Resort Review
Located at an altitude of 1164m in the Mont Blanc region, the resort of Les Contamines set beneath the towering Mont Blanc is one of the Editor's favourite French ski stations. It is in a cul de sac valley accessed firstly from the main Geneva-Chamonix motorway and then via the spa and ski resort of St. Gervais.
The stunning views from the resorts ski slopes across to Mont Blanc, together with great skiing for all levels of enthusiasts, makes Les Contamines one of those "hidden delights" waiting to be discovered by even more British winter sports fans than at present.
The village has nearly 30 shops, 22 restaurants and bars and just enough night-life to stop you getting bored. There are sauna and jacuzzi, snowmobiling, snow-shoe walking, ice skating and floodlit skiing. There is also a once-a-week local market.
Les Contamine's slopes are just above the resort in a range from 1200m to 2500m and the ski area enjoys a remarkable snow record as well as sunshine each year. The slopes are accessed by two separate gondola links so there is little or no waiting, even at busy times. Once up on the lower slopes, there are five easy runs for real beginners, 10 blue runs for those who can head in a straight liner without falling over, together with 17 red and 10 really exciting blacks for those proficient skiers who enjoy a challenge! Some tour operators award Les Contamines a five-star rating for intermediate and three-stars for experts!
The top slopes at La Signal (1900m) link over to the Col du Joly (2000m) and then across to Aig. Croche at (2487m) There are hopes (eventually) to link these slopes to neighbouring St. Gervais which in turn is linked to Megeve and is part of the "Evasion Mont Blanc covering 460 kilometers of ski slopes which take in the resorts of St. Gervais, Hauteluce, St. Nicolas De Veroce, Megeve, Combloux, La Giettaz, as well as Les Contamines Montjoie. This creates a spectacular "ski circus".
From the 12th to the 15th January 2006 Les Contamines Montjoie welcomes for the 4th consecutive year the FIS Freestyle Skiing World Cup, Skicross final on 15th January and halfpipe final on the night of 14th January.
Prices at Les Contamines are a lot lower than neighbouring Chamonix and Megeve but provide an ideal resort base from which to enjoy a full week (and perhaps longer) for those who like to do a bit of exploring. This is where a car comes into its own!
However, Les Contamines is only 90-minutes away from Geneva airport and there is a direct and fast train service in the valley below St. Gervais. You can also drive to Les Contamines in around 9/10 hours from Calais. |
