Forget skiing this year - why not try a different activity? Most resorts have a whole host of other pastimes to try. From adrenaline-fuelled paragliding to the newfangled ‘ruisseling’, there’s something for everyone.
1 Take some time to enjoy the winter wonderland around you (instead of whizzing past it on skis) and spend a day snowshoeing. At Alpe d’Huez, veteran snowshoer Jean-Francois Capelle will take you well off the beaten track and you’ll crunch through virgin snow in woods, down valleys and into deserted villages. It’s like being in Narnia, minus the witch and the lion.
2 Enter a world of ice sculptures carved deep into the mountainside at many resorts across the Alps. Since 1993, ski guides Bruno Gardent and Bernard Lambolez have been carving spectacular ice sculptures in their ice grottoes each along a different theme. Sadly, the cave at Tignes fell victim to global warming, so get along to see the others while you can.
3 After the skiers have left the slopes for the afternoon, they become the domain of the skidoo. This vehicle (‘motoneige’ in French) is a little like a motorbike on skis, and whizzes you up the mountain as the sun goes down. At Tignes, you can combine the trip with dinner in a Mongolian yurt before tobogganing back down the mountain.
4 If you fancy a late-afternoon excursion that is a little more eco-friendly, why not ascend the slopes under puppy-power? Most resorts offer husky-sled trips and it’s a highly amusing way to spend an hour or two.
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As you sit in the sleigh with the trainer behind you, the dogs speed off up the mountain, with the trainer yelling instructions at them in a combination of dog-speak and French. They’ll take you to remote parts of the ski area where you can enjoy the views in silent contemplation (when the dogs are quiet of course).
5 Jeremy Clarkson eat your heart out! In Val d’Isère it’s you who gets to drive like a maniac on an ice circuit. Choose between a go-kart, quad bike and a 4x4 with snow tyres and then pit your wits against the super-smooth surface of ice. Swerve around corners, speed up on the straights and – here comes the sensible bit – build your confidence for driving in snowy conditions.
6 All that cold air can take its toll on your skin, so when you’ve had enough of the snow, check yourself in for a pamper. The French Alps boast some of the country’s best spas. At Le Grand Spa at Brides-les-Bains, near M?ribel, you can sign yourself up for a slimming regime using all manner of strange jet baths and that will improve circulation and banish cellulite.
More relaxing, meanwhile, is the world-class spa at Evian-les-Bains, next to Lake Geneva. Failing that, most resorts will have their own spas in which you can ease those inevitable ski-induced aches and pains.
7 Those feeling the need for speed needn’t miss out if they’re not skiing. Val Thorens boasts the France’s longet toboggan run that will have you swerving and turning for 6 kilometres. Meanwhile, over at Les Menuires the Roc’n Bob offers a 4km run.
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8 French ski resorts have given themselves a dose of festival fever in recent years and there are some great events going on this season. Comedian Marcus Brigstocke’s Altitude Festival from 20-26th March in M?ribel features stand-up comedians, guest DJs and music from France, Britain and North America.
If you can’t wait that long, get along to Alpe d’Huez for its comedy film festival in January or the European film festival in Les Arcs starting on December 5.
9 At the start of each ski season, you can be sure that there’ll be a new activity being introduced that you’ve never heard of before. This year I’ve stumbled across ‘ruisseling’. The name comes from the French word for ‘streams’ and, as that might suggest, it involves walking along frozen streams and waterfalls in crampons.
Try it in the Haute-Maurienne national park and if you fancy a more adrenalin-fuelled version of the activity, you can climb up a frozen waterfall.
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10 Beginner skiers may often feel as though they’re about to jump off the side of a mountain, but how about doing this for real? A tandem paragliding jaunt gives you the chance to get higher than any ski lift can take you and to see your resort from a birds’ eye view. No sooner have you run the first few steps down the hill and let the canopy sweep you off your feet, you’ll be floating above the crowds enjoying unparalleled views.
Carolyn Boyd is editor of France Magazine, Britain and North America’s best-selling magazine about French travel and culture. Go to www.subscription.co.uk/france to get three issues for £3 or buy a single copy (£3.99). Follow France Magazine on Twitter, or join France Mag on Facebook.