Hands down the most thorough Chamonix ski guide video. I’ve watched countless of them and the majority were useless. Thank you. Will watch a couple more times to prep for my trip.
No mention of the difficulties that stem from driving a 'fanny magnet' like an insignia on holiday with the family. Exotic foreign man, alluring facial hair, irresistible car - it must add a lot of extra time to your trip. How do you balance family commitments with administering the physical act of romance to all the lusty maidens?
Really well done, I really love the family aspect of the clip. I have been skiing in Chamonix for quite some years, by now. My taking is that the different ski slopes just deliver, being a bus-stop away....
Worlds greatest youtuber is at it again. Nobody would expect you to get the train when you got your new set of wheels. Love all your videos mate but these ski reviews are fantastic.
Brilliant Video Robbie! I watched this just before my trip at the end of January and thought it was a brilliant review! Just got back from Chamonix with a few friends who are more Experienced than i am, so i spent the week having advanced lessons up in Le Tour. And progressed from Blues to Reds for the first time which i was proud of! No-one told me how much ski boots hurt your feet though!
Glad your back with your ski reviews Robbie! absolutely love them. Charmonix seems like a great resort. My brother went in Early march 2020 just before lockdown and had a great time. Although got a bit unlucky with some rain and he didn't really enjoy the food anywhere. On another note, I went to Saalbach hinterglem ski circus in Austria this year and would thoroughly recommend it. Amazing skiing (resort Is huuuge 290km and all interlinked so you don't have to take a bus). The foods was great in piste/village and really good value for money. The village aslo had the great alpine look to it. Very picturesque. If you rent a car the ski pass gives you access to Saalbach, Zell am Zee and Kaprun which are only a short drive away. And the main thing for me is that they are all absolutely snow sure. pretty much fresh snow 3-4 times a week. Edit (can't forget some of the best lifts I've been on. Heated seats are the one!)
I remember going to chamonix circa 2012. Probably the best meal i've ever had was in les houches. Snowstorm, fog, me being a fucking 10 year old kid. Best lasagna i've ever tasted. Restaurant in the middle of a fucking slope. Food in balme was pretty good too iirc.
You really captured the essence of the place. Big, nice town, not like the high villages - question of taste. Fragmented ski areas, and lots of bussing around. I've been a few times and snowboarded down the Valley Blanche (good run, not that difficult if you are experience with off-piste). Because the resort is low, and the mountains are very high, the scenery is really impressive although unless you do the Valley Blanche (Aiguille de Midi) you don't really get amongst the peaks. Even top of Grand Montets (the best area), the peaks are still towering above). I prefer Trois Vallees and Val D'Isere/Tignes.
Hi, enjoyed your video and explanation of the pros and cons of Chamonix. I am still puzzled on the ski areas. As far as I know, there are 2 ski lifts in Chamonix, do they both go to skiable mountains? Are the other ski areas not connected to the one in Chamonix at all via gondolas? How is it compare to Zermatt in Switzerland? We really enjoyed skiing there, but are trying to find different ski resorts to explore.
Great video, love the ski ones . You asked for suggestions ski wise. An interesting one for an adults-only mission would be to head up to some of the Scottish ones (Glencoe, Glenshee are probably the best). Problem is it can be quite unreliable conditions, but you may be surprised how good it can be if you're flexible enough to do it last minute when conditions are good. Maybe not for your actual holidays, but if you're taking a few days out to make ski content !
I've been looking to go to ski in Scotland but every time I check, the conditions aren't great - most of the lifts shut. The second I see an opportunity I'm there!
I went skiing in one of the other resorts on the mont blanc unlimited pass we stayed in St gervais, We thought about going to chamonix for the aiguelle du midi viewpoint but the weather put us off. Some of the days were beautiful though, I would highly recommend if you return to the area. It's amazing for beginners and has over 400km of ski slopes.
It’s been a few years, but I was lucky to go pretty often to Chamonix growing up. What I love is the range of things to do in Chamonix compared to the really big ski resorts in the world. If you choose to go again, I recommend going to Vallorcine which is only a bus ride away. My preferred location in Chamonix with lots of things for beginners and experienced folks, a lot of off piste and a lovely run to the bottom to have lunch at best cafe. Great video!
We went to Austria this year. Absolutely fantastic. Love to see you do a review of somewhere over there. But thanks very much, it's very helpful for families like mine. J
Another great video mate! Looks like you had lots of fun! I highly recommend Passo Tonale in Italy for you’re next trip, It has progressive reds and challenging blacks in a really nice town. A short bus ride away is Madonna and Ponte di Legno, perfect for a day away from tonale with lots to do and large open area catering for all! I’m off back to borovets next week, but will defo return to tonale next year! Look forward to more of you’re videos!
@bgtownend Le tour is always good especially the tree run and is quiet in the mornings. Grand Montet is pisted and the run from top to bottom is long and testing at times. I haven't done any off piste really but apparently its good there. We drive to courmayer for a day every year aswell which is well worth it if you're able to.
I enjoy these casual, informative ski resort reviews of yours. I'd love to see your take on the Austrian mega-resorts Kitzbuhel and Saalbach-Hinterglemm!
I love Chamonix. The vale Blanche and the magic valley are unbelievably good. The Folie Douce hotel is amazing too. Ski weekend will get you there with superb service.
Thank you! So glad I found this video. Answered a ton of questions I had that I couldn't find answers for anywhere else. Do you have any recommendations on where to stay in town if you want to utilize the Mont Blanc Multipass? Trying to do Vallee Blanche and a few other parks.
