Chamonix-Mont-Blanc Travel Forum

We stumbled on a site for the Mont Blanc Lodge http://www.montblanclodge.com/the-chalet. In it's activity list it mentions a resaurant that they take you to by ski doo. After a traditional dinne, you sledge back down. It says they are keeping the name a secret because it would be impossible for them to get their guests reservations if they told everyone. We are traveling to Chamonix in January 2008 with a group. We have no control over where we stay as the trip is booked as a package. If anyone has infomration on the restauratnt that offers this we would LOVE to go while we're there.
Thanks for your help.
Mary

DO let us know what you think of this mysterious restaurant.

I must say I am always suspicious about restaurants "advertised " via VT, or anywhere else as "too successful to memtion."
After all - nothing succeeds success like success!

It will be very interesting to see if anyone who has actually been there replies!
Watch this space!

I think - though I might be wrong - that there's a couple of places this might be possible. I have a feeling I've heard you can do it from Chalet Cerro in Les Bossons - though I heard that you snowshoe back down. I wouldn't be surprised if it's possible from the slopeside restaurants in Les Houches. But I suspect that it has to be arranged as an entire evening for an escorted group - not sure it can be done independently.

Le Cerro
http://www.chamonix.com/page.php?page=48&id=679&cate=40&ling=en

Why it doesn't get arranged more widely I'm not sure - I've done it in Canada and Sweden and it's a lot of fun. Possibly the lack of any skidoo hire places? Or French legal issues?

I suppose another possibility is that it's actually in Les Contamines down the road, they have skidoos there.

Maybe call Mont Blanc Lodge and explain, and ask them? They may be willing to book you on it anyway. I'd be interested to know if you have any luck...

OK I did a bit of digging. It's actually over the border in Italy.

James Bond night
Explore the surroundings of the Mont Blanc range by snow scooter. The views are breathtaking as you steer your own skidoo to your restaurant for the evening. Typical of a French Farm house and not even reachable by road, your hosts serve wholesome food in a friendly atmosphere. The evening’s climax comes with guests sledging back down the slopes by the light of headtorches. Ideal for groups of up to 80.
Group from 6 pers - 155€ pp

www.actionchamonix.com

can arrange it for you. Let us know if you go! Sounds like fun.

There are actually many places like this in the immediate Chamonix area and different chalets or organizations have their favorites set up by pre-arrangement with the owners of the restaurants. The Cerro is NOT one that you can sledge down from for sure, by the way. Most are not advertised for individuals because they seat a limited amount of people - and generally events requiring skidoos are organized in groups, and often the restaurant will only open on a certain night if a large group is known to be arriving. I could tell you the names, but then I'd have to kill you ... just kidding. I know this is the case as my husband works taking groups to these events professionally (snow shoe or skidoo up, sledge or ski down, by torch light or headlamps etc.). But you really can't do this activity unless it's organized in a group normally by an event organizer or chalet -- so either go with the group or forget about trying to do it. And yes, they ARE real, and yes it is usually loads of fun esp. if a bunch of you are sledging down the hill totally hammered at the end of the night. Inevitably there is an injury or two ... oh well ... all in the name of fun and doing snow sports drunk!