Brevent was to have a quick escape out of town to pick up my brother in Geneva (figured Le Houches was so low in altitude it might have gotten fully skunked by the warm temps a day earlier).


Here are some pics of Flegere.

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