Glad you enjoyed it Clark! The bus system is pretty extensive so I think you’ll be fine pretty much anywhere (I’m by no means a Chamonix expert though). There were some big queues for busses at the end of the day though.
Having been there in January this year, I wouldn't go back or recommend it for snowboarding- when as alternatives I have Zermatt in Switzerland, Val d'Isere in France or one of the many villages around Dolomiti Superski area. Chamonix was good but definitely wouldn' turn around for snowboarding again, with the exception of Valee Blanche(that I did not manage to off piste on my window of time there). Great review of the area I'll definitely give you that. Thank's!
I've skied all the big resorts in France. Chamonix is known for climbing and the spectacular Mont Blanc Masif. For skiing I'd pick 3 Vallees, Tignes, Les Arcs over Chamonix.
@@spencereng With the hotel always in Tignes, I never spend much time on the Val D'Isere side. For terrain, I'm only interested in powder and moguls, which is all over the place.
Nice to see you with a new ski video. I went to Bansko in Feb and really enjoyed it so you could review that resort - and El Tarter and Soldeu in Andorra where I'm returning to in March. But I would be interested if you reviewed Les Arc and La Plagne from a family friendly point of view. I know Val D'Isere and Tignes quite well - interested what a serious skier makes of it.
Great review. Brings back memories. Visited Chamonix in 1987 and in 2008. As I am from the states and don't get many chances to ski Europe, this makes me want to come back. You asked about resorts to review. On my bucket list is Val D'Isere/Tignes (nee L'Espace Killy). A review would be great.
I just had a week in L'Espace Killy (staying in Tignes Val Claret) and stayed in Tignes Le Lac in Feb 2020 and both were amazing!!! This time round the snow conditions were inconsistent as we only had snowfall on one of the days this week however next week is forecast 50cm a day for 4 days!!! The pistes are definitely better with more snow but were absolutely fine last week minus the dangerous skiiers. 2020 the snow was amazing and anything that wasn't pisted was just an offpiste playground and it was amazing. Offpiste was harder to come by this year but we found some unskiied powder in Le Fornet and we had 500-600m offpiste deserted descent which was incredible. Both times we skiied everything in Tignes + Val d'Isere and I can recommend loads of runs. Apres-ski is great too on the mountain and in the towns - La Folie Douce on VDI side is brilliant + Cocorico in Tignes is great too. It is obviously expensive but doable if you save a lot. We self-catered most nights to cheapen out but having food out was unbelievable. I'm sure you get the message but GO THERE!!!!!!! Even when the conditions aren't great as they were with me last week it was still absolutely brilliant and there's so much skiing to do and everywhere is so well linked, whether it be by ski lift or buses!
WHAT?! I was there last week! We stayed a little walk outside of Chamonix and it was really tranquil with amazing view being between the mountains. Buses rammed but the pistes are great but it's true that there isn't much for starters. (I can ski all levels but I feel most comfortable on the blues and there are plenty of beautiful views from them.) You missed going to "L'aiguille du Midi! If you go back, well worth a visit at 3842m high, you're above the clouds and have a view of Mont Blanc. Just stunning in every direction. Air is thin though and some of us, me included, felt light headed for a bit. I missed the luge! As for a different resort to go to, I really enjoyed the resort called Les Arcs. They have different height resorts, Les Arc 1600 is the lowest and was where I stayed but I went up higher using lifts and it was great skiing all the way down. I found that there were pistes for all levels there. I found one that even passed through a shopping area on the way down.
I saw L'aiguille du Midi from the town - it looked stunning. Will definitely try to make it over next time I'm there. I've got a friend who goes to Les Arcs most years and loves it. I'd love to go there!
@Robbie Knox I look forward to your videos about them! L'aiguille du Midi was a definite highlight of our trip, although the queue to be in the glass box was huge but still pretty amazing, if not a bit touristy. Anyway, it's nice to know you read the comments. :) Thanks for making these videos!
I go to Chamonix every winter because the family has a chalet, let's be honest, you don't go there for skiing. Anyway the landscape is always breathtaking. In the city center (altitude is only 1000m) you see needles in front of you (3500m to 3842m) and and the mont blanc just behind, I have never seen that verticality feeling somewhere else. One should be mentioned the small train that connects Les Houches to the swiss border at Vallorcine, a great alternatives to buses/car.
You should try Megeve Robbie!! The evasion mont blanc lift pass covers an amazing 422km of slopes, including the fairly high altitude sector les contamines! Endless green's and blues. Wonderful beautiful skiing on a powder day dur to all of the treeline runs!!!
Really enjoyed this Robbie! I've just got back from Cortina d'Ampezzo in Italy - would very much recommend for when your kids become a little more intermediate! :)
Dolomiti superski! You can do an episode on the Sellaronda, plus you'll have the Saslong, Marmolada glacier, vias ferratas....plus history of the region, the area being on the faultline of latin and germanic languages and cultures etc....also you'll be able to trade in your vin chaud for some Bombardinos, very effective at altitude
@@RobbieKnox don't google Robbie, just order one at the bar or during a rest stop on the slopes and see what you think. Don't worry, I promise it is not a local insult
Amazing video. This reminds me of our family skiing trip when I was a kid, we use to do the same by driving down. Never been to Chamonix but after seeing this video, I might have to consider it. You should try Flaine as a ski resort been there 6 times as a kid and a very good ski location for every ability of skiing.
I live in Geneva and have a place in Cham. This is a very accurate review and mirrors very much how I describe cham to friends - if you want some of the worlds best off piste it ticks all your boxes. If you are with a mixed ability group there are better resorts out there. Really enjoyed the review!
