I’m trying to avoid downhill skiing at half term, as I will injure myself due to my foolishness.

I’m with the family, so I see ESF do Nordic Skiing lessons in the morning. I’ve done a few hours before, but I fancy a good aerobic workout each morning, then look after my 4 year old in the afternoon.

Any recommendations?

Thanks in advance.

Is Morzine really that dangerous? I’ve been a couple of times, it always seemed pretty safe if you stick to the marked runs.

I think going to Morzine and going Nordic skiing might somewhat missing the point!

Ski de fond / Ski Nordique … based on my knowledge of the area summer and winter I don’t recall a lot of xc skiing areas, ideally you need flatish areas at altitude with some nice veiws and a bit of variety.

You might look at snowshoeing too

You can get a free booklet of xc skiing and snowshoeing routes from the main tourist info office in morzine. There are tracks around lake montriond up to the ardent; along the ridge from top of supermorzine towards Linderet or over the golf course to avoriaz. There’s a of couple of circuits at the end if the vallee de la manche which are away from the crowds in some nice scenery. Also trails up mont chery in les gets. Not a xc skier myself but i have snowshoed all those areas. Or if you want to ski downhill pistes away from the crowds you could do the circuit at the Grande terche in St Jean. Busy at the Base station but once you get going away from the nursery slopes it’s usually quiet, even at half term. The circuit takes a couple of hours.long trail like pistes through woods.

Depending on how well you can downhill Nordic skiing might be more tricky. I can ski (just) Canadian double bIacks but anything more than XC green terrifies me. No edges, floppy boots and scary speeds…

Good info. I’ll start doing more research in those areas now you’ve given me a bit of direction. Ski Touring is where I’m aiming for. Time away with the boys going from hut to hut, but I’ve no real experience yet. A mate gave me some old skis and boots (that rub a bit). I was thinking of taking my skis, skins and boots out with me. The kit is 20-30 years old. I’m planning to use them in the Lakes this winter, where I live.

Thanks for the advice. Any more appreciated too.

You’re worried about injuring yourself on piste yet want to take up touring where you’ll be skiing on unprepared snow/ice/crust/avalanche debris with an additional set of objective risks.

X-C skate or classic? I suggest learning both as they tend to be fun in different conditions. Classics are great when there’s a bit of fresh and the skates become labourious. A perfectly groomed piste and you can fly along on skates. Neither are any fun at all on ice.

As for the touring boots rubbing “a bit”, that’s pretty good. Walk around the block in them every day before you go aiming to be able to walk half an hour without finishing with a limp.

Col du joux plan is a good spot for nodicking but I’m not sure if you get up there from morzine in the winter.

I’m sure I saw some XC trails marked on the map next to the golf gourse (just by col du joux plan. You may get to them using gravity down from avoriaz?