Argentière ski resort is situated at 1,250 metres and is 8km north of Chamonix. The village is the home of the infamous Grands Montets ski area and is nestled below the peaks of the Drus and Aiguille Verte and between the Mer de Glace and Glacier d'Argentière.
Argentiere ski resort - Mont Blanc ski area
The Mont Blanc Massif provides a stunning backdrop to the valley with some of the most striking alpine scenery to be found anywhere in the world. If you would like to ski the Chamonix valley but enjoy a smaller village atmosphere then Argentiere is the resort for you.
Argentière ski resort is nestled at the foot of the Grands Montets ski area. Of all the ski areas in the Chamonix Valley, it’s Argentière’s local slopes that most skiers and snowboarders flock to.
Here you’ll find pistes spread over the glacier, Lognan and Pendant areas. The skiing is varied and vast although definitely biased in favour of the advanced skier. There are some easier slopes but it is generally considered a difficult place to learn. Argentiere accesses the same five ski areas which have made Chamonix a world famous destination.
Two lifts set off from the village - the Lognan cable car and Plan Joran gondola - which you can link up with other lifts to reach the highest points of the area. The runs from Grands Montets at 3275m are expert territory, with black graded Pointe de Vue and Pylones streaming down from the top (before you head up there, access to the summit usually requires upgrading your ski pass).
Red run skiers have the gorgeous Bochard piste from 2765m, which can be followed with the Pierre a Ric for a terrific tree-lined descent back to the village.
In the blue department, the Plan Joran lift serves an area of gentle slopes and chair lifts, where you can while away the hours skiing above and between the treeline. Those who haven’t skied before can practice snow ploughing at the foot of the area, where beginner’s zones sit surrounded by forest.
The off piste/backcountry skiing is what makes the Chamonix valley so special. The depth and variety of lift accessed high mountain and back country terrain is outstanding including Europe's longest off piste run, the Valle Blanche, and the infamous Grant Montets ski area.
Argentiere village
Argentière is a charming alpine village nestled in the heart of the French Alps. The village is characterized by its traditional architecture, with charming wooden chalets lining the narrow streets.
The village has a laid-back, welcoming atmosphere, with a range of restaurants, cafes, and shops catering to visitors' needs.
Nightlife in Argentiere is generally quite laid-back and unpretentious, although there are certainly a couple of well-established venues which are renowned for their buzzing early-evening apres-ski scene, The Office being perhaps the best-known and most popular of these. Mostly though, evenings out here revolve around some chilled drinks in a friendly bar or two and/or dining out in one of a handful of good-value local restaurants, most of which specialise in traditional Savoyard fare; Le Bistrot du Dahu and Carnotzet are well-rated.