Funny I was looking at Chamonix. As I am a older newbie skier the area seems to be a must ski but i could not get enthused about the place. Correct me if i am wrong but that came over in your review as you seem to be thinking the same? Going to see if you have done VT and Wengan as we loved those two :-)
Really love Chamonix. Real advantage having a car to get to the ski areas without relying on the bus. If it is still there Poco Loco burger place in the the center is worth a trip.
Chamonix is probably a great place not to get bored for a season, but for families and mixed ability groups staying a week I found it Z as frankly underwhelming. Stacked buses. No easy meeting up of the whole group for lunch together for example. I never felt a need to return. Val d’Isère, Montgenevre, Livigno, Courmayeur, Sestriere, Prato Nevoso and many others are far better if you want to spend downtime with friends and family newly taking up the sport. 🤷🏾♂️🇬🇧
Very good review which tallies with my own experience from numerous past visits to Chamonix when some friends lived there. I'm predominantly a snowboarder travelling in adult groups, but still find the bus travel to the more interesting areas a pain, especially the scrum to get back which creates an unpleasant disconnect to any notion of apres. Great off-piste itineraries and I like Le Tour, but the in-bounds elsewhere have never really excited.
Hi Robbie, have you ever been to the Portes du Soleil ski area? It's quite big and has great lift interconnection so if you stay in a resort like Avoriaz you can ski literally 100s of kms of runs without needing to get a bus, nice and easy to find a place where you can ski right out of the apartment too. I've been about 10 times and I love it, seems to have good enough skiing for beginners/kids but I haven't explored that in much detail personally.
Great memories of Chamonix, but if your looking for a decent family location, Flaine just over the brevent/flegere side of Chamonix is excellent. Heading back there at the end of the month...again :)
This place is my life and I've been skiing here since I was 3. It's honestly my favourite place in the world. Also just so you know the only reason the Charles Bozon is a black is because they don't want beginners going down it due to the cliffs and you should know that the altitude 2000 at Brevent is known by locals as a SCAM so don't do there :). Also if you really want difficult skiing don't go to Brevent you should go to le tour or the grand montes because they're where all the great skiing is.
Agreed. Tougher on the mont Blanc side but brevant has amazing views and it’s fun watching the parapenters run off the side of the mountain. That gondola to Charles Bozon freaked me out!
I’m thinking of heading there in February (prior to half term) with my Girlfriend for 5 nights. Do you think the money going (just under a grand up front as we have our own snowboard equipment) is better spent going elsewhere or is this on par with everywhere else for the price range?
Great video Robbie. I don’t know if you have been to Andorra before, I went in mid-feb and it was excellent. As an intermediate skier it had great opportunities to progress my skills as well as a great Irish bar 👍
Chamonix is a bunch of ski resorts around a buzzing town tied together with a bus service. Unless you have a car or an organised lift, this guarantees every morning you'll need to trudge to the bus station and join the queue. The individual resorts themselves are quite small so each one will be skied out by the end of the day (if not before-hand). What Chamonix does have is some great non-downhill skiing opportunities, if that's your thing, and an excellent marketing department. Personally, I can think of many, many ski resorts I would go to before returning to Chamonix. YMMV
@@mathewmatu6094 Not been to Zermatt but I did ski in Breuil-Cervinia which was great. I guess the thing everyone would say about skiing in Switzerland is the cost
Chamonix ski resort? Never heard of it. There is the town of Chamonix with several ski resorts near it, and the valley of Chamonix with ski resorts in it, but i have never heard of Chamonix ski resort. It new?
Have a look at the video I did on Borovets in Bulgaria. Pick the right week and you can get a week half board with lessons, ski pass and kit hire for £500/£600.
Not eating out when skiing helps a lot. Lunch on the mountain can easily be 30 euros a head and dinner is even worse. Skiing is more expensive than other sports but if you can divide the cost between others by going in a larger group and renting out an apartment or chalet it can save you money.
@@RobbieKnox really appreciate it! Would you recommend the same for a solo skier? Or recommend solo skiing at all? My friends and family are incapable of saving money so I feel like I might just bite the bullet and go for it. Thanks Shenanigans!
Go to Pila in the Aosta Valley! Great for the family, I’ve been skiing there every year since I was four and I’m now a ski instructor and still love going - so there’s something for every skier (it’s ski in ski out too which is even better!) Love your ski resort reviews Robbie ⛷
I've literally just come back from pila. It was my second time there. The snow has been very lackluster the two times I have been. It has not snowed there since early January. That coupled with about 3 runs closed for ski racing teams only meant that only about 70% of the slopes were actually open. In comparison I also went to saalbach in Austria this year where it seems to snow at least 3-4 times a week
Yes, there hasn’t been much snow this year you’re right. They’ve been a bit unlucky. However, having skied there for 21 years this is a bit of an anomaly. I would say that the pisteurs really do try to keep the pistes in perfect condition even with a lack of snow - and unlike chamonix in this video you will always be able to ski in ski out. It’s also common practice for resorts to close pistes for ski racers and teams. The one piste on la nouva closed for ski teams is always closed for racing and Leisse 1 has four other options of piste to go down directly from that lift (which I would argue are better and more fun to ski). Totally fair points you’ve made but just wanted to defend Pila as it’s my home away from home and want other people to get to enjoy Pila which I think is the secret of the alps.
@@seonaideadie5049 totally understandable. We stay with my friend who is a snowboard instructor there. He's been going all his life and still loves it.
