{"id":543,"date":"2014-08-13T11:57:40","date_gmt":"2014-08-13T09:57:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/wordpress\/?p=543"},"modified":"2021-10-01T12:12:07","modified_gmt":"2021-10-01T10:12:07","slug":"ski-saint-gervais","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/winter\/ski-resort-reviews\/alps\/ski-saint-gervais\/","title":{"rendered":"Saint-Gervais"},"content":{"rendered":"
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L<\/span>ike many others before us, until we actually ski here our image of Saint-Gervais probably owes more to the presence of the celebrated Mont Blanc Tramway than the quality of ski terrain on offer. Another reason for it being something of a late discovery for us is the location \u2013 roughly midway between the major ski areas of the Chamonix Valley<\/a> and those of the Val d\u2019Arly. In fact the full extent of the terrain is far from obvious (even from neighbouring Les Houches<\/a>) until you actually begin to explore the mountains, and we\u2019re more than happy to do just that.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\nJaw-dropping views of nearby Mont-Blanc, whose 4810m summit produces a hypnotic, constantly-changing succession of cloud swirls in the otherwise clear blue sky.\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The Mont d\u2019Arbois gondola offers spectacular views of the mountain scenery.<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Welcoming Hotel Restaurant at the 1840m summit of Mont d\u2019Arbois.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Point of view<\/h2>\n
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Day One finds us setting off from the Meg\u00e8ve <\/a>side, taking the Rochearbois cable-car<\/strong> link. It\u2019s a mere hop compared to the epic ride on the Mont d\u2019Arbois gondola, which then takes us at what feels like a pretty sedate pace over to the 1840m summit of Mont d\u2019Arbois. No fewer than seven lifts converge on or near this key navigation point, so it\u2019s a pretty buzzy place, skiers coming and going while those on foot peruse the caf\u00e9 menus or check-out the sun-terraces of the nearby mountain restaurants. There\u2019s another attraction: jaw-dropping views of nearby Mont-Blanc, whose 4810m summit produces a hypnotic, constantly-changing succession of cloud swirls in the otherwise clear blue sky.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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From Mont d\u2019Arbois it\u2019s possible to ski down almost to Combloux<\/a>, via a choice of red or blue-graded runs leading to the base of the Princess gondola lift. Our choice involves a quick drop down through the tree-line to the Monts-Rossets chair-lift, followed by a gentler run over to the Bettex-Arbois gondola, whose lower counterpart brings skiers up from Saint-Gervais. Once back up again we discover a second Mont d\u2019Arbois summit, this time at 1833m and separated from Mont d\u2019Arbois 1840 by a ridge which just isn\u2019t quite skiable without polling or walking the final section \u2013 not ideal on a sunny day. Instead we ride the nearby Mont Joux chairlift to try some of the 1958m Mont\u2019s mostly red-graded terrain. Get it wrong from here and you end up just above Les Communailles \u2013 no bad thing, as there are restaurants tucked away at either end of the drag-lift. Get it right, though, and you\u2019re rewarded with some brief but enjoyable red runs (plus a black) served by the Croix du Christ and Epaule chair-lifts.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The imposing Mont Blanc massif dominates the views from St Gervais.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Plenty of choice for intermediates upwards in the Mont Joly sector.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Challenging heights<\/h2>\n
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From here more confident skiers now head for the Mont Joly fixed chairlift, which provides a steep haul to pick up the red-graded Chevreuil piste, with an option to peel-off along the way, or Chamois, a more direct black heading back down to the base of the lift. The gradient means that the terrain up here can become mogulled, but it\u2019s a price worth paying in milder conditions as snow conditions remain firmer at this altitude than lower down. Sure enough, by the time we head back down the west-facing slopes of Mont d\u2019Arbois things are becoming distinctly soft in the late-March sunlight.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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