Argentière

Argentière, the small alpine town high above the Chamonix valley, boasting altitude and excellent proximity to the legendary ski area of Grands Montets.

Best for

High mountain & off piste

Fun fact

The legendary ski film – The Blizzard of AAHHH's, is partly filmed in Grands Montets

Nearest airport

Geneva (110km)

Centre comfort

Resort charm

Snow sure rating

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Ski area

Argentière shares the same ski areas as Chamonix, the world famous ski resort. The skiing is varied and vast, but tends to favour the more advanced skier and especially those who are into off piste and high mountain adventures. There are some beginner slopes at Grands Montets and Le Tour (Vormaine) which are fine for those starting out, but once you reach the intermediate stage, Chamonix valley is a little more challenging. It is without a doubt a great place to progress, but if you are after long cruisy pistes, this probably isn’t the resort for you.

For those who are into big adventures in the mountains, Argentière has prime access to Grands Montets area which is a 5 minute walk away. The lift network there provides you prime and direct access to the incredible Argentière Basin - a myriad of glaciers and steep lines. Of course there is also the Aiguille du Midi, the highest lift in Europe, which opens even more doors to high mountain adventures, notably the Vallee Blanche.

Town centre

As a town, Argentière is much smaller than Chamonix, but it doesn’t lose any charm or appeal because of that. It is a friendly, alpine town with more of a focus on skiing than partying. Due to its smaller size it does have less of a range of bars and pubs compared to Chamonix, but there are still plenty of places to choose from for après ski with amazing atmospheres. All said, it is quiet but if you want to party, Chamonix is only a short bus or train ride away.

Accommodation

Completely refurbished in 2013, UCPA Argentière is a very modern and quiet building. It is right on the high street in the centre of the town - literally a stone's throw away from bakeries, bars, a few shops and even a laundry. There is an outdoor pool that is open in the summer, a huge bar and dining area, secure storage and drying rooms, and plenty of places to relax either independently or with others.

Rooms

- 4, 5, 6 person rooms

- Twin rooms available

- Bathroom facilities are communal per floor

Facilities

- Well priced bar

- Buffet style restaurant

- Ski equipment and storage all on site

- Lift passes provided at the centre

- WiFi in the bar area. Please note the WiFi is not good enough for working on data intensive activities

Food

All UCPA meals are buffet style and with multiple servings the norm; you won't go hungry.

Breakfast is normally yogurts, cereals, fruit juice, coffee and bread - don't be surprised to see that the coffee and tea is taken in a bowl!

Lunch is either buffet or packed lunch. It is possible to return to the centre for lunch everyday where you will find one or two hot options available. As with all meals there will be a salad bar, plenty of bread, cheese, meat and of course desert. If you prefer you can make a packed lunch at breakfast time and eat on the mountain. Either way you will save a fortune avoiding the piste side restaurants.

Dinner is a three or four course buffet - typically a salad bar style starter, a choice of around three hot main courses, a cheese and cold meat platter and ice cream/dessert.

Due to the cost focussed nature of UCPA and the wide range of dietary requirements, it is impossible to accommodate everyone as standard. If you have any severe dietary requirements please contact the centre two weeks before to let them know. Generally speaking vegetarians will find plenty of options, with vegan options being a little more scarce but improving year on year.

Getting there

By Air

Geneva airport is the nearest airport and the only airport with regular transfers to Argentiere. For most trips we can provide transfers, just select the option at checkout (the prices quoted are return transfer prices).

Airport Transfers

We offer shared transfers from Geneva airport to Argentiere with our transfer partner Mountain Drop Offs. The journey is 115km and takes around 1h30 and is usually in a 9 seater minibus.

Dates 16/12/23 - end of season	Latest flight arrival	Earliest flight departure
Saturdays	21:00	09:30
Weds/Sundays	20:00	10:00

There is no timetable; passengers are grouped together based on flight times. This means it is an economical solution, but you may have to wait for other passengers. Typical waiting time is 1h30, often much less.

Please log in to your dashboard to enter your flight details as soon as your booking is confirmed and your flights are booked in order that we can book you onto the best possible transfer times, otherwise transfers will be subject to availability at the time that we receive your flight details.

By Coach

Our partner company Snowexpress offers affordable and environmentally friendly travel to the alps. All hold bags and ski bags are included in the price. The coaches travel through the night from London Victoria to resort, arriving typically after lunchtime.

Snow Express is usually only available to Chamonix and Argentiere on the busier holiday weeks (e.g. February half term).

By Train

It is possible to get to Argentiere via train, please check out Trainline, SNCF or another train booking website for information on possible options. The train station in Argentiere is located right next to the centre, 30 seconds walk away.

By Car

There is no parking at UCPA, but there are some options available in the town; the train station and Grands Montets are free at the time of writing and take less than 5 minutes to walk to UCPA. Please also bear in mind that winter driving may require snow tires and chains.