SNOWSHOEING
For those who prefer enjoying the nature quietly, snowshoeing is an ideal way of discovering the local fauna and flora, peacefully muffled in its winter cloak. Let yourself be tempted by this ancestral sport which will take you into the very heart of nature.
We arrange with our professional guides guided snowshoe trips in the winter.
There are 14 marked snowshoe trails around the Chamonix valley. A classic day would be to leave Le Buet and walk above le Couteray for 3 hours, at a really gentle pace, come back to Hotel le Buet for lunch and then potentially have a little walk afterward. But of course, there are something short for little brakes, or go even bigger for a full-on winter hike.
Snowshoeing trails
Snowshoeing isn’t at all technical. Anyone who is comfortable walking can do it.
Snowshoes – the French is “raquettes” – can be rented in most equipment hire shops. Walking-hiking shoes are fine, though they need to be ankle height at least to keep the snow out. Wool rather than cotton socks are also best to keep feet warm and dry. You’ll need ski poles, which are provided with the rental, and warm layers – snowshoeing can get hot on the way up. Marked itineraries are well signed and generally in wooded areas, it’s still a high mountain environment and you should observe safety precautions.