Snowshoeing in Alpe d'Huez

What initially looks like sticking tennis rackets to your feet, is actually a great form of low impact alpine exercise – so it's great for skiers and non-skiers alike, and really is suitable for all fitness levels – it really is a great way to see the mountains.

It's out in the open air, provides low impact exercise and will get your cardio-vascular system working – so it's really good for you as well as being great fun in a truly stunning environment.

So if you fancy giving this a go, there really is no better place to give it a go than here in Alpe d’Huez – Rando Raquettes operate daily guided walks around the slopes and trails of Alpe d’Huez and its neighbouring villages.

There are 3 meeting points for the walks, depending on where the walks are going:

Les Bergers Commercial Centre
The DMC/Cognet lift station
The tourism office in the Old Town

Guided walks take place everyday, and here are the “routes”:

• Monday morning – 9am to 12pm – Guided walk to the Medieval Fort (by the Altiport/Sarenne Gorge)
• Monday afternoon – 1.30pm to 5pm – Guided walk to the Lac Noir (between Alpe d’Huez and Oz en Oisans)
• Tuesday morning – 9am to 12.30pm - Guided walk to the Plateau de la Rochette (Plateau above DMC)
• Tuesday afternoon – 1.30pm to 5.30pm – Guided walk to Les Cretes d’Huez (the ridges of Huez)
• Wednesday morning – 9am to 12.45pm – Guided walk to La Foret d’Oz (the Forest of Oz)
• Wednesday afternoon 1.30pm to 5pm - Guided walk to the Plateau de la Rochette (Plateau above DMC)
• Thursday morning – 9am to 1pm – Guided walk to Le Lac Blanc et sa haute montage (up around 2700 metre down to La Folie Douce)
• Thursday afternoon – 1.30pm to 5pm – Guided walk to the Les Gorges de Sarenne (the Sarenne gorge)
• Friday morning – 9am to 12.45pm - Guided walk to Les Cretes d’Huez (the ridges of Huez)
• Friday afternoon – 1.30pm to 5pm – Guided walk to the Les Cretes du Lac Noir (the ridges around Lac Noir)
• Saturday & Sunday – Available for reservations, private parties and bookings

On the whole the easier “tours” are those at the beginning of week, and they gradually get tougher as the week goes along – so if you planning to walk every day your overall fitness levels will increase as the week goes along – so just bear this in mind.

As is the case with most mountain activities the itinerary is subject to change in the event of poor weather.

Why not give snow shoe a go in conjunction with a bit of bird watching, there's a huge array of wildlife up here in the mountains.

Guided night walks are also available and generally start at 5.30pm and 7pm and can be with or without meals at mountain restaurants – whichever you prefer – what better way to build up an appetite?

All you need to bring along with you is:

• Cold weather clothing
• Walking or “snow” shoes/boots (the same as you would walk around town in)
• A small bag for a drink and snack (small rucksack)
• Sunglasses and sun-cream
• A camera/Go-Pro/etc

Costs for the guided walks are, including your “rackets”:

• Half day – 23€
• Full day – 45€
• 5x Half day tours – 100€
• Private group bookings – From half day 180€/full day 240€
• You will need a lift pass – Don’t panic if you havent got one – you can get them for 7.50€ half day/14.50€ full day

Further information and booking is available by calling +33 6 73 32 81 89 – English spoken.

A number of other activity companies also offer snow shoe experiences, so give them a call to find out their availability. It's also worth noting that you can pick up snow shoes (and poles if you need them) from most of the ski hire / sports shops.