Unusual activities in the resorts

If walking and mountain biking remain the dominant summer activities in the mountains the resorts now offer a variety of leisure activities a little more unusual and often unknown. Let’s take a closer look.

All year sledging
Half way between the roller coaster and the traditional summer sledging, this new generation sledge will delight the younger ones and the older ones looking for some adrenaline rush. 360°spins, incredible accelerations and tight bends follow each other all the way down the slope, but always in total security as the sledge is fixed to the rails.

The bare feet path of the Lac Blanc (Vosges)
Walking bare foot over the dead leaves, dry wood, gravel, and pine needles to rediscover the sense of touch and the freedom it brings. This is the specificity of this 1,2km path through the forest, along which one can find amusing, sensitive and educational games.

The Speed-slide at Tignes (Savoie)
You like go-carting, water and surf sports? You will love speed-slide, a boat with an electric engine that glides over water!  No need for any license to drive this ‘aquatic go-kart’. Even if the machine doesn’t exceed 25km/h, the sensations are guaranteed as you are evolving right at the surface of the water, on your own or with one other person, on the Tignes Lake!

Dog-walking
This activity consisting in walking while tied to a dog is almost definitely the best way to get the kids walking. Attracted by the complicity with the animal, they will forget all the physical effort and discover the pleasure of walking in nature.

Lama rides in Valloire (Savoie)
Your kids ever been on donkey rides before? Surprise them and offer them a ride with Tio or Chupango, two lamas. Quiet inhabitants of the mountain with soft wool, they will be delighted to be taken for a ride by your children, and will even be pleased to help carry your bags. These unusual rides always take place under the responsibility of a qualified instructor.

The RobotDôme at Col de la Faucille (Monts Jura)
You have always dreamed of knowing what one feels during an acrobatic paragliding flight, or a descent through great rapids in a canoe or a kayak? Take place in the RobotDôme, on an articulated seat rotating on six axes, and live the experience of extreme sports as for real.

Becoming Chef in Val Thorens (Savoie)
And what about taking advantage of your next holiday to discover your hidden skills for cooking? Jean Sulpice, the youngest 2 star chef in France (31 years old) proposes to share his cooking secrets which make the reputation of his restaurant, the Oxalys in Val Thorens. Two courses are proposed: gastronomic cuisine (90€/person) or brunch/diner cuisine (60€/person).

The Dirt Monster at Lioran (Massif Central)
With this beast, no more worries about punctures as you go round bends…the Dirt Monster is a mountain bike specially conceived for descent. It is equipped with quad bike wheels, a motorbike fork and disc brakes. Have fun!

Grass skiing at Sauze-super Sauze (Alpes de Haute Provence)
An urge for sliding pleasures in the summer too? Try out grass skiing, one can practise with short skis (50cm to 1m), equipped with small wheels (as on roller blades) or caterpillar type system and wheels. Initiation courses will be proposed to the public at Sauze Super Sauze every morning from the 26th to the 31st of July. One will be able to admire the champions of the discipline during the French championship, on the 30th and 31st of July.

Cimgo, the seat you need!
Created by the Tessier Company in the Maurienne, specialised in skiing for disabled people, the Cimgo is a chair conceived for the mountain allowing disabled people to follow their walking friends or cyclists along difficult paths until now inaccessible. The passenger is comfortably installed in a buck seat, and lets his valid friend guide him or her along the mountain path thanks to a platform system giving the guide a steady support and handle bars to steer the seat. You can discover this activity in Saint-Sorlin d’Arves (Savoie) and in les Houches (Haute-Savoie)

The benefits of water in the Pyrenees
What is better than relaxing in a nice boiling bath after a walk in the mountains! As well as being so pleasant, these naturally hot sulphurous waters (34 to 38°C) are good for your health! To consume with no moderation whatsoever around Ax-Les-Thermes, Font-Romeu and Les Angles.

Play at being the forest guard in Mégève (Haute-Savoie)
How about a little visit round the Martelloscope? Behind that weird name lies the possibility to “play” at being the forest guard and learn to take care of a forest. Supervised by a professional coordinator, the small ones and the older ones will be able to carry out fictitious hammerings (that is marking certain trees with a hammer), in order to inform the woodcutters that these trees should be chopped down.

Practising for trail at Saint Pierre de Chartreuse (Isère)
Marked tracks for trail-walking from 10 to 40km, technical workshops, permanent “launched km” from the bottom of the village to the top of the slopes, change rooms, showers and sauna….thanks to a partnership with the Raid light Company, specialised in the discipline, Saint Pierre de Chartreuse is becoming the hotspot for trail in France.

To fulfil the dream of Icarus
No need to get on a plane or any other flying device to glide through the air. Several resorts have set up gigantic zip-lines, over a kilometre long, allowing you to literally fly above the ground (up to 250m above the ground), flirting with speeds up to 100km/h!

Medicinal plants workshops at Devoluy (Hautes Alpes)
In groups of 10 to 12 people, you learn the basis of phyto-aromatherapy in other means the knowledge and usage of medicinal herbs. You will also have the possibility to make your own syrups, elixirs, lotions and other creams. 25€ per person.