Do you think you have made the rounds of winter sports? Tired of going down the slopes on skis or snowboard?
This year, Sport Equipements invites you to test unusual disciplines in order to taste new sensations.
Ice diving, airboarding, wind jumping or even snow-kayaking, discover 12 unexpected winter sports and pick from our list to vary the pleasures during your skiing holidays.
With family or friends, for a quiet trip or a thrilling outing, there is something for everyone!
Also don’t miss: No snow this year, here are 8 original activities to replace skiing in the mountains
Diving under the ice
Unusual activity n° 1 offered in many ski resorts, ice diving is an opportunity to admire magnificent light effects under frozen mountain lakes.
Sessions are organized during the day, but also at night to enjoy a striking show. In France, the Lac du Loup in Val Thorens is renowned for the magic of these underwater waters.
Another spot recommended by ice diving enthusiasts, Lake Font Romeu in the Pyrénées-Orientales offers a striking setting for an unforgettable baptism.
Being towed by a horse in ski joëring
Combining skiing and horse riding wouldn’t have occurred to you? Yet this is what ski joëring offers.
This unusual activity consists of being towed by a horse at a walk or a little too much. An original way to slide to test new sensations.
No particular knowledge in riding is expected, but a minimum level in skiing is recommended (first star).
If you were thrilled by this first test, know that ski joëring is practiced at a high level for guaranteed thrills.
On the program for the skiers-riders, jumps from a springboard while the horse performs obstacle jumps itself. A real sporting discipline for lovers of skiing and horses. In France, the ski areas of Les Arcs, Méribel and Les Gets winter offer initiation sessions.
Skiing between heaven and earth with speedriding
Are you a speed freak and have never tried speedriding?
Take advantage of this winter season to discover this sporting discipline combining skiing and mini-sailing.
Contrary to what one might think, the practice is not reserved for experienced paragliders. Only prerequisite: be comfortable on skis.
After a few tips delivered by an instructor to understand the handling of the sail, you will be ready to take on the slopes!
You can then ride the snow at full speed and take advantage of the sail to gain height.
In France, Val-d’Isère is one of the best resorts to test speedriding.
Climb an icefall
This winter, put on your crampons and set off to climb a natural icefall or an artificial frozen tower. Many ski resorts offer introductory courses or discovery outings to learn about the practice.
This is particularly the case for the ski areas of Tignes and Contamines-Montjoie. The bravest can also have fun on the Champagny-en-Vanoise ice tower, located near Pralognan la Vanoise and 24 meters high! Sensitive to vertigo, abstain.
Attention ! Ascents in natural sites not supervised by a professional are not recommended for amateurs. The ice is friable and requires certain knowledge to avoid the risk of falling.
Descend headfirst on an airboard
A kind of big inflatable sled, the airboard was born in the early 2000s in Switzerland. The practice is also known as snow hydrospeed or winter wakeboarding.
Whatever name you choose, the principle remains the same: slide down more or less steep snow-covered slopes, lying on the sled and installed head first!
Very simple to grasp, the equipment is very easy to control thanks to the presence of edges and allows you to vary the pleasures: speed, slalom, line racing, freeride, etc.
This fun activity is practiced with the family on gentle slopes or on steep descents for thrill seekers.
Inflatable and very light, the airboard slips easily into a bag to be deployed at the top of the slopes, after a great snowshoe hike to enjoy a descent at high speed.
In France, the resort of Chamrousse offers ideal slopes to test this unusual activity and taste new sensations. Apprentice pilots, to your airboard!
Test the wingjump
Do you think you have tested everything on skis? Have you ever heard of the wingjump?
This equipment freshly landed on the slopes offers an innovative concept combining pleasure of sliding, fluidity and stability. It is practiced in all ski areas thanks to its approval on slopes and ski lifts.
The wingjump offers new sliding sensations, accessible to both beginners and experienced skiers.
The sail is put on like a jacket and allows you to go down the slopes enjoying an unprecedented feeling of lightness. The different postures allow you to manage your speed with, as a result, a unique feeling of lift.
