Ski tours take place at the resorts

On this Friday morning in December, blue boulevard style in the Deau-Alpes region (Isère), a few small groups ski down the other side of the slope. Like salmon moving upstream, they rise in a single mass at the edge of the path, their steps energetic, their heels freed from their bindings. A playground like any other for fans of this “ski tour”, which are more and more numerous in mountain resorts.

“Some people climb the slopes for pure physical exercise, right on the cardio side. Others just want to ski everywhere and within its boundaries before venturing into less safe areas., explains Eric Boucher, director of the Deux-Alpes Tourist Office. Gradually, the resort began to develop specific routes, especially in the Valle Blanche sector. The path, almost deserted, develops between fir trees, with a regular difference in height. Finally, we put our shoes back on and go on a classic ski track. “What I like about ski touring is the nature side, away from the crowds, Comments by David Garcia, ski instructor in winter and handyman in summer. Compared to downhill skiing, we spend time observing the scenery. And we see more animal tracks than beer cans! »

For a long time, this niche sport was mainly in natural spaces. “It was from 2010 that we started to see more and more ski touring skiers in the ski areas”says Dominik Kreziak, academician, co-author of the work A ski tour blurs the slopes (editions du Fournel, 2022). And then came the winter of 2020-2021, during which the cable cars were shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Ski touring, done downhill, flat or uphill (thanks to the removable grip ‘sealskins’ tucked under the tips), doesn’t require one. “This practice has been discovered by a completely new audience. It really blew up on the stations that year.”explains Laurent Renault, general delegate of the ski lift union Domaines skiables de France.

8% of ski sales.

Union Sport et Cycle, which unites equipment manufacturers, calculated that sales of touring skis during the pandemic winter reached 50,000 pairs, compared to 35,000 pairs previously. “Since then, we’ve gone backwards, but the practice has evolved.”, notes Bryce Blankar of the Sports and Cycling Union. The market represents about 8% of ski sales.