Six resorts in six days - finale in Chamonix - Sunday Telegraph
Six days, six resorts. Or rather, 16 resorts, because as well as Zermatt, St-Luc, Verbier, Champéry, Samoëns and Chamonix there would be side trips to Zinal, Chandolin, Siviez, Avoriaz, Morzine, Chatel, Les Carroz, Flaine, Sixt Fer à Cheval and Argentière.
The challenge: to pack a week's skiing into each day before driving to the next resort. I would be sleeping in a different bed every night, skiing with a different guide every day, and revelling in the chance to visit some old favourites and discover a few new ones.
Day 6
Chamonix and Argentiere
By the time we reached Chamonix, we were exhausted. We were staying at the Hôtel Eden in Les Praz and our expectations were not high for the two-star establishment. But we were in for a surprise. A large, comfortable, two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment with Wi-Fi and a top restaurant where we had the €29 (£25) menu – scallops, lamb, chocolate mousse – perfectly presented, not fussy, just delicious. The following night we moved to Val d'Arve, luxury self-catering apartments managed by Collineige, the Chamonix specialist, also excellent.
For our final day's skiing, we were met by Camille, who was to guide us around the slopes of Chamonix and Argentière. We completed a rapid circuit of Brévent and Flegère, then made our way to Argentière. The on-piste skiing is excellent in the Chamonix valley, but it's not the reason anybody skis here. It's for the non-pisted slopes, the powder, the gullies, the couloirs and the back country. It's all about finding fresh snow and sniffing out new routes.
There was just one drive left, back to Geneva airport just over an hour away.
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