A Survival Guide to February Half Term

School holidays are upon us and if you're not out here already we're guessing you will be soon. The only thing to dampen your excitement is the thought of the world and it's mother joining you on your much anticipated ski trip to Chamonix.

It is true, the influx of visitors to Chamonix over the February holiday period is astonishing, many of the hotels and luxury ski chalets in Chamonix have been booked out since last year, but it is still possible to have a fantastic skiing holiday and avoid the worst of the crowds.

In order to make our clients stay in one of our exclusive chalets a little more enjoyable, we have compiled a little guide to the resort over the February holiday period.

Timing:

Timing is crucial to avoiding the crowds and queues this February. Two choices are really open to you, either wake up with the larks and catch first lifts or relax, take a leisurely breakfast and aim to hit the slopes at around 10.30 - 11am. The second option here might be more feasible for those with little children. A look around the base stations at 11am this Monday (14th February), saw queues of perhaps 10-40 minutes with the quietest being Brevent and the longest being the Grands Montets and Flegere. Come at the wrong time and you can probably double these estimates.

Who Needs Lunch?:

Skip it, this is probably the one time of day when queues will be at their shortest and slopes will be at their quietest. If you can't possibly miss it then consider either making it an early one or a late one. Pack a few snacks however and get your super fix whilst on the lifts.

Transport:

If you would like to take public transport over your exclusive chalets designated driver consider the train. Often overlooked in favour of the ski bus, the train is very useful for base stations if you're willing to walk a little further to avoid the crowds. Remember to pick up your guest card from your luxury ski chalet in Chamonix, unlike buses your ski pass won't work on the train.

Areas:

Flegere: The cable car from Les Praz is well worth avoiding during peak season unless you get there very early. Our advice would be to take the Brevent gondola up and ski across.

Brevent: Once at the top if you can avoid the notoriously busy Parse chairlift by taking the Stade drag then do so, it is much quicker and generally quieter.

Grands Montets: Avoid the often long queues for the cable car by walking the 100m up to the base of the Plan Joran chairlift. Once up top the Herse chairlift is often quieter than the Bochard gondola and quicker. If you are up early this is the ideal time to do the Pierre a Ric piste, nicely pisted this is a run not to be missed.

If you want to take the Grands Montets cable car right to the top, book ahead and turn up just before your allotted time, this can be done on the Compagnie du Mont Blanc website or alternatively at the cash desk at Lognan.

Le Tour: Avoid this area altogether on a Sunday when the ski schools are out in force. Parking during the week can also be a bit of a nightmare so taking the bus or having your chalet driver deliver you right outside the lifts could be your best option. Alternatively take the train or have your designated chalet driver take you round to Vallorcine, this lift often has far smaller queues and lets you out on the same piste as Le Tour's lift.

Hip Chalets hope this little guide will be of help to guests to Chamonix, for details on the last few luxury ski chalets in Chamonix still available over the next couple of weeks please view our February deals page, for exclusive chalets available for the rest of the season through Hip Chalets please visit our Chalet Collection page.