Perched on the high plateaus of Megève, seasoned cross-country skiers, fans of the classic style or loyal skaters meet in the Nordic area to indulge in the pleasure of skiing. Delimited by green, blue, red or black markers indicating the degree of difficulty, the Nordic trails offer 45 kilometers of skiing in the heart of a wild nature, where snowy forests, sunny plateaus and immaculate fields draw the landscape.

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Private alpine/cross-country/snow lessons with the ESF

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Cross-country skiing lessons / Biathlon

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Private Biathlon lessons

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Day, half-day formula in private lesson with the ESF

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Go on an adventure on our 45 km of Nordic trails

With family or friends, cross-country skiing is an ideal activity to share. But now, your friends have hardly set off on the track like professionals in the discipline when you are already with your buttocks on the ground trying to get up. Still on the starting line, you try to coordinate your movements and keep your balance while your friends, already at the other end of the track, wait for you impatiently... Then an idea comes to you: why not take some cross-country skiing?

From initiation to very technical slopes, from sporty climbs to fun descents, from sunny plateaus to snow-covered forests, state-certified ski instructors will advise and accompany you to get to grips with the equipment and master the different cross-country skiing techniques. Whether it's alternative or skating, the instructors help you coordinate your movements, keep your balance, make turns and even brake without falling.

Whether you are a curious beginner wishing to learn, a skating enthusiast wishing to improve or a seasoned cross-country skier wishing to improve, our instructors will accompany you in the achievement of all your objectives, even that of becoming the new Martin Fourcade. !

Discover the Nordic domain of Megève
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Which cross-country skiers are you?

A ski destination par excellence, Megève is the ideal resort for learning cross-country skiing. But among all the practices, which one to choose? Classic cross-country skiing for hiking in complete serenity and taking the time to contemplate the beauty of the landscapes? Skating cross-country skiing to keep in shape and get out of your comfort zone? Or the biathlon to carry out a fun activity with family or friends? To help you find the practice that suits your desires and your objectives, we have grouped together all the characteristics of the different cross-country skiing techniques below. You will only have to choose… or not!

  • Classic cross-country skiing

Ideal for lovers of wide open spaces and contemplatives, classic cross-country skiing, also called alternative, is similar to a sliding walk. At the origin of this discipline, classic cross-country skiing was once the traditional technique of movement. Today, it consists of advancing in two parallel rails whose movements of the arms and legs are identical to those of walking or running. Here, the cross-country skier progresses in the axis with the help of poles, alternately leaning on one foot on the other. Unlike skating, the skis remain in contact with the snow 90% of the time and are equipped with an anti-recoil system, effective in propelling themselves forward and thus improving their progress. Perfect for learning Nordic skiing, the classic technique is easier to acquire thanks to its movement similar to sliding walking.

© Municipality of Megève
  • Cross-country skiing

This more modern technique requires some basic cross-country skiing. Perfect for seasoned athletes and seasoned skiers, cross-country skating, also called freestyle, is practiced only on groomed trails by sliding like an ice skater or rollerblader, while helping each other simultaneously sticks. More physical and more technical, skating cross-country skiing offers unique sliding sensations, where speed and surpassing oneself are the key words. In skating, the skis are shorter and the poles bigger for better propulsion. Unlike classic cross-country skiing, here the soles do not have a retention zone for better glide

  • Biathlon

This practice, which combines endurance, concentration and precision, is undoubtedly one of the most difficult in cross-country skiing. Consisting of performing a succession of shots lying down or standing interspersed with more or less long cross-country skiing distances, the practice of biathlon requires good physical conditions and a solid foundation in cross-country skiing. Because to aim well, you have to be able to control your heart rate and have a certain flexibility, especially when the shots are made to lie down with your skis on! The rifle, which weighs at least 3,2 kilos, contains 5 bullets for the 5 targets positioned at a distance of 50 meters. Biathlon is therefore a complete practice which makes the muscles intensely work for the laps of the track and the brain for the shooting sessions.

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Did you know?

Although the origins of cross-country skiing date back over 5 years in Scandinavia, it only really made its appearance in Canada in the 000s. Once used for winter travel, cross-country skiing is now now a sliding sport in its own right. Very heavy, unwieldy, awkward fastening systems, the first skis were neither comfortable nor functional to such an extent that skiers took them off to carry them uphill. Originally, skis were made of unlaminated wood, measured between 1890 and 2,5 meters in length and 4 mm in width and were only used with a single stick.

It was not until 1915 that the Norwegian Thorleaf Haug invented screwed steel bindings, thus offering easier cross-country skiing. Much more robust, the skis are shorter (less than 2,5 m), narrower (less than 60 mm), lighter (less than 1 kg each), and are used with two bamboo sticks.

But it was really in the mid-80s that cross-country skiing developed with revolutionary technical innovations, greatly reducing the complexity of preparation and simplifying sports practice. The skis are then extremely light and robust offering a much faster glide, the new bindings allow better control at high speed and waxing techniques are emerging with a wide variety of glide and grip waxes for all conditions. snow.

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