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We’ve just finished producing a short video showing some of the skiing down the Vallée Blanche with a group of guests that stayed here in January…. Special thanks to Dave, Vanessa, Paul, Mark and Alan.
We skied the Classique route down the glacier with James, our guide – all 22 kms off-piste to arrive back in Chamonix town.
A great day’s skiing had by all!! It might take a few moments to load….
Read about the vallée blanche.
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This January, Chamonix has received more snow than any January since 1967. Over two metres 10cms fell in just one night in Argentière a week or so back. So, when yet another 40cms of snow fell yesterday at chalet level, and with visibility greatly reduced throughout the valley, Helen and I chose to ski our [Read more...]
We are SO lucky to live here in Chamonix valley. Every now and again, we get to experience conditions that are simply PERFECT for great ski days. Take yesterday, for instance. It was one of those bluebird days with not a cloud in the sky. We headed up to Les Grands Montets, one of the [Read more...]
As part of our ongoing mission to continually improve the value of staying at Maison Jaune, for this Winter we are proud to launch a new service: complimentary peak performance coaching for all our guests. A HUGE part of skiing performance is your mental game. It affects how you ski on a day to day [Read more...]
Descending the arête - Chamonix in the background
The weather was beautiful… Cold, crisp, and clear… The snow – simply divine.
For those that have not yet heard about the Vallée Blanche… It is an amazing 18 kilometre off-piste route down the Mer du Glace glacier. Over snow bridges, around crevasses, down fantastic fields of powder snow….
The scenery is incredible, but it can be a very dangerous place. Every year, it claims the lives of a number of people. Thus, it is essential to take a guide. Those who don’t can die if they stray from the route, or stop in unsuitable places (such as on snow bridges or underneath seracs), or fall in crevasses… Some of the crevasses can be over 50 metres deep.
Skiers heading down the Vallée
We took the Classique route
Mountains, glaciers, crevasses.. and skiers
Helen and Nigel having lunch on the glacier
The snow conditions were so good that we were able to ski all the way back to Chamonix…. (normally, the route finishes at the Montenvers station)
Looking down on Chamonix
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A fantastic day, harder than I remember it being when I last did it 16 years ago, but awesome and a privilege to have the opportunity to do something like this. For those that have never done it – do it; it is a challenge but no pain, no gain! You do need to be up to it, technically and physically but Helen and Leighton will advise. If they say no, then is for your own good, don’t be offended. If you do go, then you’ll be in no better hands than with James; he was excellent and really knew his mountain craft. A fantastic experience and if the video lulls you into thinking its flat and gentle; its not!!!!
Comment by Paul Martin - the one in the red jacket! — Monday 16 February 2009 @ 9:54 pm