La Vallée Blanche 20km off-piste route

There are four main Vallée Blanche routes. The classic route ‘voie normal’ is fairly straight-forward providing you are following the advice of your hired guide. The route can be fairly busy during high season. The other routes are known as Le Vrai Vallée Blanche, the Petit Envers du Plan and the Grand Envers du Plan. These latter routes are technically more challenging and involve couloir skiing so are for more experienced skiers.

If skiing the ‘voie normal’ after descending the arête, the route heads to the right of the large rock outcrop known as Le Gros Rognon (‘the big rock’). Along the descending route you will see large séracs, crevasses and ice falls which are pretty impressive sparkling away in various shades of icy blue from the winter sunshine.

Most people make a day of the trip and for many it's the highlight of a skiing trip to Chamonix and they want to enjoy it. If you allow for regular breaks and a bit of sightseeing on the way down you will probably take between four and six hours for the round trip from Chamonix. Don’t forget that queues can be long for the Aiguille du Midi télépherique, the arête from the Midi to the glacier, and for the return train from Montenvers.

A popular pit stop for lunch on the Vallée Blanche is the Requin refuge. A number of skiers also tend to stop at the ‘Salle à Manger’ beneath the séracs. These large ice structures can collapse at any time so it's best not to hang around. If you don't want to carry food with you there is a café at the top, at the Aiguille du Midi and at the bottom, at Montenvers.

The route at the end of the Vallée Blanche really favours skiers as it has a long flat run out which can be tricky for snowboarders to keep moving. During the spring it gets pretty slushy too, so it's recommended that snowboarders take a pair of telescopic poles to push themselves along. In good snow conditions you can ski all the way back to Chamonix’s town centre; if not then the best way down is via the gondola and the Montenvers train.

What you need to know about the Vallée Blanche

Guides

A guide isn’t compulsory for the Vallée Blanche, but if it’s your first time or you’re not confident on glaciated terrain, it’s strongly advised. Local guides know every route, can keep you safe in poor weather, and greatly reduce the risks involved. Most importantly, they’re trained to deal with emergencies should anything go wrong. For most holiday skiers, hiring a guide ensures a safer, smoother, and more enjoyable descent.

Skiing level required

Conditions vary hugely, and at times a firm base makes it feel like a blue or red run, whilst deep powder, crust or icy moguls can turn it into a black-level challenge. Generally, confident red-run skiers can manage the easiest routes. Hiring a guide is a real bonus, as they’ll judge the snow, pick the safest line, and match the descent to your group’s ability for a smoother experience.

Equipment required

When skiing on a glacier, you’ll need a harness, ropes and rescue gear, plus the knowledge to use them for crevasse rescue. Everyone in your group should carry an avalanche transceiver, and know how to use it, as well as a shovel and probe for safe off-piste travel. Most guiding companies can provide this equipment if arranged in advance, but being prepared and skilled with the essentials is vital for skiing beyond the pistes.

Before setting out, it is worth checking:

• the weather forecast
• the avalanche risk
• your transceiver batteries
• that you have the required equipment

There are always dangers when skiing on glaciers in the high mountains. The main dangers on the Vallée Blanche are crevasse falls and avalanches. Either are potential killers and the descent should not be taken lightly. If you're not qualified or proficiently experienced to ski on glaciers you should - without question - hire a mountain guide. Do not attempt to follow other guided parties – they may be taking a much more serious route than the one you intend to descend.