If you’ve added accommodation to your booking, you arrive in Chamonix the day before the skiing starts. Fly into Geneva and make your way to the valley, about an hour’s drive away. Airport transfers can be arranged at an additional cost. Once you’ve checked in, the rest of the day is yours. Shake off the jet lag, stroll through town, and get your gear sorted. With a relaxed day to settle in, you’ll start the first ski day fresh and ready for big-mountain terrain.
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Five days of guided freeride across France, Italy, and Switzerland, on set dates from January to March. You’ll ski with up to five other advanced skiers. It’s a good fit if you’re coming solo, as a couple, or just want to share the slopes with like-minded people. Pick a date, and if you’d like, add a 3 or 4-star hotel at checkout.
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Your first freeride day. In the morning you’ll run through avalanche protocols and transceiver drills with your guides, then ski laps on some of the best lift-served freeride terrain in the Alps. It’s open and fun, and it lets your guides see how everyone skis.
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Ride to the top of the Mont Blanc massif and ski about 20 km of glacier back toward Chamonix, past seracs, crevasse fields, and the Mer de Glace. Your guides handle the route-finding. You get to enjoy the scenery.
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Go through the Mont Blanc tunnel to Courmayeur. You’ll ski the trees and chase powder on the Italian side, then stop for a long lunch, because you’re in Italy. Courmayeur is on Ikon through Valle d’Aosta.
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Your guides choose the best snow anywhere across France, Italy, or Switzerland. You’ll find out where you’re going at breakfast.
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It’s our last full day on skis. Where we go depends on the snow and what the group wants from it, whether that’s a repeat of a favorite from earlier in the week or one more new line. There’s a farewell dinner in the evening. If you’ve added accommodation, you have one more night in Chamonix before heading home.
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After breakfast at your own pace, it’s time to check out and head back to Geneva for flights home. Airport transfers can be arranged at an additional cost.
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Your Ikon Pass already works here. Chamonix, Courmayeur (Valle d’Aosta), and Zermatt are all Ikon destinations with no blackouts. The full Ikon Pass covers up to 7 days at each, and Ikon Base up to 5.
The math favors the Alps. A peak-day lift ticket at Vail costs $374 this season, and Beaver Creek tops $390. A 6-day Mont Blanc Unlimited pass ran about €480 last season, roughly $93 a day, and that covers three countries. If you don’t have Ikon, the lift pass for the whole week costs a little more than one and a half peak days in Colorado.
It’s closer than you think. Nonstop flights reach Geneva from the US East Coast. From there it’s about an hour’s drive to Chamonix. Leave work Friday and you can be skiing the Alps by Sunday.
The terrain is bigger. Alpine vertical, glaciers, and lift-served off-piste on a scale you won’t find on most US resort maps.
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Included:
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- Experienced, local IFMGA ski guides with extensive knowledge of the Mont Blanc massif
- 5-day freeride skiing trip in Chamonix, France, Italy, and Switzerland (5 days of guided skiing)
- Daily strategy sessions and avalanche protocol briefings with your guides
- Professional photo and video media package from a dedicated media team
- Exclusive welcome kit
Add-ons:
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- 3- or 4-star hotel lodging (plus breakfasts), or a private chalet — pricing shown at checkout
- Tri-country lift tickets can be arranged at an additional cost — leave a note at checkout
- Ground transport, including airport transfers and border-hop shuttles, can be arranged at an additional cost — leave a note at checkout
Not included:
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- Transportation to France
- Accommodations
- Meals
- Lift tickets
- Anything not mentioned in the ‘Included’ section above
- Insurance — recommended, available at checkout
- Guide gratuities — optional
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Both options include the same five days of guided freeride across France, Italy, and Switzerland. The difference is who you ski with and when.
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- Join a group — Pick one of the set departure dates and ski with up to five other advanced skiers. This works well if you’re traveling solo, as a couple, or want to meet other skiers.
- Go private — It’s just your group of three to six people with your guide, on dates you choose. Simply select your preferred dates, add a private chalet to your booking if you’d like, an we’ll arrange an unforgettable custom adventure.
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In order to join this freeride skiing tour, great fitness is required as well as advanced off-piste skiing experience. You should be confident skiing steep, variable, and glaciated big-mountain terrain, and comfortable with five full days of skiing back to back.
Days run lift-served, so the effort comes from the terrain and the mileage rather than long climbs. Your guides work on a menu, not a mandate: they pick the objective each morning based on conditions and how the group is moving, so there’s room to build through the week. Cold, wind, and deep snow all add up, and the better shape you’re in, the more laps you’ll get.
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Accommodation isn’t included in the trip price, which covers five days of guided freeride skiing. If you’d like your lodging arranged for you, you can choose one of three options at checkout:
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- 3-star hotel — PlanB Hotel or similar (plus daily breakfasts)
- 4-star hotel — Héliopic Hotel & Spa or similar (plus daily breakfasts)
- Private chalet — for groups of up to six
Adding accommodation also adds two extra days to your trip, an arrival day and a departure day, so you can settle in before the skiing starts and travel home without rushing. Hotel prices depend on the month you travel and are based on two people sharing a room. Pricing is shown at checkout.
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Skis are covered by the quiver access, so you show up and pick your weapon each morning. Everything else on this list is on you.
Ski gear:
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- Ski boots you know and trust
- Ski poles
- Ski helmet
- Goggles, plus a spare lens for flat light
- Sunglasses (glacier days are bright)
- Avalanche transceiver, shovel, and probe
- Ski touring backpack, 25-35L, with a way to carry skis
- Climbing harness and a locking carabiner for the glaciated terrain
- Water bottle or hydration bladder (2L)
Clothing & footwear:
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- Waterproof ski jacket and pants
- Insulated midlayer and a light puffy for summit stops
- Base layers, merino or synthetic
- Ski socks (a few pairs)
- Ski gloves and a warmer spare pair
- Buff or neck gaiter and a warm hat
- Comfortable shoes or winter boots for the evenings in town
Other:
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- Passport, since the week crosses into Italy and Switzerland
- Travel insurance documents
- Sunscreen, lip balm with SPF, and hand sanitizer
- Headlamp
- Snacks for the lifts and the long glacier descents
- Camera (optional, the media team has you covered)
Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.
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Yes. Ski rental isn’t included in the trip price, but your guides can arrange it on request. If you’d like to rent skis or other gear, leave us a note at checkout with what you need, and your guides will sort it out before you arrive.
Make sure your rental setup is suitable for off-piste skiing. You’ll also need your own avalanche transceiver, shovel, and probe, unless you arrange rentals for them too. If you have any questions about gear, contact us before booking.
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Group sizes and pricing:
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- The maximum group size for this Chamonix freeride skiing trip is set at 6 participants. The tour can go ahead even if only one person signs up.
- Freeride skiing in Chamonix can be arranged for larger groups — contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
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- If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.
- Minors younger than 18 may be permitted to join the freeride skiing on a case-by-case basis, but must be in the presence of a parent or legal guardian.
- If your group has participants under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
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The starting point of your freeride skiing trip is Chamonix, France. To get there, most people fly into Geneva Airport (GVA).
Once you arrive, there are several ways to reach your destination, including public transport. Looking to make airport transfers hassle-free? Check out Mountain Drop Offs—they provide door-to-door service in their comfy and spacious shuttles. Use the code 57HCHX to get a 5% discount!Ground transport can be arranged as an add-on, so leave a note at checkout if you’d like your guides to sort it out for you.
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Having insurance is mandatory for this adventure. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, you’ll be offered to simply insure your trip with Redpoint at checkout.
Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner—tailors protection packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations! Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.
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