Great video Robbie. Agree with everything you said having visited Chamonix a few years back. We got snowed in the one day and found a lovely bar where we managed to get a bottle of local red wine for €5.50! Cheaper than a pint. Are you away again this season? Hope so, as I would like to see alternative resort guides.
@@RobbieKnox good luck buddy, for sure you drop the best ski resort reviews out there! I’m desperate to get over to North America after watching your you videos.
Just got back from skiing up at glenshee in Scotland, hit and miss with snowfall but overall I thought it was a good place to ski, especially on a budget :)
Robbie random one, but what ski goggles do you use and what VLT % do they have? I'm looking to get some for Les Deux Alpes in a few weeks, and I noticed you on the chairfilt in pretty overcast conditions would be interested to hear if you find yours too tinted etc.
Another great ski resort review. I think I would love this place, I can leave my non skiing family in town and traverse from area to area . I would love to see you do a review of Zermatt Switzerland or maybe this summer in Portillo Chile.
good fun. you were definitely limited by your kids. that's life. as parents we must suffer that. part of the deal. you could have possibly bought daily lessons and went the the other areas like Balme and Argentierre to get daily lessons there, then you could have skied for 2 hours in new places. but having kids will hamper you. without kids tho, and the free ski buses, you have so much on offer. Argentierre is amazing !!
![Seungmin "그렇게, 천천히, 우리(As we are)" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kAzmhLHePqU/mqdefault.jpg)
Hands down the most thorough Chamonix ski guide video. I’ve watched countless of them and the majority were useless. Thank you. Will watch a couple more times to prep for my trip.
Thanks pal, you're very kind. Yeah, it's hard to find good resort guides I think - I always scour the web for videos when I'm going away.
agreed!
No mention of the difficulties that stem from driving a 'fanny magnet' like an insignia on holiday with the family.
Exotic foreign man, alluring facial hair, irresistible car - it must add a lot of extra time to your trip. How do you balance family commitments with administering the physical act of romance to all the lusty maidens?
🤣🤣🤣
Please review more resorts. This is Informative and funny in equal measure - love it.
Really well done, I really love the family aspect of the clip. I have been skiing in Chamonix for quite some years, by now. My taking is that the different ski slopes just deliver, being a bus-stop away....
Yeah, I appreciate that in different circumstances I could have skied some great runs. Would love to return with friends.
Worlds greatest youtuber is at it again. Nobody would expect you to get the train when you got your new set of wheels. Love all your videos mate but these ski reviews are fantastic.
Love this! Really informative and cover everything I’d want to know. Really wanna go skiing now though 😔😂
Thanks pal. I miss skiing already!
Brilliant Video Robbie! I watched this just before my trip at the end of January and thought it was a brilliant review! Just got back from Chamonix with a few friends who are more Experienced than i am, so i spent the week having advanced lessons up in Le Tour. And progressed from Blues to Reds for the first time which i was proud of! No-one told me how much ski boots hurt your feet though!
Glad your back with your ski reviews Robbie! absolutely love them.
Charmonix seems like a great resort. My brother went in Early march 2020 just before lockdown and had a great time. Although got a bit unlucky with some rain and he didn't really enjoy the food anywhere.
On another note, I went to Saalbach hinterglem ski circus in Austria this year and would thoroughly recommend it.
Amazing skiing (resort Is huuuge 290km and all interlinked so you don't have to take a bus). The foods was great in piste/village and really good value for money. The village aslo had the great alpine look to it. Very picturesque.
If you rent a car the ski pass gives you access to Saalbach, Zell am Zee and Kaprun which are only a short drive away.
And the main thing for me is that they are all absolutely snow sure. pretty much fresh snow 3-4 times a week.
Edit (can't forget some of the best lifts I've been on. Heated seats are the one!)
Fabulous place. You can also do some glacial skiing on Kitzsteinhorn nearby too !
I remember going to chamonix circa 2012. Probably the best meal i've ever had was in les houches. Snowstorm, fog, me being a fucking 10 year old kid. Best lasagna i've ever tasted. Restaurant in the middle of a fucking slope. Food in balme was pretty good too iirc.
From Tramp to alpine resort reviewer, quite the story there Robbie!
You really captured the essence of the place. Big, nice town, not like the high villages - question of taste. Fragmented ski areas, and lots of bussing around. I've been a few times and snowboarded down the Valley Blanche (good run, not that difficult if you are experience with off-piste). Because the resort is low, and the mountains are very high, the scenery is really impressive although unless you do the Valley Blanche (Aiguille de Midi) you don't really get amongst the peaks. Even top of Grand Montets (the best area), the peaks are still towering above). I prefer Trois Vallees and Val D'Isere/Tignes.
Not been Snowboarding in 2 years now and am really gutted about it. Love these videos. Makes me remember the good times
Very good review and advice on Chamonix, we are going there in March
Hi, enjoyed your video and explanation of the pros and cons of Chamonix. I am still puzzled on the ski areas. As far as I know, there are 2 ski lifts in Chamonix, do they both go to skiable mountains? Are the other ski areas not connected to the one in Chamonix at all via gondolas? How is it compare to Zermatt in Switzerland? We really enjoyed skiing there, but are trying to find different ski resorts to explore.
Best ski resort i’ve been to is St Anton in Austria, amazing skiing and apres ski. Would recommend 100%
I love st anton, I did worked a season there!
Ive never been skiing and probably never will be able to afford it but this was a great wholesome review. Made me want to go
It's so fun. Look at Borovets in Bulgaria - there are some really cheap deals to be had.
