Cross country in Morzine?

A snowHead

We've been to Morzine many times before, but this year whether or not my parents (read babysitters! wink

) come with us may well be dependant on how easy it would be for my Dad try some cross country skiing. Having never been tempted myself I have no idea how to go about it, so forgive my perhaps stupid questions:

Where near to Morzine can you do it?
How easy is it to get to?
Are the trails graded like normal runs?
Is the cross country in Morzine relatively easy or hard?
I presume it is a good idea to have some sort of lessons?
Would they be group lessons or are private ones available?
Generally speaking how many lessons do you need before you can go it alone?

My Dad started skiing at 60, and having spent a few days on snow over the last 4 years can "do green runs". However he is an active cyclist (still racing) and so quite fit for his age. I think it is his cycling endurance side that is tempting him with the cross country.

Any advice would be good....

A snowHead

Sarah L, It's not my thing so I can't advise on the learning curve but:

There are cross country tracks on the top of Pleney, around Super Morzine and up the Vallee de la Manche.

The first two are dead easy to get to and the third I suspect starts and finishes at the Nyon cable - but I'm not sure about that last point.

AFAIK, they are graded like alpine runs.

My perception of the Pleney tracks is that there's certainly stuff for people to begin on.

Lessons?: I'd presume so too. It's not quite as easy or pedestrian as it looks. Presumably a similar structure to alpine lessons in that group or private will be available.

I think you can probably (like everything else) set out to teach yourself but I expect that will be deeply inefficient.

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Sarah L, I am a beginner cross country skier and when we lived in Morzine I started on the course around the lake at Montriond, its very easy and the ski school in Montriond will be able to provide lessons for you. The tracks go round the lake with an extension taking you up above the lake if you want to make it a longer course. Its extremley picturesque and an ideal place to start the sport. I met many local regulars who were very friendly.The ski bus from Morzine to Les Lindarets passes the lake on its way up to Ardent so take this bus (5 minutes or so from Morzine centre). Cross country equipment is available at good prices from Ardent Sport in Montriond which is also on your way up, googling will find you phone numbers etc. oh and there is a great restaurant to stop at and have a hot chocolate. Depends were you are staying but Pleney will probably be the easiest to reach but the lake at Montriond is worth the small amount of extra effort.

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Sarah L, I would VERY strongly recommend lessons. I am a competent alpine skier but after two entire weeks of very good X-c tuition, in small groups, am still struggling with the much finer balance and technique required for cross-country. It's easy enough to get the hang of the basic steps on fairly level or very slightly uphill terrain (ie gliding, rather than shuffling, and using both poles together to give yourself a shove) but the descents are, at least for me, extremely challenging! You start by learning how to do a "demi chasse neige" my lifting one foot out of the channels and putting it in snowplough position. Requires good balance. Then the channels disappear completely on steeper sections and you do a conventional two legged snowplough - easy enough on alpine skis with metal edges and your boots clamped in. Not so easy on those skinny little jobs, with no edges and only a toe piece fixed! I would suggest he gives Xc a go, but absolutely definitely with an instructor for the first time - until you learn to do the gliding step with your weight forward over the weight bearing foot, which is an elegant thing when you get it right, it's fairly miserable just shuffling. Also, be prepared to fall - I fell a lot. The instructor was very pleased when I started falling over frontwards instead of backwards... that was progress as it meant I was getting my weight over the front foot!

You do see people who have obviously never been taught the gliding techniques just sort of shuffling round those boring valley based "loipes" but, frankly, a walk on snowshoes is a whole lot more fun and you can go wherever you want.

Yes, the pistes are grades like Alpine ones - or at least they are in Les Saisies, which is a top French cross-country resort with 140km of runs, many of them challenging. One big advantage of having an instructor is they can tell you what's round the bend - so if they tell you it's a gentle descent where you can just stay in the rails, take up a good position, and hope for the best as you go round the bend, you can go for it!

Cross country is emphatically not an easy option. I am a little younger than your dad, but not much. I am also a beginner snowboarder and I find snowboarding far, far, easier. For a start, there's a great socking metal edge to help you stop! Also, when you fall it's very easy to stand up again.

