Far from the madding crowd…

Much as we love downhill skiing and snowboarding, there are other activities available in the winter away from the pistes.

There are three cross county ski areas close by.  Closest, just a kilometre away are tracks that runs around the lakes and through the forest between Morillon and Samoëns.  A short drive along the valley floor to Les Molliets, is the start of the tracks running along to the Fer à Cheval at the end of the valley.  If there’s not enough snow in the valley for the local runs to open, its a short drive up to the Col de Joux Plane (1700m high) for a range of circuits at the nordic park. Or just 30 minutes drive away is the Nordic ski centre at Plateau D’Agy. More information about ski de fond is available on the Vallée de Haut-Giffre website.   

Walking in snow shoes is a beautiful way to see the mountain, away from the hurly-burly of the ski slopes.  There are lots of trails through the mountains and forest, some easy going, and some a bit more strenuous. 

If you go with a guide like Arno from Alp Adventures you'll get the benefit of both their local knowledge of the area and wildlife.  It’s well worth it.

Fat-biking is another great way to explore the mountain and countryside, away from the ski-crowds. For fit experienced mountain-bikers its a full-on adrenaline fest.  For those who operate at more moderate pace, there are plenty of level routes alongs the river in the valley floor to enjoy. And there’s a choice of regular or e-bikes too.

Our nearby neighbours Ride The Alps are just a short walk from the chalet. The founder, Jamie, is an experienced and fully qualified mountain guide (its a very thorough process, which he's blogged about here ).  During the winter season, he offers guided fat-biking days for groups: a well maintained bike, and his local knowledge guiding you through the best trails for the conditions.  Awesome fun.