Great video, love the ski ones . You asked for suggestions ski wise. An interesting one for an adults-only mission would be to head up to some of the Scottish ones (Glencoe, Glenshee are probably the best). Problem is it can be quite unreliable conditions, but you may be surprised how good it can be if you're flexible enough to do it last minute when conditions are good. Maybe not for your actual holidays, but if you're taking a few days out to make ski content !
I've been looking to go to ski in Scotland but every time I check, the conditions aren't great - most of the lifts shut. The second I see an opportunity I'm there!
@RobbieKnox Don't bother, tried last Feb at most recommended time for snow and all week there was nothing. Glenshee was a massiv let down t
I went skiing in one of the other resorts on the mont blanc unlimited pass we stayed in St gervais, We thought about going to chamonix for the aiguelle du midi viewpoint but the weather put us off. Some of the days were beautiful though, I would highly recommend if you return to the area. It's amazing for beginners and has over 400km of ski slopes.
Awesome, will definitely check it out next time I'm in the area.
It’s been a few years, but I was lucky to go pretty often to Chamonix growing up. What I love is the range of things to do in Chamonix compared to the really big ski resorts in the world. If you choose to go again, I recommend going to Vallorcine which is only a bus ride away. My preferred location in Chamonix with lots of things for beginners and experienced folks, a lot of off piste and a lovely run to the bottom to have lunch at best cafe. Great video!
i could watch robbie talk about skiing all day
I do go on about it a bit, but I love it so much.
@@RobbieKnox iv never been but u have inspired me to go!!
I'm going to Chamonix next week, and staying at the Folie Douce!!
Looking forward to it even more now.
Aye rub it in.
Brilliant, you'll have a great time! Go on the mechanical luge!
Yes!!!!!! Always like a knox ski video. Will be watching this tonight with a cuppa
Rarely ever comment on videos on here but that was really excellent!
Aw, thanks pal. You’re very kind!
Aw Arlos commentary is so cute!!
He loved it!
Amazing review! I did a ski season in Chamonix so lived there for 6 months and it was amazing! Lovely to bring back memories through your video!
Oh wow, I bet that was amazing!
@@RobbieKnox one of the best times of my life! Such a cool place!
Cham has one of the best back country decents, great vid as Always
Yeah, I’d love to go back and spend a week in the back country.
We went to Austria this year. Absolutely fantastic. Love to see you do a review of somewhere over there. But thanks very much, it's very helpful for families like mine. J
Aw, thanks James. I'd love to review Kitzbuhel or Mayrhofen in Austria - I've skied both before and loved them.
Another great video mate! Looks like you had lots of fun! I highly recommend Passo Tonale in Italy for you’re next trip, It has progressive reds and challenging blacks in a really nice town. A short bus ride away is Madonna and Ponte di Legno, perfect for a day away from tonale with lots to do and large open area catering for all! I’m off back to borovets next week, but will defo return to tonale next year! Look forward to more of you’re videos!
Me and 3 mates go every year, next trip next week, can't wait
how was the snow? good conditions?
@bgtownend Yes mate it was good, especially up high. Le Tour, Grand Montet, absolutely brilliant. Wish I was there again now. Are you off on a trip?
We’re skiing March 7/8/9, Le Tour/Vallorcine looks good. Is Grand Montet pisted runs? Any grooming?
@bgtownend Le tour is always good especially the tree run and is quiet in the mornings. Grand Montet is pisted and the run from top to bottom is long and testing at times. I haven't done any off piste really but apparently its good there.
We drive to courmayer for a day every year aswell which is well worth it if you're able to.
I enjoy these casual, informative ski resort reviews of yours. I'd love to see your take on the Austrian mega-resorts Kitzbuhel and Saalbach-Hinterglemm!
I loved Kitzbuhel when I visited in 2006 - would love to go back again.
I’m literally going to chamonix in a week so this video is triple lovely jubly
It’s a great place pal, hope you have fun.
I love Chamonix. The vale Blanche and the magic valley are unbelievably good. The Folie Douce hotel is amazing too. Ski weekend will get you there with superb service.
Why are you the most precious human being ever?🥺❣️
Thank you! So glad I found this video. Answered a ton of questions I had that I couldn't find answers for anywhere else. Do you have any recommendations on where to stay in town if you want to utilize the Mont Blanc Multipass? Trying to do Vallee Blanche and a few other parks.
Glad you enjoyed it Clark! The bus system is pretty extensive so I think you’ll be fine pretty much anywhere (I’m by no means a Chamonix expert though). There were some big queues for busses at the end of the day though.
Nice guide ... Heading there myself soon and some useful stuff here. Thanks 👍🏻
Robbie add Zermatt to your list. Came back a few weeks ago. You’ll absolutely love it, so easy to don’t need to get lots of ski buses
Amazing Benny, I've heard good things about it. Was it expensive? I always worry that with Switzerland.
@@RobbieKnox not going to lie yes it’s expensive but not much different to Chamonix and has such a nicer feel having been to both resorts.
Having been there in January this year, I wouldn't go back or recommend it for snowboarding- when as alternatives I have Zermatt in Switzerland, Val d'Isere in France or one of the many villages around Dolomiti Superski area. Chamonix was good but definitely wouldn' turn around for snowboarding again, with the exception of Valee Blanche(that I did not manage to off piste on my window of time there).
Great review of the area I'll definitely give you that. Thank's!
I've skied all the big resorts in France. Chamonix is known for climbing and the spectacular Mont Blanc Masif. For skiing I'd pick 3 Vallees, Tignes, Les Arcs over Chamonix.
Does Tignes have better terrain than Val D'Isere?
