There are plenty of restaurants and a couple of bars within a few minutes walk, ranging from cheerful Italian pizzeria to superb French haute cuisine.

It’s just five minutes from the cosmopolitan centre of Chamonix by car, or a pleasant 15 minute stroll along the woodland paths or a quiet road.

More about Chalet la Foret

A shell-type jacket and waterproof and windproof trousers, such as Gore-Tex, are best, so you can adjust layers to suit changing temperatures through the day. Your first layer should be breathable - merino wool is particularly good for keeping you warm and dry.
Gauntlet gloves that pull tight around your forearm are good, as they let no snow in. Goggles rather than sunglasses are essential, as is a warm hat. It’s a good idea to carry a spare pair of goggles, so you can swap if you get snow in them.

A pair of simple ear plugs (available at any pharmacy) are a good idea, to protect your ears against helicopter noise.

Bring your own ski boots (ideally well worn in).

What you don’t need to bring:
Fat skis and poles are always available to rent and are usually included in the price, though snowboarders need to bring their own board and boots.

We provide all the safety equipment that you will need, such as avalanche transceivers, shovel and probe and ABS airbags

A booking will only be confirmed if there are a minimum of 3 people heliskiing and 6 people in the chalet. (a chalet can have mixed groups, 2 maximum)

INCLUDED:
2 to 6.5 possible days of skiing
3 to 7 nights chalet accommodation
30,500 vertical metres (100,000ft) of heli skiing for the seven day package
Guide service
Avalanche transceiver, shovel, probe and air bag
Airport transfers to Geneva in private vehicles
Chauffeured vehicles to heli pickups
NOT INCLUDED
International flights
Insurance
Skis and touring equipment
Ski lift passes
Lunch
Heli-Tarentaise Tour

When is the Best Time to Go?

Mid-February through to mid-March has historically been the most popular time for heli skiing and generally trips should be booked around 12 months in advance to secure your place. Days become longer and the weather tends to stabilise.

Late March and April offers skiing and boarding conditions, which have always been under-rated. For many, this time of year offers optimum conditions for heli skiing. The conditions from day to day in April tend to change a lot faster. The snowpack is usually more stable at this time of the year making it safe to ski/snowboard steeper runs and experience a wider variety of terrain. Typically there is still excellent powder on north facing slopes.

How Good do You Need to Be?

Heli skiing is not for novice skiers. However, it is certainly not just for pros. Many people overestimate the level of skiing or snowboarding that is required to enjoy heli skiing. Conditions and terrain can vary widely, from wide-open alpine bowls and glaciers with moderate pitches to steep and narrow tree skiing. Snow conditions can range from boot-top powder to wind-pressed crust, heavy crud and anything in between. Guides do their best to find the optimal conditions, but for reasons of snow safety, and in difficult flying conditions, terrain options can become limited. Any type of conditions can be expected at any time throughout the heli ski season.
Guests must therefore be both capable and experienced in handling a mixture of conditions. The following can be used as a guideline:

You have considerable skiing experience in a conventional resort setting.
Your run choices are predominantly red/black and you ski them with confidence in almost any conditions.
You are capable of multi-day ski trips.
You may not have the style of a paid skier, but you have the confidence to keep up with friends.
You can make parallel turns with confidence and if the situation arises, you can; side-slip, step-up sideways, traverse and make kick turns.
In the process of becoming a better skier, you have made the transition from novice level equipment to high performance gear and can also recognise the difference.
You may not have a lot of powder skiing experience but you can maintain control in off piste conditions.

How are Groups Chosen?

Groups are chosen with two factors in mind: ability and weight. Every effort is made to have you ski with member of your own group but if there is a great discrepancy in ability it is usually in everyone’s interests to split. The best way to ensure that you are only skiing/snowboarding with your friends is to go on a private package. This means that you have a helicopter exclusively for the use of your group allowing you complete freedom to ski or board as much or as little as you like and entirely at your own pace.

Can Non-skiers Come?
Chamonix is ideal for bringing a non-skier as there’s plenty to do.

The mountains surrounding Chamonix are riven with glaciers and couloirs etched into the history of extreme skiing. If snow can settle on it, it will probably have been skied by someone.

Heli-skiing with the world’s finest mountain guides takes you into these astonishing peaks, to ski some of the most amazing descents of the Alps, before returning to Chamonix.

Why heliski in Chamonix?

• Just an hour from Geneva airport by your private transfer
• Incredible descents through jaw-dropping scenery
• Atmospheric, beautiful town with world class restaurants, five star accommodation and service
• Huge range of destinations so the weather rarely stops flights
• Superb skiing even if weather conditions prevent heli drops
• Groups are just 4 per helicopter
• World famous guides, trained here to the highest standards
• The Heli Tarantaise Tour - skiing up to nine thousand vertical metres in one day at seven resorts!

Chamonix is one of the rare places where you can discover astonishing routes through unbelievable scenery, from the cosmopolitan atmosphere of an international resort. It’s a perfect base to search out the finest snow conditions in the Alps.

Each day, you’ll be chauffeured for the twenty minute ride in your luxury vehicle to either Switzerland or Italy, where we meet the helicopter. You’ll do about three drops a day, each with an average vertical of 2000m.

Terrain in the Alps is very varied, from wide glacier powder fields to steep couloirs, including some legendary steep routes.