UKC

Yes I have already looked at the Chamonix resort information...is there a cheaper way of bulk buying lifts in Chamonix during the ski season other than the extravagantly expensive ski pass deals advertised? I'm wouldn't be going up and down all day so it seems pointless getting a pass that allows me to do that.

Or is it better to pay for the lifts individually? I'm assuming that they're the same price as in summer?

In reply to JackM92:

I can guarantee that whatever you decide, you will spend time asking yourself if that was the best deal or not...
Good luck with Compagnie du Mont Blanc's new website....... http://www.compagniedumontblanc.fr/en/portal

If you're going for the whole season, buy the season pass now at the cheap rate

Lifts individually? Big question, but be aware that a single up the Midi + retour Montenvers is (was?) the same price as a day Mont Blanc Unlimited pass

In reply to JackM92:
.

Ha, if only it was as simple as that !!

In reply to JackM92:

Not sure about the summer prices but I expect that it is a bit more. If I remember correctly, some of my chums have bought day touring tickets, which are cheaper than a full day pass. This entities you to uplift to the top (of say the GM, Le Tour, or Flegere) and to truck off for the day touring. This does not however include a return down the hill if for some unfathomable reason you are not on skis.

One other approach to save (?) money on a number of day passes is a Rapidcard. For the modest sum of 25€ you can buy a card which enables you to go straight on any lift without having to que for a ticket! The actual saving is that something like every 6th day is free, and that you always benefit from the cheapest rate for the lifts you use, for the periods you use them, on the days you use them.

This year for some mysterious reason, annual and seasonal passes are about 130€ cheaper than before. For me renewing my pass it is 820€ for the annual. For a first timer, this rises to something like 860€. Still not bad for unrestricted access for a year.

In reply to HammondR:

The rapid card works out if you do 7 days or more in Cham over the year. You have to buy it before a cut off date to get it at 25 Euro though (Dec I think). Every 7th day is free and you get a discounted rate on the day rate.

They often have promos in low season that makes even cheaper and in the summer your first use of the brevant or flegere lift is free and then something crazy like 13 Euro.

Your cumulative number of days gets carried over season to season too but it does auto renew (at 25 Euro) in November of each year unless you haven't used it in the previous year.

Given the crazy low season price this year (860 bought before the end of Nov), it's a close call for me as to which way to go. You can pay the annual pass in 3 instalments too.

In reply to spragglerocks:
I think rapidcard renewal is free if you've used it a certain amount of times the previous year. At least I haven't been charged for renewal the last couple of years.

In reply to JackM92:
The winter day rate on the rapidcard is about the same as the effective daily rate on an unlimited pass for 6 days and on the face of it a pass becomes cheaper beyond that. However when you factor in that you get every 7th day free and only pay for the days you actually use it (most people will have some days off beyond a week!), the rapidcard usually works out cheaper. Also for day tours off the GM or the B-F, you can just pay for a one way ticket to the top, which is pretty cheap, instead of using the rapidcard (just make sure it doesn't get accidentally swiped as you pass through the barriers!). Plus if you go on a (multi day) tour in another area, you won't be using the rapidcard at all. The early/late season rapidcard rates are pretty good too. So I reckon it's the way to go if you're going to be in Cham for only 2-3 weeks. Beyond that a season pass may make more sense - if you want to spend the whole season in Cham.

In reply to spragglerocks:

Is that 860 euros for winter only or for winter and summer??

In reply to JackM92: that is the annual pass. For some reason they are not publicising the price of a winter only pass this year. Not yet anyway.

In reply to JackM92: if you are living in Chamonix all year and climbing/skiing 2/3 days a week then the all year pass is surely a no brainer.

I also heard that there is/used to be some sort of workers pass where if you work in town it's even cheaper?

If you are in Cham just ask around mates to get the best deal possible? As in they will tell you what they know.