7 High Adrenaline Activities on French Ski Slopes

French ski resorts have been adding lots of exciting new high octane activities to enjoy on and above their ski slopes over the past few years. Here are some of the best if you have the nerve to try them:

Downhill Mountain Biking on Snow, Val Thorens

Starting up at 3000m on the Péclet glacier you’ll plummet down 700m of vertical on the Tête Ronde blue slope. Sessions start at 5pm every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evening in the ski season with groups accompanied by Gérald Bigot, a French state qualified instructor who’ll advise on your position on the bike, braking, turning and even how to fall as safely as possible during the 45 minute (6km) descent which ends with a mug of mulled wine for all.

 

Bobsleigh, La Plagne

The Olympic bobsleigh run at La Plagne is a real ‘must do’ for adrenaline junkies. 1500 metres long with 19 bends it takes a bit more or a bit less than a minute to descend, depending on the method you choose. There is quite a choice. Most popular and most affordable is a self-guided padded bob that takes up to four friends.

You can also ride down in a proper bobsleigh piloted by a professional driver, there’s even the option to descend the track with a former Olympian steering – the fastest at 80mph. Speed Luge is another possibility where you do it yourself.

Bungee On Skis or Board Off A Cliff, Tignes

The chance to jump off a cliff on your skis or board is on many an extreme skier’s wish list. James Bond famously did it with a union jack parachute on it and some skiers have tried it wearing wingsuits, although that idea a led to some high profile deaths. In Tignes though you can ski, board or even sledge down a snow covered wooden ramp off the side of a cliff.  You’re attached left and right to bungee cords and after you’ve reached the full length of your bungee jump you’ll bounce back in and be lowered to safety. The 35m long ramp is located along the red “Merles” slope and the bungee jump is around 70 metres.

Rodeo Park – Adult Toboggan Run, Les Arcs

Long toboggan runs have been big attractions in Austria and Switzerland for decades but the modern purpose-built ski areas in France didn’t really bother with them until very recently, just creating little ski hills for tiny tots. That has changed a lot with the creation of longer ‘proper’ toboggan runs as attractions at a number of the big French resorts, including Les Arcs. Here though, along with a family run as part of the Mille 8 complex, Les Arcs has created an ‘adults (and big kids) only’ extreme toboggan run.

The 3km (two mile) long Rodeo Park toboggan run descends from Arc 2000. It takes up to 40 minutes to descend and you have to be at least 10 years old and 125cm/4 feet high to give it a go.

Europe’s Highest Zipwire, Val Thorens

Val Thorens opened Europe’s highest zipwire just a few years ago. Known as ‘La Tyrolienne’ the  1.3km long cable takes just a minute and 45 seconds to ride from the 3 Valleys peak at 3230m down to the top of the Bouchet chairlift above the Orelle resort at 3000m at the top of the Thorens Funitel. Riders, who can be aged between 8 and 88 and must weigh at least 40g but not more than 120kg  will reach speeds of up to 100 km/h (63mph).

Skibob, Espace Diamant

A skibob is a bicycle-type frame attached to skis instead of wheels. Skibiking has been around for years but in the past few seasons it has got big in France. The Espace Diamant region and particularly the resorts of Crest Voland in Val d’Arly and Notre Dame de Bellecombe are real centres for this activity with rental shops hiring the devise out and ski schools ready to teach you how to do it, they’ve even staged the French national and indeed world Ski Bob Championships here. It costs €25 to hire a skibob for a half-day and an introductory less on how to use it from an instructor costs €39 per hour.

Europe’s Steepest Zipwire, La Plagne

La Plagne has installed what’s probably the steepest zipwire in Europe this winter 2017 and they’ve given it a suitably impressive name: Supertyro.  Linking two of the super-resort’s base villages Plagne Aime 2000 to Plagne Centre it’s possible to zip down at a speed of up to 80–90km per hour (50-56mph).  The 600m long cable descends 140 vertical metres with gradients averaging to 16%.  Rider minimum weight is 40kg, maximum 110kg.

 

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