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Meals
& Accommodation
When
on an Icicle course, you are based in a studio apartment in
the centre of Chamonix in the conveniently located ski village
of Chamonix Sud (except during very busy periods when all
our flats are full, where some clients may be based in nearby
Chamonix centre hotels or chalets). Your accommodation is
on a Bed & Continental Breakfast basis, and all bedding
and tourist taxes are included. All bedding, linen and towels
are provided. The apartments are all within a 2 minute walk
of the Icicle Office. You need to collect the keys from the
office, and a member of staff will show you to your accommodation.
We don't specify the exact address of the apartments for security
reasons, and as you need to collect the keys from the office
upon arrival. The address for airport transfer drop offs and
any visas as required is Icicle, 90 Via d'Aoste, 74400 Chamonix,
France.
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You will be able to store all your clothes,
equipment, and belongings in your accommodation for the duration
of your course. Note that this is a key selling point as many
course providers make you check out of accommodation for the
nights you spend in mountain huts, especially on courses such
as the Haute Route where most of the week is spent away but
in case of any change of plans, you need a base and a place
to store your kit. You can check into your accommodation between
16:00 and 18:00 on the first day of the course (usually Sunday),
and must check out by 10:00 on the departure day (usually Saturday).
Sorry we don't offer any extra nights before or after the course.
To view all the Icicle accommodation apartments, please visit
www.ski-pod.com,
as this has photos of every flat. |
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a look at the floor plan of one of our flats, to get an
idea of the layouts. Each
flat has mountain views (usually with its own balcony),
a bathroom (with shower over a bath), good storage facilities,
and a self-catering kitchenette with tea and coffee making
facilities and a fridge to keep food fresh. Each morning
a continental breakfast is provided in the Icicle office,
and next door is a Spar supermarket where you can purchase
food for lunches etc. If
you choose not to cook for yourself in the evenings, the
Icicle staff can advise you on where to eat out for whatever
budget desired. |
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If you wish to upgrade to half board click
here for details.
Accommodation is clean,
functional, and ideally located close to the Icicle office,
shops, and the Aiguille du Midi 3842m cable car.
Clients are always
in apartments of two or three sharing.
Please
note that all our flats are mixed sex sharing, and all our beds
are singles, so if you are a couple requiring a double, or a
single male or female not wishing to share, consider an upgrade.
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Hotel Upgrades
If
you would like to add a little luxury to a stay after a course,
or would like to upgrade your course accommodation, we recommend
staying at our upgrade partner, the 4 star Hotel Le Morgane.
This recently renovated hotel is a two minute walk from the
Icicle office, and also has a pool and spa treatments available,
not to mention a Michelin starred restaurant. You can contact
the hotel direct to discuss any of your requirements using the
details below.
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145
Avenue de l’Aiguille du Midi
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Tel:
+33 4 50 53 57 15
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F-74400
Chamonix Mont-Blanc
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Fax:
+33 4 50 53 28 07
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Mountain Huts
The most popular huts in the mountains are run by Guardians
in the peaks of season (Summer and Winter), and at the rest
of the time they are un-Guardianned. Full details of the services
and standards are below.
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Guardianned:
Mountain Huts are run by a 'Guardian' who cooks, cleans and
is on hand for your assistance. On most courses, the itineraries
detail a specific number of nights in mountain huts. Where huts
are included in the course price (as specified in the inclusions
and exclusions at the bottom of each course page), the Guide
will be given petty cash to pay for you and themselves for the
hut on a half board basis. In courses where a night in a hut
is included in the itinerary but not the price, you are expected
to pay for yourself on a half board basis, and a share of the
cost for the guide, split amongst others in the group. Clients
share rooms, which often sleep up to twenty people on two tiered
bunk platforms. Each person is allocated a mattress with its
own pillow and blankets. There are normally storage / drying
rooms. Meals are on a half board basis, with a basic continental
breakfast and a three course cooked evening meal. Any extras
you order, such as bottled water, beer or wine, camera films,
chocolate, or packed lunches, must be paid for by you. These
are often very expensive due to the fact that supplies have
to be delivered by helicopter each week, or are even carried
in. Take enough money to buy bottled water (approximately £4
for a 1.5 litre bottle), as there is often a restricted / no
supply. The staff and Guides can advise you on this before you
go to any hut. If you opt for or need, any extra nights (in
addition to those specified in the itinerary) in a hut, you
are responsible for paying the extra night(s) for you and the
Guide on a half board basis.
Unguardianned:
At some times of year, especially out of season of in remote
huts in winter, such as those possibly visited on the Extreme
courses or on the Winter Ascent of the Matterhorn, the huts
are unstaffed. At these times there is only a winter room opened,
and there are reduced facilities. When the huts are unguardianned,
the Clients are expected to provide food for themselves and
their Guide, and you must be prepared to assist in the preparation
of meals and other hut chores during these un-guardianed times.
In these huts, we provide stoves, pans, and all necessary cooking
utensils.
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Summary
of Meals on a Course
Breakfast:
When you are in Chamonix and accommodation is included on a
B&B basis, a basic continental breakfast (fruit juice, choice
of cereals, tea & coffee, yoghurts, toast and jams) is provided
in the Icicle office. During the breakfast you get a course
briefing, in which you are informed of the times and locations
the activities for the day. In a mountain hut, you get a similar
breakfast, and this is provided at a suitable time for your
departure.
Lunch:
Everyone has their own idea of what they would like for lunch
whilst in the mountains, varying from a stack of Mars bars to
a large ham sandwich. For this reason we let you choose your
own lunches, which may be easily purchased locally from shops
and supermarkets. You will be advised in the briefings as to
how many days lunches you should plan ahead and purchase. There
is never time to cook hot lunches while on a course, so don't
worry about bringing a stove.
Evening:
In Chamonix, after the evening talks clients normally take advantage
of the excellent variety of local restaurants, and also the
town's bars to celebrate week's achievements. We are also happy
to book places in restaurants for you, should you wish an evening
on your own. Some clients want an early night or to budget,
so opt to cook for themselves in the self catering flats. In
guardianned huts, the cooked evening meal is normally three
courses. |
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Fancy
upgrading to half board throughout?
We offer this option on all Alpine summer courses for
just £99 for week long courses, or £39 for
weekend courses. Normally breakfasts are included every
day, with evening meals when staying in huts. With this
upgrade you get every all your evening meals included
when in Chamonix. This upgrade makes our course package
all-inclusive, apart from packed lunches (available from
bakery next to office) and drinks at mealtimes, which
you must budget for. To select this upgrade, tick the
box on the booking form. |
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