With challenging skiing, fantastic après ski and a large bustling town Chamonix has been attracting winter sports enthusiasts for well over a century.

With Western Europe's highest mountain, Mont Blanc, towering over the town, the skiing here will challenge the very best although there are also enough options for lesser mortals. The Chamonix area is a series of separate resorts - Les Houches, Le Brévent, La Flégère, Grand Montets, and Balme, with only Le Brévent and La Flégère linked by lifts.

Indeed, there's no actual ski area that goes by the name of Chamonix - this is the large bustling town around which all the skiing is focused.

Resort elevation: 1,030m (3,379ft) (Chamonix town).

Top elevation: 3,840m (12,600ft).

Base elevation: 1,035m (3,400ft).

Number of lifts: 60.

Number of runs: 75.

Average annual snowfall: 6.3m (21ft).

Chamonix is situated in the Haute-Savoie region of France in the French Alps. It is bordered by Switzerland and Italy and dominated by the Aiguilles de Chamonix mountain chain, which peaks at the top of Mont Blanc (4,807m/15,771ft).

The season runs from late November until May, depending on snow conditions.

For good skiers both on- and off-piste options are sensational, but don't overestimate your ability, as Chamonix offers some of the world's most challenging terrain. Snow conditions can vary enormously - lower slopes can be dodgy unless it's a good season, but the upper slopes are high enough to guarantee snow cover.

‘Cham' specialises in the spectacular, such as the wonderful 24km (15-mile) Vallée Blanche off-piste run from the top of the 3,840m (12,600ft) Aiguille du Midi and the magnificent off-piste options of Grands Montets (a ski guide is recommended!).

The lift system for each individual area is generally good, although queues are common at base lifts at peak periods and the resort is working to improve the situation (a new lift at the Brevent which opened in winter 2008-09 for example transports 3000 pers/hour so ther are no queues). It is frustrating for some however, that with the exception of Le Brévent and La Flégère none of the ski areas are lift linked.

There is an extensive terrain park at the Grands Montets which includes several options for different ages and levels of expertise.

The Ecole de Ski Français (ESF), place de l'Eglise, along with independent operators such as Evolution 2, 36 allée du Savoy, are based in the town centre and are well regarded. They are especially good at more specialist training such as off-piste skiing and ski touring.

You'll have no problem hiring gear since the town is inundated with ski hire businesses and there are also hire centres at the base of each ski area.

On the snow try snowshoeing, tobogganing, dog sledding, skijoering (being towed behind a pony on your skis) or ice climbing. In the centre of town there's a well-equipped sports complex which has an indoor ice rink and climbing wall. And for the less active there's a cinema, a bowling rink and an interesting alpine museum as well as an exhibition centre and a rock crystal museum.

One of the most popular ski schools for youngsters is the Panda Club in Argentière (near the base of the Grands Montets cable car), which takes children from the age of three. With options such as tobogganing and ice skating it's easy to keep younger children occupied, whilst older non-skiers will love the Aiguille du Midi cable-car ride from the centre of town.

There's a great range of shops in the pedestrianised town centre, including top-end gear retailers such as Patagonia and Peak Performance at 249 and 231 rue Paccard respectively. For ski hardware try ChamSport, 432 rue Joseph Vallot and other locations.

You'll also find a wide range of souvenir shops featuring local products from cheese and wine to traditional wood carvings.

‘Cham' has a fine range of après ski. The cool Micro Brasserie de Chamonix, 350 route du bouchet, is good for food, beer and live music. Café de la Terrasse, 43 place Balmat, has two floors of music seven days a week until 0200 and a daily happy hour. Le Choucas, 206 rue Paccard, attracts a range of nationalities until 0400.

All tastes and budgets are catered for. The pizza and pasta dishes at Chez Valerio, 88 rue du Lyret, are always popular, while some of the best value traditional Savoyard fare is found at the Chaudron, 79 rue des Moulins. For an authentic mountain-town ambience, try Sarpé, 30 passage des Mottets Les Bois, or the riverside Atmosphère, 123 place Balmat.

A free ski bus service serves all the ski areas - without a car it's the only way of getting between most of them.

An unforgettable day out is to ski the Vallée Blanche, for which you should be a strong intermediate skier and will need the services of a guide. Or hire a guide for a day's off-piste adventures elsewhere. Contact the Compagnie des Guides (www.chamonix-guides.com) at the Maison de la Montagne in the centre of town.

Luxury

Mont Blanc
Comfortable rooms with retro 1970s feel and restaurant with great views of Mt Blanc.

62 allée du Majestic
Tel: (04) 5053 0564.
Website: www.bestmontblanc.com

Moderate

Hotel Aiglons
Newly refurbished to a high standard complete with an extensive spa and well located near the Aiguille du Midi and a short walk to the resort centre.

270 avenue de Courmayeur
Tel: (04) 6322 3484.
Website: www.aiglons.com

Budget

Hotel Montana
Friendly, traditional hotel well placed for skiing above Argentière.

24 clos du Montana, Argentière
Tel: (04) 5054 1499.
Website: www.hotel-montana.fr

Nearest airports: Geneva (GVA); Lyon (LYS).

Distances to resort: 86km (53 miles); 226km (140 miles).

Driving times: 1 hour 30 minutes; 3 hours.

Experts, Après ski, Non-skiers, Intermediates, Snow reliability