Oh, we do love a good winter update from our favourite resorts, and this year they’re coming in earlier than ever before! On the agenda today is some news about the new pistes in Avoriaz for winter 2019 / 20, which prove the resort’s commitment to making the mountains accessible to all types of skier and snowboarder. Coming this winter, Avoriaz will be opening three new pistes, two of which will be ski touring pistes for uphill travel only, similarly to what Les Gets is building over on Mont Chéry.
However, Avoriaz has been investing in specialised touring pistes for a good few years now, and just last year put in a new slope for that very purpose. It takes ski tourers and split-boarders all the way from the base of the Prodains cable car to the top of Arare, with the option to start from the centre of Avoriaz as well. This year, the resort has announced it will be building two more touring pistes for ski tourers and splitboarders to get stuck into, ranging from 2km to 6km in length.
Specific touring pistes are becoming more and more prevalent in ski resorts as the sport becomes more popular – after all, touring is great for your fitness, allows you to tune into the beauty and tranquillity of the mountains and then enjoy a fun run down. Slopes reserved just for touring are perfect for those who are just getting into the sport, allowing beginners to learn in a safe and controlled environment while still enjoying the peaceful atmosphere and beautiful scenery that makes touring so great. Furthermore, as more and more people use the pistes for a quick fitness tour in the morning or afternoon, or as an alternative to off-piste routes when the weather is bad, uphill pistes keep everyone using the mountain safe. As dedicated touring slopes are for uphill travel only, both uphill and downhill skiers and snowboarders have their own areas, which reduces the likelihood of accidents.
Alongside new touring pistes, Avoriaz is going to make more use of the Mossette area of the resort with the addition of a new red run. As you may have already heard, Avoriaz is building a new two-chairlift link to Champery – Les Crosets which will be open this winter (find out more HERE) and the new piste will allow skier and snowboarders to make the most of the new lifts. The new slope, Les Cases, will start at the top of the Mossette chairlift and be around 2.5km long, with a 445m altitude difference – and we hear it will have amazing views over les Dents du Midi!
So those are Avoriaz’s ski area developments to look forward to this winter, keep your eyes peeled for more info as the snow comes. We’ll keep you posted with more updates and resort news over the next few months, watch this space!
If you’re keen to learn to ski tour, the safest and easiest way to do so is with the help of a professional! Luckily, lots of local ski schools offer specialised touring lessons, like The Snow Institute, BillSki, and BASS.While we’re really excited about using the touring slopes, it’s important to note that they’ll only be open if the snow conditions are appropriate.