If your Dad doesn't take to cross country skiing he might well enjoy snowshoes - really fun, really stable and safe feeling underfoot, and takes five minutes to get used to them.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Sarah L, The cross country piste at Montriond is quite easy especially the part just around the lake, the local schools take very young children here. If you take the longer route above the lake there is only a slight incline coming back down, it really is quite easy and a good place to learn. I'd still have some lesson especially if you want to venture onto steeper routes. The snow shoeing is a good idea I'd probably plan some cross country and snow shoeing.

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Thanks everyone,

Frosty, the lake option sounds great, and we'll have a car so getting around is not a problem.

pam w, you've got me a little bit worried, but if at least he can try, then he'd be happy. He watches it all the time on Eurosport, and I know it really appeals to him.

I think from what you've said and knowing my Dad, private lessons would be the way to go, then he can learn at his own pace.

Thanks again.

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pam w, I've let him know everyone's advice and he's still keen, and it looks like they'll be coming with us. So that's good.

He has done ok with downhill skiing, given the limited amount he has done. Like a lot of beginners though he has a very stiff posture and needs to relax a lot more. He also struggles with chair lifts and after falling over many times getting off them he is now convinced he will fall over long before we reach the top and so invariably does! This knocks his already limited confidence and to be honest it's not much fun falling at any age let alone in your 60's. I think he'd just like to try something a bit different and the cross country really appeals to him.

Thanks for your advice, I had no idea there are different types of technique! Due to complications with getting the accomodation we want we aren't going till 5 April now Shocked

so our options may be limited but something should be available fingers crossed. I'll let you know how he does.

Sarah L, The classic style is the place most start, it will be as hard or easy physically as you want to make it on a flatish course/piste. Falling is not so likely as starting downhill alpine but about the only downside is it can be harder to get up if you're on particularly flat terrain as you don't have a hill to use. I found it a strangley addictive sport though and I hope he enjoys it as much as many do. The course in Montriond was in good shape a couple of years ago well into April as was Avoriaz.

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I gave up on Cross Country years ago, but since living here and having the shop in Morzine I have noticed an ever growing XC population and Morzine Avoriaz in particular have some great prepared Xc tracks to the point that I am now considering going back to it as a means of increasing my Alpine ski fitness. The trails between Avoriaz and Super Morzine are stunningly beautiful and always well prepared.

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Frosty, That's good to know, we've skied several times in Morzine in April so weren't unduly worried, but have obviously never seen the cross country stuff so it's good to know that it's still open that late too.

keithski0806, I wondered if there were any tracks up there, so thanks for that.

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Sarah L,

I don't know Morzine, but do know a bit about cross-country ski-ing. I am with your Dad in that I don't like lifts. Nor do I like crowds and queuing. XC is a good way to have some exercise and a bit of space to enjoy the countryside.

As he is a competitive cyclist, his fitness, balance and co-ordination should transfer well. A good instructor will help a lot. He will probably fall, but the landing tends to be on softer snow and at slower speeds (and not bashed by a lift). It is easier to get up with a free heel and serious injuries are rare because of slower speeds, and fragile equipment which breaks before the body!

As you have a little time before you go, some XC specific training will definitely make the transition from bike to skis easier and reduce muscle soreness, and enable him to take advantage of his fitness. As he is an athlete, I bet he will want to have a go at skating, just for the feel of the speed.

I would suggest the following:

Stretch - especially hips, quads and back. Cyclists tend to have limited flexibility in non-cycling movements.

Walk - especially uphill. Take good long strides and if you don't feel too much of a prat, try to copy the racers uphill classic technique with an arm-swing. This will also stretch out the joints a bit.

Train for balance - Your Dad's balance is probably already excellent, he just needs to learn to balance through one foot rather than his seat. Start by standing on one foot. Progress by bending and straightening leg; next wave arms around; close eyes; or jump lightly from foot to foot, balancing in the landing position.

Train arms - This can be done by adding Nordic walking poles to the walking; or tie some stretch cords or old inner-tubes securely above head height and copy the poling motions from Eurosport; or, if a competent swimmer, do front-crawl and maybe butterfly.

A pair of collapsable Nordic walking poles might be a good investment anyhow. They are not stiff enough for ski-ing, and too heavy, but they are great for walking around the resort, and for winter-hiking, which seems to be a big thing in Austria and Germany. I don't know if it has reached Morzine yet, but it would be a good alternative to the skiing. I guess they would do for snow-shoeing too.

Any questions, just ask and I will try to answer.

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Cross country in Morzine?

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