Fans of Cross-country skiing

Come and discover this discipline at Avoriaz 1800.

You can explore the surrounding area at your own pace, on the 23 km of cross-country skiing slopes and 250 km of marked slopes at the Portes du Soleil ski area. 

The ski instructors from the various ski schools are available to show you all the basics of this discipline, and equipment hire shops have equipment available for both adults and children.

Find out more on our cross-country skiing page

**The skis used are long, narrow, without metallic edges and are only attached to the front of the foot. There are two skiing techniques: the traditional technique, known as “classic” or “alternative”, whereby the skier pushes forward along two parallel tracks, and since the 1980s, the “skating” technique, where the skis are at an angle, to resemble ice skating, with slightly shorter skis.

The surface underfoot is usually:

• flat, smooth along the entire length of the ski for skating – except for one or two central grooves to make the skis stable.
• They have a wax traction zone in the centre, to help with propulsion and avoid sliding backwards, for classic cross-country skiing.

Cross-country skiing is the sport that requires the highest VO2 max (maximal oxygen consumption), ahead of rowing and cycling. This sport is practiced on the slopes of a Nordic ski area, and access to this area at Avoriaz 1800 is completely free!