Speed, jump, tricks, etc. : the wingjump brings a new dimension to skiing and allows you to taste new sensations.
An unusual discipline to test this winter if you think you’ve figured it out.
The Praz de Lys Sommand ski area notably offers introductory lessons and sails for hire to familiarize yourself with the equipment, before perhaps investing!
Jump on a zip line
What if this year, you fly over the slopes in addition to descending them?
To vary the pleasures, several resorts have installed a zip line above their ski area.
For thrill seekers, here is a (non-exhaustive) list of must-see ziplines in France:
- The two zip lines in Châtel (Haute-Savoie) for a total descent of 2.5 km at almost 100 km/h and more than 240 meters above the slopes. For a double dose of pleasure, it is possible to set off as a duo from the start of the Fantasticable.
- The Val Thorens/Orelle zip line (Savoie) to fly over the glaciers for 1.3 km, suspended above 250 meters of vacuum.
- The Roll’air Cable of Orcières Merlette, one of the largest descents installed in Europe. On the program: 1.8 km of zip line and a drop of 150 meters.
- The Colmiane zip line with its 2 km descent at 130 km/h.
This activity is more and more widespread in the mountains.
You can also enjoy it in Serre Chevalier, Villard-de-Lans (zip line with turns), Autrans-Méaudre, Valmorel, La Plagne, etc.
Slide on the slopes with several people with the snake gliss
Fun and unusual activity par excellence, the snake gliss is to be tested with family or friends.
The principle: hook several giant sleds together before hitting the slopes.
The activity is supervised by a guide and allows you to have fun in complete safety. The snake gliss is notably offered in the resorts of Font-Romeu (Pyrenees) and Val Thorens (Savoie).
Bungee jumping on skis
For the more adventurous, know that it is possible to bungee jump by jumping from a springboard installed in the resort of Tignes.
Equipped with a harness connected to two mobile rubber bands, you will gain momentum on a springboard approximately 30 meters long before soaring into the void, more than 40 meters high.
On the program, a beautiful fall into the void before being caught by the rubber bands. Combining the sensations of springboard jumping, ziplining and bungee jumping, this unusual activity will most certainly be one of the highlights of your winter season.
Practice ice hockey
You certainly know ice hockey, but do you know that this discipline is also practiced under the ice? This extreme sport practiced by experienced freedivers has the same rules as classic hockey.
The goal is therefore to put the puck in the opponent’s goal, with the only difference that the match takes place in frozen lakes or ponds. Chilly abstain!
Moreover, the players do not hesitate to go into contact, even to strike with their sticks, making ice hockey a sport that is certainly unusual, but also dangerous!
Speed off in a bobsleigh
Winter is also an opportunity to test disciplines that are generally watched behind a screen.
Among them, the bobsleigh is one of the unmissable events of the Olympic Games even though few people think of trying it. With friends or family, the activity is nevertheless accessible to all.
So this year, make the most of your ski holiday to set off at more than 80 km/h on a 1.5 km run. In France, the most famous bobsleigh track is that of the La Plagne ski area.
Paddle through powder in a snow kayak
Difficult to do more unusual with this new fashionable practice. Snow kayaking consists (as its name suggests) of going down the slopes… in a kayak, with the help of an oar.
The discipline even has a name: snow-kayaking. However, this new sport faces a major problem: kayaks have difficulty entering the ski lifts.
For the moment, it is not uncommon to see a kayaker towing his equipment to the top of the slopes using the strength of his calves and his abs!
If the practice becomes more democratic, let’s hope that ways will be found to facilitate the ascent of the boats.
Conclusion
This year, make the most of your stay in the mountains to test new and unusual disciplines.
Thanks to this list concocted by Sport Equipements, seize the opportunity to experience new sensations.
Kayaking down the slopes, bungee jumping on skis, ice hockey or ziplining, there are plenty of ideas!
Our winter sports items
