Vallée Blanche and ski touring
Ski touring and Vallée Blanche
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc Valley, an illustrious spot for back-country skiing enthusiasts, offers plenty of choice for cross-country or ski touring (freerando). Trails have been marked out in the valley, most notably in the Les Houches, Les Grand-Montets and Balme ski areas. You can also call on a mountain guide who will be happy to show you through the countless combes and gullies in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc Valley.
Try high-mountain skiing in the iconic Vallée Blanche! Vallée Blanche can be accessed via the Aiguille du Midi cable car (3,842 m) and is one of the finest off-piste glacier sites in the world. It is very popular in early spring. However, this remains a high-mountain venture and supervision from a guide, along with the use of appropriate equipment, is essential.
"It’s spellbinding, I love marking out my own path here. Of course, you need to be familiar with the mountain environment to ski safely, but it’s an amazing source of happiness."
Follow in the traces of Vivian’s back-country skis and discover a whole new sense of freedom!
Caution: safety information !
This high mountain route takes place on glacier terrain (with crevasses, seracs, more or less fragile snow bridges, etc.) which requires a good knowledge of the environment and otherwise the accompaniment of a guide.
You must be equipped with a DVA (ARVA), a shovel, a probe, a harness, crampons (recommended for the ridge)... and: NEVER ALONE!
Book your Vallée Blanche and your ski touring trips supervised by a mountain professional on our booking centre!
What is the Vallée Blanche in Chamonix?
The Vallée Blanche is an off-piste ski route of approximately 20 km. Starting from the Summit of Aiguille du Midi at 3842m altitude, this ski descent is a journey into the heart of the glaciers of the Mont Blanc massif down to the Mer de Glace. The new cable car of the Mer de Glace allows you to reach the Montenvers arrival station at 1913m.
What are the difficulties of skiing the Vallée Blanche descent?
There are several challenges to consider on this route: altitude, crossing the Aiguille du Midi ridge, hazards associated with off-piste skiing (crevasses, snow bridges, avalanches, rockfalls, unmarked or groomed route...), steep sections, the duration of the descent (fatigue)...
A very good physical condition is necessary!
Also, the weather and snow conditions are important:
contact the High Mountain Office - La Chamoniarde
It is also not recommended to start after 12pm: the duration of the descent is estimated between 4 to 6 hours. Last departure of the Mer de Glace cable car no later than 4pm (Attention, expect to climb about a hundred steps to access the new cable car.
Montenvers train and Mer de Glace cable car schedules
Are there age or skill level restrictions for skiing the Vallée Blanche descent?
Age of participants
It is not recommended to take very young children, even if they are good skiers: cold, altitude, exhaustion...
Skill level
A very good skiing level is advisable!
Professional supervision
Being accompanied by a mountain guide is highly recommended for your safety, comfort, to provide knowledge about the massif, etc. They will also guide you on the required equipment to safely enjoy the descent!
