Feeling inspired by the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing this year? Why don't you try your hand at some of the disciplines yourself at a range of resorts in the French Alps? From bobsleighing to ski jumping, there are multiple options for you and the family to practice your skills! Here are 5 of our favourites...
Speed Luge - P_Augier
La Plagne
Did you know, La Plagne is home to the only Olympic bobsleigh track in France? Built for the Albertville Olympic Games in 1992, the track now offers tourists the opportunity to discover the decent at up to 120km/hr! Try this alone or with the family with three activities to choose from.
- The Bob Raft is a four-seater raft that reaches speeds of up to 80km/hr, perfect for a shared experience!
- For those that prefer to go it alone, lay back feet first in the Speed Luge with speeds of up to 90km/hr this really is for the thrill-seekers!
- To feel like you are really competing in the Olympics, try Bob Racing with three passengers and speeds of up to 120km/hr. A truly unforgettable experience.
Biathlon
Méribel
Whether you are a complete beginner or an experienced skier, you can try a very different way to enjoy biathlon with local instructors on Méribel’s shooting range, which regularly hosts the French Biathlon Championships. The biathlon is a winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. It is treated as a race, with contestants skiing through a cross-country trail whose distance is divided into shooting rounds.
©Oreli.b-Niels-Schack
Avoriaz
With wide-open powder fields, long runs, and ungroomed but fully patrolled trails, Avoriaz is a great high-altitude resort to practice and learn snowboarding! From as young as 3, Avoriaz instructors can teach you the Olympic sport which was first included in the 1998 Winter Olympics. With an amazing range of slopes, the grown-ups can even take up the challenge with specialised freestyle and backcountry workshops.
Nordic Skiing - David Machet
Val d'Isère
If you are looking to try what the champions are doing but away from the madding crowds, then cross-country skiing is perfect! Val d'Isère has a total of 21km of tracks for cross-country skiing and you can get lessons so you can become a pro! The best thing about cross-country skiing in Val d'Isère is that once you have grasped the basics you can explore the peaceful trails situated in the Manchet Valley, La Daille, near Le Fornet and by the Ouillette lake, and no lift pass is needed!
bun-j-ride.com
Tignes
Ski Jumping has been part of the Winter Olympics since the first games in Chamonix in 1924. Fancy a go? Head over to Tignes where you will find the Bun J Ride!! Equipped with a harness and two elastic cords, standing on top of the ski jump, you travel down the 30m long runway that drops down into a 40-metre void. The system locks and once you are stable and then you travel back down the zip wire to the ground.
Feeling inspired and ready to book your next ski holiday? You can book online or call us on 023 9289 0960 to speak to one of our award-winning team. If you're not sure where to go or would like some advice on which resorts would suit your group, give us a call and we will be able to help! Don't forget to sign up for our newsletter to get all the latest ski news and deals!