@@spencereng With the hotel always in Tignes, I never spend much time on the Val D'Isere side. For terrain, I'm only interested in powder and moguls, which is all over the place.
Nice to see you with a new ski video. I went to Bansko in Feb and really enjoyed it so you could review that resort - and El Tarter and Soldeu in Andorra where I'm returning to in March. But I would be interested if you reviewed Les Arc and La Plagne from a family friendly point of view. I know Val D'Isere and Tignes quite well - interested what a serious skier makes of it.
Would love to! Trying to work out where to take the family next year so hopefully I'll manage one of those! Bansko is definitely on the list.
Great review. Brings back memories. Visited Chamonix in 1987 and in 2008. As I am from the states and don't get many chances to ski Europe, this makes me want to come back. You asked about resorts to review. On my bucket list is Val D'Isere/Tignes (nee L'Espace Killy). A review would be great.
I just had a week in L'Espace Killy (staying in Tignes Val Claret) and stayed in Tignes Le Lac in Feb 2020 and both were amazing!!! This time round the snow conditions were inconsistent as we only had snowfall on one of the days this week however next week is forecast 50cm a day for 4 days!!! The pistes are definitely better with more snow but were absolutely fine last week minus the dangerous skiiers. 2020 the snow was amazing and anything that wasn't pisted was just an offpiste playground and it was amazing. Offpiste was harder to come by this year but we found some unskiied powder in Le Fornet and we had 500-600m offpiste deserted descent which was incredible. Both times we skiied everything in Tignes + Val d'Isere and I can recommend loads of runs. Apres-ski is great too on the mountain and in the towns - La Folie Douce on VDI side is brilliant + Cocorico in Tignes is great too. It is obviously expensive but doable if you save a lot. We self-catered most nights to cheapen out but having food out was unbelievable. I'm sure you get the message but GO THERE!!!!!!! Even when the conditions aren't great as they were with me last week it was still absolutely brilliant and there's so much skiing to do and everywhere is so well linked, whether it be by ski lift or buses!
WHAT?!
I was there last week! We stayed a little walk outside of Chamonix and it was really tranquil with amazing view being between the mountains.
Buses rammed but the pistes are great but it's true that there isn't much for starters. (I can ski all levels but I feel most comfortable on the blues and there are plenty of beautiful views from them.)
You missed going to "L'aiguille du Midi! If you go back, well worth a visit at 3842m high, you're above the clouds and have a view of Mont Blanc. Just stunning in every direction. Air is thin though and some of us, me included, felt light headed for a bit.
I missed the luge!
As for a different resort to go to, I really enjoyed the resort called Les Arcs. They have different height resorts, Les Arc 1600 is the lowest and was where I stayed but I went up higher using lifts and it was great skiing all the way down. I found that there were pistes for all levels there. I found one that even passed through a shopping area on the way down.
I saw L'aiguille du Midi from the town - it looked stunning. Will definitely try to make it over next time I'm there.
I've got a friend who goes to Les Arcs most years and loves it. I'd love to go there!
@Robbie Knox I look forward to your videos about them!
L'aiguille du Midi was a definite highlight of our trip, although the queue to be in the glass box was huge but still pretty amazing, if not a bit touristy. Anyway, it's nice to know you read the comments. :) Thanks for making these videos!
I felt that 81mph of pure power coming from the vauxhall
Not holding back.
Well I have to go skiing now - you've basically made me
Do it!
I go to Chamonix every winter because the family has a chalet, let's be honest, you don't go there for skiing. Anyway the landscape is always breathtaking. In the city center (altitude is only 1000m) you see needles in front of you (3500m to 3842m) and and the mont blanc just behind, I have never seen that verticality feeling somewhere else. One should be mentioned the small train that connects Les Houches to the swiss border at Vallorcine, a great alternatives to buses/car.
You should try Megeve Robbie!! The evasion mont blanc lift pass covers an amazing 422km of slopes, including the fairly high altitude sector les contamines! Endless green's and blues. Wonderful beautiful skiing on a powder day dur to all of the treeline runs!!!
Awesome video Rob! Them views are awesome from the reds
Pretty isn't it?
Winter is for skiiing for me, so I go much higher in altitude in bigger resorts with better slopes. But I love Chamonix in the summer.
Really enjoyed this Robbie! I've just got back from Cortina d'Ampezzo in Italy - would very much recommend for when your kids become a little more intermediate! :)
Great review. Many Thanks.
Dolomiti superski! You can do an episode on the Sellaronda, plus you'll have the Saslong, Marmolada glacier, vias ferratas....plus history of the region, the area being on the faultline of latin and germanic languages and cultures etc....also you'll be able to trade in your vin chaud for some Bombardinos, very effective at altitude
Sounds incredible. Don't know what a Bombarding is, but I'm off to Google it!
@@RobbieKnox don't google Robbie, just order one at the bar or during a rest stop on the slopes and see what you think. Don't worry, I promise it is not a local insult
Great.
Next time, go with the Children and stay near Les Houches just down the valley. It got everything from easy blues to World Cup runs. 👍🏼
I’ve heard it’s a great area. Would love to check out more of the valley.
Amazing video. This reminds me of our family skiing trip when I was a kid, we use to do the same by driving down. Never been to Chamonix but after seeing this video, I might have to consider it. You should try Flaine as a ski resort been there 6 times as a kid and a very good ski location for every ability of skiing.
Very good review. I was there the week after you and concur with all your comments. I found the need to bus everywhere a bit annoying.
Yeah, I wasn't keen on that. It wasn't my ideal resort but I can see why it suits some people.
