Vallee Blanche? Also Les Arcs

This March I will be going to Les Arcs to ski with my wife and a couple of friends. A have just a few questions of anyone with intimate knowledge:

Should I ski Les Arcs every day (lodging is at Les Arcs 1900) or should we go down to the valley a day or two and bus to another close area? I do plan to go across and try to ski everything at Paradiski that is within my reach.

After our ski week we are going to spend a few days in Geneva and my wife foolishly suggested we go to Chamonix! As a life long rock and mountain climber, I suppressed myself and said "sure, I guess we could do that". Then - believe it or not she said we should take this Gondola up to a tall mountain called Midi. I've been on the internet ever since. So...this Vallee Blanche. Do a really need a guide to ski this route? It would be by myself as I don't see my wife descending that steep ridge at the top. I can ski better than most and do have lots of route finding experience, but not a lot of experience skiing next to crevasses. But I really don't like the idea of paying a few hundred bucks to be stuck with a group of slow skiers. Will there be guys like me waiting up top to team up? Should I bring my backcountry kit? Whatdoyathink? Please - stock answers to "get a guide" from people who have never been there are not needed.

Sent you a PM.

In some regards its similar to going sidecountry in that there are quite a few other folk going down so maybe theres some safety in that?  However its a world of difference given there are so many crevasses the full length of the trip down and avalanche potential of course.  I couldn't recommend doing this on your own.  I've been down a few times back in 2002 or thereabouts and used a guide the 1st day.  Beautiful conditions but you are right it shouldn't take all that long to get down but for some reason it does.  2nd day we did a tour after crossing the Mer de Glace and that was awesome indeed.  Rookie on snowshoes carrying board on back.  3 + a guide and given the nature of the glaciers down there I'd recommend using one if you can buddy in with some other decent skiers.  We were tightly roped up crossing the Mer De Glace and one of the party dropped into the abyss so that saved his ass, again another reason to go with others.

If there was a group of you and you have someone with route experience then I'd say ditch the guide and take it handy.  Solo, well thats your call, but I'd try the guide personally.

Brit and I skied the Valle Blanche last year  first time and unguided . Depends on the route..but the variation we skied...around the back of the Gros Rongon was very easy skiing. The only bit that required a little care was the last bit down to the Salle a Manger...but even that was easy.  Not scary a bit.
We chose a bluebird day with good visibility.... I wouldn't do it in bad viz as the views are what makes it such a classic.

We carried fully avy gear , crevasse rescue equipment and a rando rope.
Even solo..I'd have my harness on.

The arete walk is scary, especially when you are in the conga line with the pros sliding past on their boots at high speed and the tourists slipping..but it's pretty easy and like pulling off a band aid...just get it over with as fast as possible. Wear boot crampons...don't do it in just your boots. Others do but crampons make you feel far more secure.

There is virtually no route finding as you won't be the first....and the path is pretty well defined...there are usually moguls on the steep bit down to Salle a Manger. Once on the Mer de Glace..its a highway which as long as you follow the beaten path is very simple.

If I was solo, I'd probably wait at the bottom of the arete and see if a group would let me tag along....or else go stealth and closely follow what looked like a competent group, shadowing them.

Recently it's been a bit icy in the lower sections but the storms are coming in and by March it should be all filled in.

PNWBrit( Banned) and I are travelling to Courmayeur on Friday and planning on taking our ladies down the Valle Blanche next week...so I'll give you an update.

I spent a day at Les Arcs which was on a week tour from Val D Isere to Val Thornens with the Skiez 12 Vallees tour. The area is big and will fill days. Some of the longest runs in the Alps.

I have skied the Vallee Blanche twice. The first was a short trip that had us climb out on a steep ladder when the snow ended.  Years later, I took Jill and her friend and skied down to Chamonix with a healthy snow pack.

Scotsman comments are excellent. Jill and her friend found a couple of big guys who can afford to carry their skis along the upper walk area. I have read that on a busy weekend day  2,500 folks ski the route. Weekdays and early morning are the best or in the afternoon and move quickly.

Thanks everyone. I knew I'd get some good reply's. I'd love to see any updated. After seeing the picture of that many people packing down a narrow ridge I was planning of crampons! No way to ski it huh?