Mise à jour le
31.01
2024
Mountain activities
While the French mountains are full of ski areas to suit all tastes, the resorts also offer a wide range of activities other than snow sports. If you can't ski, or it's simply not your cup of tea, there's always something else to do in the mountains. In this article, we take a look at some of the resort activities that will make your stay just as enjoyable!
A feast for the eyes
Photo credit : Les 2 Alpes - @pyrouu
Staying in the mountains means getting up close and personal to the exceptional scenery our mountains have to offer. But if you don't ski to the top of the resort to see this breathtaking panorama, don't panic! Resorts often offer pedestrian-accessible viewpoints or “pas dans le vide” (steps in the void), which guarantee you'll get an eyeful.
For example, the Belvédère des Écrins in Les 2 Alpes is accessible from the glacier funicular station. At an altitude of over 3,400 metres, you can enjoy a majestic view from a platform high above the void.
In the Pyrenees, the renowned Pic du Midi can be reached from the Grand Tourmalet station. Once at the top, the “Ponton dans le Ciel” awaits you for a panoramic view at an altitude of over 2,800 metres, with 1,000 metres of void beneath your feet.
Why not contemplate this panorama with a hot drink or a typical mountain dish? There are many panoramic restaurants in the resort, with terraces or dining rooms overlooking the peaks. A winning combo! Enjoy a 360° view at the Le Signal 2108 restaurant in Alpe d'Huez, for example, which offers an exceptional vantage point over the Alpine massifs.
Finally, check with your resort's tourist office: a torchlight descent may be organized during your stay! It's the perfect opportunity for young and old to marvel at the lights streaming down the slopes. A real feast for the eyes.
Relax in the fresh mountain air
Photo credit : Vaujany - ©Julia Guerre
Whether it's for a weekend or a week's vacation, the aim is also to relax. And for that, there's no shortage of gentle activities! Why not try your hand at snow yoga? Introductory courses are available, as in Vaujany, where for just €10 you can relax while practicing an unusual mountain activity.
For a more traditional activity, put on your snowshoes and take to the snow-covered trails amid the immense fir trees, whose calm and beauty are sure to relax you. There are routes of varying degrees of difficulty, so you can go from a walk that's 100% relaxation and contemplation, to a more challenging outing. Even children can join in the fun, with rental stores offering snowshoes for all sizes!
Last but not least, if you're feeling the cold, you can enjoy a 100% relaxing time in one of the spas or thermal baths. At Mont Dore, for example, in the Massif Central, you'll find saunas, hammams and other pools, with a direct view of the Auvergne mountains!
Experience adrenalin and thrills in a different way
Photo credit : Les Angles - Office de Tourisme
If you're still in the mood for a little thrill, whether strong or not, you can turn to downhill activities such as tobogganing on rails or zip-lining. For miles on end, you'll be hurtling down the slope at full speed, with no risk of taking your shoes off, and all the while enjoying the scenery! At Monts Jura, tobogganing on rails propels you into a 540-degree spin, giving you a whole new perspective on the Jura Mountains...
For a more natural version, why not try a ride with sled dogs? They have an average speed of around 20km/h, but this increases even more on the descents! It's a great way to feel the adrenalin, while sitting in the warmth of your sled.
Discover mountain culture
Photo credit : Saint-Lary-Soulan - ©Greg Terra
The mountains are also a whole culture, traditions and way of life in their own right. There are many ways to discover the wonders of these resorts, thanks to the people who live and work there.
If you're a lover of good food (especially cheese, in the mountains), you're bound to find a restaurant specializing in local produce, like Chez Pépé Nicolas in Val Thorens, where you can enjoy the best Savoy specialties in the warmth of the chalet.
If you're more the creative type and like to take home a souvenir, the resorts are also home to passionate artisans who will help you discover their creative or traditional products. Discover Les Poteries de Virginie in Serre-Chevalier, for example, and take home a colorful creation!
Last but not least, if you like cultural visits, mountain museums are not to be outdone, and art is also present in the mountains, in forms not found elsewhere! The Font-Romeu resort in the Pyrenees, for example, has a “Museum without walls”, where you can discover art in the open air, right in the heart of the mountains! In a different vein, the Val d'Arly resorts will soon be offering an art festival (March 3-7, 2024), featuring giant street art frescoes.
As you can see, there's no shortage of activities, and a thousand ways to make the most of your stay in the mountains if you've chosen not to ski. And don't forget to consult your destination's events programme, so you don't miss out on any festive, fun or sporting events that will make your stay in the resort even more enriching!
Banner photo credit: Cauterets - Pyrénées - ©D.Courriades
