THE GREAT ESCAPE

Why

So that one day you do not discover the moment has passed.

The window in which your son wants to ride the slopes with you, and not with his friends, is very short.

Two days to live through together what ordinary life does not offer: to get tired on the same slope, to laugh at each other's mistakes, to hold each other up, to watch him grow more certain, more independent, and in some things already stronger than you.

Shared experience of that kind outlasts the journey by years.

What happens there

On the mountain the usual roles come apart.

A son begins to see his father not only as the parent who sets the rules and hands out advice, but as a man — with a character, a history, strengths and weaknesses of his own.

And a father gets to see, instead of a child to be raised, a separate person who is growing up, forming his own character, and becoming a man.

The programme

Two days in the mountains with your son

Morning and day

Long runs, fresh corduroy and lunch with a view of the mountains.

New routes every day, right for confident skiers and for those still building experience. Between runs — lunch at one of the mountain restaurants right on the slope.

Evening

Fondue, cards and conversation, without hurry.

Savoy Dinner — dinner with traditional Savoyard fondue.
Father & Son Poker Cup — a team poker tournament, father + son.
Soirée Trappeur — an evening snowshoe walk with headlamps up the dark mountain, and dinner in a Mongolian yurt.

About the region

Chamonix. At the foot of Mont Blanc.

Chamonix is one of the best-known ski resorts of the French Alps, set at the foot of Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Western Europe. The resort is famous for its dramatic alpine scenery, the variety of its ski areas and the particular atmosphere of a real mountain town.

There are runs for every level, the legendary panoramas of the Mont Blanc massif, excellent mountain restaurants and a wide choice of winter activities besides skiing. Chamonix is especially loved for the way it combines serious skiing, beautiful nature, well-developed infrastructure and a lively evening life after the slopes.

The mountain

Grands Montets

One of the best-known areas in Chamonix: long descents, good snow and serious alpine terrain. The lift is right next to the hotel, so in the morning you can be on the slope almost at once.

And if you feel like a change of route, the valley has several more ski areas — you can pick the mountain to suit the weather, your level and your mood.

2,765 mtop of the Grands Montets area
5separate ski areas in the valley
3,842 mAiguille du Midi, the excursion
Dec 2026the new gondola opens

For those who like numbers and details

A new lift, weeks old: A ten-person gondola from Argentière up to Lognan opens for the Christmas holidays of 2026 — lifts by Doppelmayr, stations by Renzo Piano, with a new hall and places to eat at the bottom of the pistes. We arrive a few weeks after it starts running, and the hotel stands at its foot.
The neighbours: Balme above Le Tour and Vallorcine reaches 2,270 m, Flégère 2,396 m, Brévent 2,525 m, Les Houches 1,900 m. Different aspects and different weather — on a bad day in one, the valley usually has a good day in another.
The summit, honestly: The top of the Grands Montets, above 3,000 m, has not been served by a lift since the fire of 2018 — it is reached on touring skis only. The second stage of the new lift is promised for the winter of 2027–28. We say so in advance so that nobody arrives expecting what is not there yet.

How you ski

Every morning you choose your format for the day.

Two people work with the group, but you choose the format yourself — and you can change it every day if you like.

01

The Master

For those who want to ski better. A small group, work on technique, tips on the slope and video analysis.

02

The Pathfinder

For those who simply want to ski well. No drills, no technique analysis — the best routes, good snow and the right slope at the right time.

03

The two of you

Take your son and go skiing, just the two of you. Your own pace, your own route, your own day. We meet in the evening.

Where you sleep

A chalet at the foot of the lift.

Hôtel & Spa Les Grands Montets ★★★★ — in quiet Argentière, next to the lift and away from the bustle of central Chamonix.

Twin rooms with two separate beds and a balcony. After skiing — the spa, the pool and the outdoor jacuzzi.

January is especially good here.

Argentière after a night of snow. The hotel is the long chalet in the foreground; the village and the valley station are behind it.

Location in detail: the lift, the valley, the road

The lift: The hotel stands at the edge of the Grands Montets car park. You walk out after breakfast and you are at the cable car — a minute, with your skis on your shoulder.
The valley: Chamonix is not one giant linked domain but several separate areas: Grands Montets under our windows, Balme — Le Tour and Vallorcine — one village further up, Brévent and Flégère above Chamonix town, Les Houches at the far end.
Getting between them: Not by lift — by the valley train and the ski bus, both free with your pass. Argentière station is ten minutes on foot and the ski bus stops at the hotel.
The car: Geneva is 110 km, an hour and a quarter. After that the car stays in the free car park with the charger, and you do not touch it again.

