Pedestrians in resort: itineraries and suggestions for walks

Marked and groomed footpaths

The success of winter walking

A popular alternative

With no age limit, no special equipment apart from good shoes, and excellent for your health, especially in the fresh mountain air, winter walking is very popular in resorts.

Méribel, in Savoie, was a pioneer in this field, developing a network of footpaths in the mid-1990s, in partnership with an engineering firm from Grenoble and the ONF. “As our resort is very spread out, we wanted first and foremost to link the various hamlets together via these footpaths”, explains Françoise Daviet, from the 3 Vallées resort tourist office. “We also knew that a large part of our clientele was contemplative and didn’t ski, and that it was important for us to think about them”.

Today, the resort has 25 km of marked and groomed footpaths. “As with the ski runs, these paths are regularly maintained and monitored by the municipal services and the ONF: if there are snow slides, we close them; similarly, if there are slippery passages, the teams put wood shavings down to make these paths safer, as they sometimes run away from the ski area and the main roads”.

Contrary to popular belief, these routes are used by a wide range of people. They range from those who enjoy gentle activities (senior citizens, pregnant women, non-sports enthusiasts) to families and sports enthusiasts who like to get some fresh air by walking. Particularly those with young children, who are comfortably seated in sledges and who are delighted by this winter variant of the pushchair! “But there are also skiers among these walkers, because we know very well that on a winter sports holiday, skiing is no longer the only pastime practised”, Françoise Daviet continues.

At Les Saisies, in the Beaufortain region, the pedestrian itineraries are also popular, although they are not exclusively reserved for pedestrians, but shared with snowshoe walkers. “Pedestrians and snowshoers live together very well”, says Bruno Clément, Director of the Tourist Office. “Our network of footpaths totals 65 km, including around twenty dedicated to walking. The majority of our customers are non-skiers, and are primarily contemplative. The routes take this into account and offer magnificent views of the countryside”.

These footpaths can be found close to the centre of the resort, but they are increasingly being built at higher altitudes to offer visitors a better panoramic view. They are accessible via the ski lifts, subject to the purchase of a pedestrian pass.

Exploring the region

Themed itineraries

A few suggestions for walks

Walking and seeing is one of the great pleasures of walkers and snowshoers. “But there are also plenty of people who enjoy combining easy walking with discovering the mountain environment in a fun, even interactive, way, thanks to advances in technology, particularly the use of GPS and smartphones,” says Bruno Clément.

Themed itineraries are springing up all over the place, offering visitors the chance to explore the valley’s architectural heritage and history, as well as mountain wildlife, crafts, agriculture and more original subjects such as hydroelectric power, contemporary art and astronomy… In winter, pedestrians have their own way!

Discover the main footpaths and set off to explore the mountains!

Valberg

The planetary trail

The only one of its kind in Europe, this trail takes you on a journey in the footsteps of the planets in our solar system, reproduced on a scale of 1:1,000,000 (1 metre = 1 million km in space!). Magnificent monoliths built in a Land’Art style evoke Mars, Venus, Earth, Jupiter and even distant Neptune.

The most accessible part of the trail, which can be done with the whole family, takes around two hours. Astronomy buffs and those who don’t mind a bit of walking can follow the trail all the way to the end, for a 4? hour escapade in the heart of the planets and constellations, punctuated by educational, contemplative or relaxation stops.

Multimedia audio-guides can be hired from the tourist office to enhance your knowledge.

Méribel

The animal trail

Located in the altiport area, children and parents alike love this signposted itinerary, which takes the form of a game. The aim is to spot an animal using clues. The animals, made of resin and life-size, are hidden in the undergrowth. Depending on how perceptive you are, they may or may not appear! It’s a fun 30-minute outing on foot or snowshoes.

Les Saisies

The Les Saisies trail

Armed with a GPS, which can be hired from the Tourist Office, and an explorer’s notebook, set off to discover the history of skiing in Hauteluce and Les Saisies by following the signposts you come across. The arrival of Erwin Eckl, the founder of the resort, the construction of the first ski lift in 1956, the Albertville Olympics in 1992 and current champions. Along the way, you’ll learn all about the resort and be able to complete the quiz with flying colours.

The Écrins

Water discovery trails

The Pays des Ecrins (Puy-Saint-Vincent / Pelvoux-Vallouise), in partnership with EDF and Gallimard, has designed a trail around its hydroelectric heritage.

Eleven safe and well-maintained sites provide an opportunity to discover the importance of electricity production in this mountain region.

An educational booklet is available from the Pays des Ecrins tourist office. To complete the presentation, an audio-guide entitled “From ice to light” is available from the information point at the Museum – Usine des Claux or free as an I-Phone application (downloadable from Apple Store under the name Pays des Ecrins).

Super-Besse and Mont-Dore

Family trail in Super-Besse and Le Mont-Dore

There are a number of snowshoeing and walking routes in the Sancy massif when there isn’t too much snow, particularly at Super-Besse and Le Mont-Dore, each of which has a family loop to introduce youngsters to walking with just the right amount of effort!