Reviewed 01 Apr 2008 by Scott Lomax
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Visiting parts of the mountain with guides that you otherwise wouldn’t dream of going.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Speak to instructors beforehand about required material as advice given was slightly misleading (size of back-pack etc).
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Difficult to say, local companies were involved.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Very enjoyable experience, great group of people, instructors & guide very knowledgeable & food was fantastic.
Read the operator's response here:
Thanks for your comments Scott. Hopefully you will have received our comments about the best backpacks to use and be assured that we have updated our trip details for next season. It's always helpful to receive useful feedback like this. As you say, we use local companies throughout the trip from guides/instructors to accommodation and food. With regards to the environmental impact we really hope that our introductory courses inspire people to take up ski-touring and explore the mountains beyond the ski lifts and resorts. Our alpine programme is purposefully based in those alpine locations which are accessible by train and we have always encouraged clients to travel this way where possible and practical. For next season we will have more information on how best to book connecting trains through Paris from the UK and elsewhere.
Reviewed 10 Mar 2007 by Helena Posnett
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
This was the best holiday I have been on in a very long time and I came home with a huge sense of achievement. I went from a confident piste skier, terrified of off-piste, to managing jump turns down almost vertical terrain.
Chamonix is an incredible destination as a centre of excellence of Winter & Summer outdoor sports with the impressive backdrop of Mont Blanc. The course is an introduction to 'ski-mountaineering' and we received fantastic instruction from Derek (ski-instructor) & Robbie (mountain-guide) including off-piste technique, 'skinning' and avalanche & glacier training.
It was invaluable to review our technique 'apres-ski' on the video clips taken, and have a record of my very own 'S' tracks in the powder! The chalet is owned by a British couple and we couldn't have been better looked after. It is beautifully decorated with amazing food, comfy beds, outside Jacuzzi, internet and a good drying room for boots etc. We were right by one of the ski lifts and on the days where we needed transport, we were taken in the chalet minibus rather than have to face the bus service!
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
It's amazing to get away from the crowds and feel you're in your own wilderness. Once experienced, be prepared to be hooked! This is not your average 'social' ski holiday. Skiing off piste continuously is very exhausting and I was in bed by 9.30 the first 3 nights!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes, in terms of supporting the local community which is almost 100% dependent on Winter & Summer tourism. Although our instructors were Irish & our accommodation owned & run by a British couple, they all live in Chamonix year round and they and their children are very involved with the local community. In Chamonix there is no alternative to buying local food, using local transport (if you don't have a car), and using local shops, services (ski hire, ski lifts etc) and restaurants, all of which we did.
However the Alps are far behind the North Americans in terms of environmental management, and the only evidence I saw of steps being taken to rectify this were recycling bins in the town. The chalet did recycle. I also flew from London to Geneva - I looked in to taking the train but this would have involved 3 trains and I didn't want to start my ski holiday exhausted!