Photographs: Hôtel & Spa Les Grands Montets, used with their permission.

Who you spend the weekend with

The people behind The Great Escape

We are not a travel agency.

We are fathers who grew tired of saying “once I get through this, we’ll go.” We have loved the mountains since before our sons were even in our plans. And when they arrived, we understood the main thing: there is simply no better place to be alone together — without school, work or screens.

We have tested it on ourselves: somewhere between the lift and the hot chocolate, a father and son begin to collect shared stories that no dinner at home can give you.

That is how The Great Escape came about: a weekend where everything is already decided for you — a hotel by the slope, coaches, a yurt with dinner after a night outing on snowshoes. One thing is left undecided: who wins at poker tonight.

The escape from routine has been approved. The mums are in the know.

Creator · 46

Mirzega Abduselimov

The mountains: Born in the mountains. Literally. Then he came down, but the mountains never let go. So he moved to France, closer to the Alps.
At home: Father of two sons, 10 and 15. The kids adore me. At least, I think so.
Work: He used to develop tourism in the national parks and nature reserves of Russia and at the resorts of the North Caucasus. Today he is trying his hand at film — he writes screenplays.
Books: Hugo, Remarque, Camus, Gogol.
Films: In the Mood for Love, Pulp Fiction, Mimino, In Bruges.

Creator · 44

Vadim Gabel

The mountains: The Alps, everywhere. Elbrus. Twenty-five years on skis and a snowboard.
At home: Father of two. Everyone in the family skis or snowboards.
Work: CEO of Fitotech SARL — hydroponic systems. Lives in Luxembourg.
Books: Remarque, Hemingway, Salinger, Dovlatov.
Films: To Kill a Dragon, Reservoir Dogs, Snatch.

The package

One place is a father and a son. A father with two sons takes the duplex.

Request a place The request is free and commits you to nothing.

Included

The hotel, breakfasts, a twin room with a balcony
The Master and the Pathfinder, every day on the hill
Lift passes for both of you
Transfer from Geneva airport to the hotel and back, if you need it
Savoy Dinner — the traditional fondue dinner
Soirée Trappeur — the evening snowshoe walk, dinner in a Mongolian yurt, transfers
Father & Son Poker Cup — the tournament, the dealer, the cup
The spa: pool, sauna, hammam and the outdoor jacuzzi

Not included

Your journey to Geneva — flights or your own car
Lunches on the mountain
Rental skis — we arrange them on request, fitted at the hotel
Insurance — mandatory for both of you

Details

Before you ask

What level do we need?

Any. That is what the different ski formats are for. Want to simply have a good day on the slope — go with the Pathfinder. Want to polish your technique — go with the Master. Or take your son and head off, just the two of you. You choose the format each morning.

How old does he have to be?

We welcome future men from 12. There is no upper limit.

How does paying work?

Requesting a place is free and commits you to nothing. We will contact you personally, get to know you and answer your questions. Once your participation is confirmed you receive an invoice: 50% secures your place in the group, the remaining 50% is due by 1 December.

Cancellation

Before 1 December — a full refund less €90. From 1 to 20 December — a 50% refund. After 20 December — no refund, but your participation can be moved to the next trip if there are places.

Accommodation

A father and son share a separate twin room with two separate beds. A father with two sons stays in a duplex with a mezzanine.

Insurance

Every participant will need ski insurance that covers rescue and evacuation on the slope. If needed, we will help arrange it together with the lift pass.

Poker with a child?

Yes. Father and son play as one team, taking turns at the table. For points and a cup only — no stakes and no money.

How do we get there?

Fly to Geneva — from there it is about 1 h 15 min to Argentière. The transfer from the airport to the hotel and back is included — just tell us when you need it. If you come by your own car, the hotel has free parking and EV charging. Once there you will not need a car: the lift is a minute's walk, and trains and ski buses run along the valley.

Enrolment

Request a place

Nothing to pay right now. Leave your contacts in three lines — we will get in touch and go through all the details.