I live in Geneva and have a place in Cham. This is a very accurate review and mirrors very much how I describe cham to friends - if you want some of the worlds best off piste it ticks all your boxes. If you are with a mixed ability group there are better resorts out there. Really enjoyed the review!
Thanks Thomas, glad you enjoyed it!
Did le tour in Chamonix have a blue run as well?
Funny I was looking at Chamonix. As I am a older newbie skier the area seems to be a must ski but i could not get enthused about the place. Correct me if i am wrong but that came over in your review as you seem to be thinking the same? Going to see if you have done VT and Wengan as we loved those two :-)
Really love Chamonix. Real advantage having a car to get to the ski areas without relying on the bus. If it is still there Poco Loco burger place in the the center is worth a trip.
It was! My friends got a burger from there, it looked epic!
Outstanding video! The Luge looked amazing fun 🤩 and I liked the bear thing
Chamonix is probably a great place not to get bored for a season, but for families and mixed ability groups staying a week I found it Z as frankly underwhelming. Stacked buses. No easy meeting up of the whole group for lunch together for example. I never felt a need to return.
Val d’Isère, Montgenevre, Livigno, Courmayeur, Sestriere, Prato Nevoso and many others are far better if you want to spend downtime with friends and family newly taking up the sport.
🤷🏾♂️🇬🇧
Looks awesome! Would love to ski there
This looks and sounds amazing! Would love to do another ski holiday in the future!
Superb review as always!
Thanks pal!
Very good review which tallies with my own experience from numerous past visits to Chamonix when some friends lived there. I'm predominantly a snowboarder travelling in adult groups, but still find the bus travel to the more interesting areas a pain, especially the scrum to get back which creates an unpleasant disconnect to any notion of apres. Great off-piste itineraries and I like Le Tour, but the in-bounds elsewhere have never really excited.
Brilliant video! I think you should definitely try Grand Massif in France - would be brilliant for your kids and yourself! 😁
Excellent review. Thanks
Hi Robbie, have you ever been to the Portes du Soleil ski area?
It's quite big and has great lift interconnection so if you stay in a resort like Avoriaz you can ski literally 100s of kms of runs without needing to get a bus, nice and easy to find a place where you can ski right out of the apartment too.
I've been about 10 times and I love it, seems to have good enough skiing for beginners/kids but I haven't explored that in much detail personally.
I have, I've been to Les Gets three times. I adore it, there's just so much terrain isn't there? Great place!
great vid. Going there on friday
Have fun! You'll love it.
Great memories of Chamonix, but if your looking for a decent family location, Flaine just over the brevent/flegere side of Chamonix is excellent. Heading back there at the end of the month...again :)
This place is my life and I've been skiing here since I was 3. It's honestly my favourite place in the world. Also just so you know the only reason the Charles Bozon is a black is because they don't want beginners going down it due to the cliffs and you should know that the altitude 2000 at Brevent is known by locals as a SCAM so don't do there :). Also if you really want difficult skiing don't go to Brevent you should go to le tour or the grand montes because they're where all the great skiing is.
Agreed. Tougher on the mont Blanc side but brevant has amazing views and it’s fun watching the parapenters run off the side of the mountain. That gondola to Charles Bozon freaked me out!
@@monkeybearmax I've never had problems with that lift did you go on a windy day?
@@lemonz903 it’s my fear of heights… it goes from mtn to peak with nothing below. That’s all I meant. 😂 I’m a freak on many gondolas 😂
@@monkeybearmax Ah yeah it is over a huge drop isn't it your like my dad he always tries to stand in the middle so he doesn't have to think about it
@@lemonz903 your father is wise. it also didn’t help me that my friends liked to scare me by jumping up and down in the gondolas 😂
Epic video
Thanks pal.
I’m thinking of heading there in February (prior to half term) with my Girlfriend for 5 nights. Do you think the money going (just under a grand up front as we have our own snowboard equipment) is better spent going elsewhere or is this on par with everywhere else for the price range?
I love skiing, but I haven’t been in years! Where is your favourite place to go skiing Robbie?
I love Whistler in Canada, but in terms of Europe, Les Gets, Kitzbuhel, Wengen and laax.
I am surprised that did not arrest you for this moustache in Chamonix 😂
I checked French law and apparently looking awesome isn’t a crime there.
Great video Robbie. I don’t know if you have been to Andorra before, I went in mid-feb and it was excellent. As an intermediate skier it had great opportunities to progress my skills as well as a great Irish bar 👍
I was there in February, les houche is a great slope
So much to see that I missed out on!
Love This review, was just in Ehrwald in Austria and must say was amazing but the alps are next on my list.
Chamonix is a bunch of ski resorts around a buzzing town tied together with a bus service. Unless you have a car or an organised lift, this guarantees every morning you'll need to trudge to the bus station and join the queue. The individual resorts themselves are quite small so each one will be skied out by the end of the day (if not before-hand). What Chamonix does have is some great non-downhill skiing opportunities, if that's your thing, and an excellent marketing department. Personally, I can think of many, many ski resorts I would go to before returning to Chamonix. YMMV
Would you recommend Zermatt over Chamonix?
@@mathewmatu6094 Not been to Zermatt but I did ski in Breuil-Cervinia which was great. I guess the thing everyone would say about skiing in Switzerland is the cost
Chamonix ski resort? Never heard of it. There is the town of Chamonix with several ski resorts near it, and the valley of Chamonix with ski resorts in it, but i have never heard of Chamonix ski resort. It new?
