Glide through beautiful Alpine landscapes and build confidence on skis with expert guidance on this cross country skiing break for beginners and early improvers.
Location: Queyras, Crévoux, Guillestre, French Alps
*please note that this cannot be accumulated with other discounts.
Cross country ski your way through some of the most beautiful Nordic ski domains in the southern French Alps on this 3-day beginner-friendly holiday based in Guillestre.
Explore the high altitude trails of Arvieux, Ceillac and Crévoux, build confidence with expert coaching, and discover why the Queyras massif and the mountains above the Serre Ponçon valleys are such a winter paradise for cross country skiers.
Expect peaceful snowy landscapes, snow-laden trees, icy rivers, frozen waterfalls and quiet mountain scenery as you learn to glide, develop your skills and enjoy relaxed lunches in local restaurants
This trip is designed as a gentle but rewarding introduction to cross country skiing. Each day, your guide takes you from Guillestre to a different Nordic area, where you will spend time learning the techniques of balance, glide and control before putting them into practice on short tours and easy pistes. With two sessions a day, plenty of time to progress, and lunches booked in local mountain restaurants, the holiday combines skill-building with the pleasure of exploring the winter landscape at a relaxed pace.
The southern French Alps are an ideal place to learn. These quieter mountain valleys are known for their reliable snow, sunny climate and varied high altitude Nordic ski domains, offering a more peaceful and authentic alternative to busy downhill resorts. Expect snow-laden trees, icy rivers, frozen waterfalls and wide open views as you learn to ski in one of the Alps’ most rewarding winter regions.
You do not need any previous skiing experience, but a good level of fitness will help you enjoy the trip. If you regularly hike, go to the gym, practise Nordic walking or do endurance sports, you will be well suited to it. Cross country skiing is a cardiovascular activity, but as your technique improves, the effort feels smoother and more efficient, and you can always go at your own pace.
This trip is perfect for:
If you’re looking to take the next step after this trip, you might also enjoy our intermediate cross country skiing short break, where you’ll develop your technique further, try skating and experience biathlon. It is sometimes possible to bolt this on to the end of your trip to make a full week.
We’ve designed this trip to support a different kind of winter tourism. Instead of contributing to the mass tourism of big downhill ski resorts, this holiday brings visitors to smaller mountain villages and Nordic ski areas, helping support local businesses and people whose livelihoods are not tied only to the alpine ski industry.
By staying in one base in Guillestre, using local guides, and choosing independent hotels and restaurants, more of your money goes straight back into the communities you visit.
We also make a contribution on your behalf to rewilding projects with Mossy Earth, and offer a 3% discount for anyone travelling to Guillestre by train to encourage lower-impact travel
No — this trip is designed for complete beginners as well as early improvers. Your guide will introduce all the essential techniques from scratch and help you build confidence over the three days.
A good level of fitness will help you enjoy the trip. If you regularly hike, go to the gym, practise Nordic walking or do endurance sports, you will be well suited. Cross country skiing is a cardiovascular activity, but you can always go at your own pace as your technique improves.
This trip focuses on classic cross country skiing, the best technique for beginners. You will learn how to balance, glide and control your speed before progressing onto gentle hills and short tours.
Each day includes around 2 hours of skiing in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon, with a relaxed lunch in a local mountain restaurant in between. There is plenty of time to learn, practise and enjoy the surroundings without feeling rushed.
Because some travellers already have their own cross country ski equipment, we do not include hire as standard in the trip price. If you do not have your own skis, boots and poles, we can arrange hire for you and organise everything in advance. We will be in touch before your trip to find out who needs equipment and book it for you. You can expect to pay around €15–€20 per day for equipment hire.
You will need warm, breathable layers suitable for active winter sports, including a base layer, mid layer, waterproof jacket, gloves, hat and sunglasses. Cross country skiing is an active sport, so lighter, flexible clothing is usually more comfortable than heavy ski gear. If you are unsure, we will send you a detailed kit list before your trip and are happy to advise. You can also view our full kit list here: cross country skiing kit list.
You will explore a different Nordic ski domain each day, typically Arvieux, Ceillac and Crévoux. These areas offer quiet trails, beautiful scenery and ideal terrain for learning. Your guide may adapt locations depending on snow and weather conditions to ensure the best experience.
Breakfast is included with your accommodation. Lunches are taken in local mountain restaurants on the ski domains, and dinners are in Guillestre where we organise restaurant bookings so you can enjoy some of the best local cuisine. Meals are paid for locally.
Yes — you will be part of a small group of like-minded travellers. It’s a relaxed and friendly way to learn, share the experience and enjoy the social side of the trip.
BY TRAIN / BUS:
WE OFFER A 3% DISCOUNT TO ANYONE TRAVELLING BY TRAIN INSTEAD OF PLANE. To claim your 3% discount, you will need to show us proof of train travel for routes of over 3 hours that could have been taken by plane. Please ask when you book.
The nearest train station to Guillestre is the Mont Dauphin - Guillestre station which is 4km from the village centre where your hotel is. For the last 4km there are buses (some paid and some free) or you can get a taxi. We can help organise grouping you together with other participants for a shared taxi nearer the time.
There are train links to Guillestre from Grenoble or Marseille TGV station there is also an overnight sleeper train from Paris to Guillestre.
There is also a regular coach service which operates from Aix-en-Provence TGV directly to Gap from where you can get a train to Guillestre.
You can plan your train journey using the Oui SNCF website. This works from all major European cities.
BY PLANE:
The nearest airports are Marseilles (MRS) and Grenoble (GNB). From Marseille airport there is a regular coach service directly to Gap every two and a half hours, from where you can get the local train to Guillestre. Or you can get the shuttle into Marseille St Charles train station and get a train directly to Guillestre from there. Plan your journey using this website.
From Grenoble you would need to get the airport shuttle to the train station and then a train from Grenoble to Guillestre.
Please ask us about transport options when you enquire as we have become pros on getting people to this beautiful region!
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