Ski Beneath the Chamonix Giants : Freeride La Balme

Once you've peeled back the slightly tame-looking exterior of La Balme you'll find lines which will satisfy any freerider, regardless of their level. There are some mellow-ish lines, but the majority of routes in this guidebook are geared towards the advanced skier able to handle themselves in big, steep and serious terrain.

Many of the lines described here take you down - over the Swiss border - into the little village of Trient, and this only adds to the element of adventure. Don't worry, there's a bus back, but dropping into a different valley - let alone a different country - always makes a run feel more exciting... as if La Balme's freeride routes weren't adventurous enough already!