To meet the expectations of many tourists wishing to combine the pleasure of skiing or snowboarding with other activities on snow, many ski resorts now offer the opportunity to try snowmobiling. Snowmobiling tours often take place on the ski slopes early in the morning, before the ski area even opens, giving you the chance to appreciate the mountains at sunrise. However, originally, particularly in Canada where this machine originates, snowmobiles were used to reach inaccessible areas in winter or isolated hamlets. Now, snowmobiles allow you to discover unspoiled and untouched parts of the mountains while on your ski holiday.
Snowmobiling (also known as skidooing in Canada) was developed in Quebec by a well-known industry businessman, Joseph Armand Bombardier, in rather tragic circumstances. He could not take his son to the hospital in time because of bad weather and snow conditions and so he wanted to build a machine able to go anywhere in the winter, regardless of the track or road, without having to resort to dog sledding. He had the idea to combine a large caterpillar driving system at the back for propulsion and two small skis at the front to allow real agility on the snow, however deep. Now, thanks to their versatility, snowmobiles have become indispensable tools for ski patrollers and mountain workers who need to get around ski areas quickly and safely. But it is now possible for all tourists to discover the pleasure of driving these powerful machines on the snow.
The majority of tourists who try snowmobiling, learn to control their vehicle on marked and groomed slopes in the ski area before venturing further afield. Most French ski resorts now offer the possibility to hire snowmobiles. To cite a few examples; Chamrousse, La Plagne, Serre Chevalier and Montgenevre. In the latter 2 ski resorts, you will find the company Sun Scoot, which organises night-time snowmobiling tours to discover hidden corners of the Milky Way ski area. The pilot will get a kick from driving a powerful 500cm3 snowmobile, while the passenger can enjoy the beauty of the landscape, in the last rays of the day’s sun, along the 25 km route – while holding on tight of course! It’s even possible to dine in a mountain restaurant on the Franco-Italian border, returning to the ski resort shortly before midnight. An unforgettable moment from €80 per couple!
It is relatively unusual to have the privilege of driving a snowmobile in deep powder, leaving tracks in the middle of pristine valleys. However, no need to fly to Canada, which is known as snowmobiling paradise, you simply need to book your ski holiday in Vars or Risoul in the Southern Alps. In Vars Les Claux, monitors from Winterscoot, will take you into a protected off-piste area (weather permitting), surrounded by larch trees. You will quickly understand that snowmobiling, although originally designed as a mode of transport, has become just another wonderful snow sport to be discovered on a ski holiday!
All photos from Sun Scoot in Serre Chevalier and Montgenevre.
To meet the expectations of many tourists wishing to combine the pleasure of skiing or snowboarding with other activities on snow, many ski resorts now offer the opportunity to try snowmobiling. Snowmobiling tours often take place on the ski slopes early in the morning, before the ski area even opens, giving you the chance to appreciate the mountains at sunrise. However, originally, particularly in Canada where this machine originates, snowmobiles were used to reach inaccessible areas in winter or isolated hamlets. Now, snowmobiles allow you to discover unspoiled and untouched parts of the mountains while on your ski holiday.
Snowmobiling (also known as skidooing in Canada) was developed in Quebec by a well-known industry businessman, Joseph Armand Bombardier, in rather tragic circumstances. He could not take his son to the hospital in time because of bad weather and snow conditions and so he wanted to build a machine able to go anywhere in the winter, regardless of the track or road, without having to resort to dog sledding. He had the idea to combine a large caterpillar driving system at the back for propulsion and two small skis at the front to allow real agility on the snow, however deep. Now, thanks to their versatility, snowmobiles have become indispensable tools for ski patrollers and mountain workers who need to get around ski areas quickly and safely. But it is now possible for all tourists to discover the pleasure of driving these powerful machines on the snow.
The majority of tourists who try snowmobiling, learn to control their vehicle on marked and groomed slopes in the ski area before venturing further afield. Most French ski resorts now offer the possibility to hire snowmobiles. To cite a few examples; Chamrousse, La Plagne, Serre Chevalier and Montgenevre. In the latter 2 ski resorts, you will find the company Sun Scoot, which organises night-time snowmobiling tours to discover hidden corners of the Milky Way ski area. The pilot will get a kick from driving a powerful 500cm3 snowmobile, while the passenger can enjoy the beauty of the landscape, in the last rays of the day’s sun, along the 25 km route – while holding on tight of course! It’s even possible to dine in a mountain restaurant on the Franco-Italian border, returning to the ski resort shortly before midnight. An unforgettable moment from €80 per couple!
It is relatively unusual to have the privilege of driving a snowmobile in deep powder, leaving tracks in the middle of pristine valleys. However, no need to fly to Canada, which is known as snowmobiling paradise, you simply need to book your ski holiday in Vars or Risoul in the Southern Alps. In Vars Les Claux, monitors from Winterscoot, will take you into a protected off-piste area (weather permitting), surrounded by larch trees. You will quickly understand that snowmobiling, although originally designed as a mode of transport, has become just another wonderful snow sport to be discovered on a ski holiday!
All photos from Sun Scoot in Serre Chevalier and Montgenevre.
Being lucky enough to have parents who were crazy about skiing, my love for the mountains started when I was 4 years old on our first family ski holiday to Austrian ski resort of Obergurl. One ski holiday a year was never enough and tears rolled down my face as I looked out the back window of the car on the drive down the valley on the way home!