Resort
noun
1.
a place that is frequented for holidays or recreation or for a particular purpose.
@@RobbieKnox ^^^Exactly. My point. There is no place called Chamonix Ski Resort. That is like saying Salt Lake Ski Resort.
Mate, do you have any tips for skiing on a budget? always wanted to go but was put off by how quickly the prices go up
Have a look at the video I did on Borovets in Bulgaria. Pick the right week and you can get a week half board with lessons, ski pass and kit hire for £500/£600.
Not eating out when skiing helps a lot. Lunch on the mountain can easily be 30 euros a head and dinner is even worse. Skiing is more expensive than other sports but if you can divide the cost between others by going in a larger group and renting out an apartment or chalet it can save you money.
@@RobbieKnox really appreciate it! Would you recommend the same for a solo skier? Or recommend solo skiing at all? My friends and family are incapable of saving money so I feel like I might just bite the bullet and go for it. Thanks Shenanigans!
@@JoshuaChestermandid you end up going?
Chamonix is the best off piste place ever. Epecially La Flegere and Grand Montes have a bunch of great spots.
Yeah, I 100% want to come back and do the off-piste more. It looks amazing.
Go to Pila in the Aosta Valley! Great for the family, I’ve been skiing there every year since I was four and I’m now a ski instructor and still love going - so there’s something for every skier (it’s ski in ski out too which is even better!) Love your ski resort reviews Robbie ⛷
I've literally just come back from pila. It was my second time there. The snow has been very lackluster the two times I have been.
It has not snowed there since early January. That coupled with about 3 runs closed for ski racing teams only meant that only about 70% of the slopes were actually open.
In comparison I also went to saalbach in Austria this year where it seems to snow at least 3-4 times a week
Yes, there hasn’t been much snow this year you’re right. They’ve been a bit unlucky. However, having skied there for 21 years this is a bit of an anomaly. I would say that the pisteurs really do try to keep the pistes in perfect condition even with a lack of snow - and unlike chamonix in this video you will always be able to ski in ski out.
It’s also common practice for resorts to close pistes for ski racers and teams. The one piste on la nouva closed for ski teams is always closed for racing and Leisse 1 has four other options of piste to go down directly from that lift (which I would argue are better and more fun to ski).
Totally fair points you’ve made but just wanted to defend Pila as it’s my home away from home and want other people to get to enjoy Pila which I think is the secret of the alps.
@@seonaideadie5049 totally understandable. We stay with my friend who is a snowboard instructor there. He's been going all his life and still loves it.
Top tier content as always!! Arlo was born a risk taker 😂 Have you been skiing in Val Thorens?? I’m going there in a few days 😆
Come back to Canada one day and check out Big White Ski Resort
I've always wanted to - the only problem is that if I go that far, I'm going to end up in Whistler!
Great review. By any chance rre you related to comedian joe Wilkinson
Great video Robbie. Agree with everything you said having visited Chamonix a few years back. We got snowed in the one day and found a lovely bar where we managed to get a bottle of local red wine for €5.50! Cheaper than a pint. Are you away again this season? Hope so, as I would like to see alternative resort guides.
Cheers Kristian. I'm hoping to get a mini trip in but I'm running out of time. Keeping an eye on the conditions in Scotland...
@@RobbieKnox good luck buddy, for sure you drop the best ski resort reviews out there! I’m desperate to get over to North America after watching your you videos.
Was there last year. The problem in french ski areas are the crappy hotels for crazy prices.
Great review Knoxy… nothing comes close to WB does it!
Cheers for the video I've been board all day 👍
Love the tash!
Just got back from skiing up at glenshee in Scotland, hit and miss with snowfall but overall I thought it was a good place to ski, especially on a budget :)
I want to do a video on Scottish skiing - just need a good dump before I go!
@@RobbieKnox I think they have toilets up there, mate...🚽
Robbie, have you gone to Zermatt? If so, I would love to know what you think.
Robbie random one, but what ski goggles do you use and what VLT % do they have? I'm looking to get some for Les Deux Alpes in a few weeks, and I noticed you on the chairfilt in pretty overcast conditions would be interested to hear if you find yours too tinted etc.
The most comprehensive investigation into something since JFKs assassination. Phenomenal Robbie, cheers mate.
Cheers Ben, I tried my best.
Another great ski resort review. I think I would love this place, I can leave my non skiing family in town and traverse from area to area . I would love to see you do a review of Zermatt Switzerland or maybe this summer in Portillo Chile.
Chile would be incredible but a tough sell to my wife. Zermatt would be amazing though. Was it expensive? I always wonder with Switzerland.
@@RobbieKnox Zermatt is really fantastic. a fairy tale with magic aura around this place. ! and not more expensive as Chamonix. Same price
This is pro!
The camera quality is incredible.
Down thevalley there are some great options for better skiers likeyou, like st. Gervais, Les Houches and les contamines and Le tour!
good fun. you were definitely limited by your kids. that's life. as parents we must suffer that. part of the deal. you could have possibly bought daily lessons and went the the other areas like Balme and Argentierre to get daily lessons there, then you could have skied for 2 hours in new places. but having kids will hamper you. without kids tho, and the free ski buses, you have so much on offer. Argentierre is amazing !!
Top video, review tignes next
Challenge accepted. I've been there three times and love it.
@@RobbieKnox class mate, look forward to it👌🏻
OMG Robbie 1MPH over the speed limit with kids in the car. Crazy life, big risk taker!
130 kph is 80.78 mph. I rounded up.
For family friendly ski resorts, you can't beat the western arm of Austria. Tirol etc much Longer drive tho.