Tag Archives: Nordic Skiing

Switzerland, Graubünden: Biathlon & Night skiing (Day 2)

Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

The Biathlon Arena Lanzerheide

Okay, today the weather is not good. But this second day in Grisons is one of the most exciting of the last months! This morning, our small team is going to try a new activity: biathlon at the Biathlon Arena Lenzerheide. As always, I don’t think too much before. Guess what? I have no specific idea about the program! I imagined a very physical cross-country session, plus something, but what exactly? Nope!

According to the definition of Wikipedia: “The biathlon, from the Latin bi,” two “, and the Greek athlon (ἆθλον) “combat, struggle”, is a competition combining two disciplines. By tradition, when we talk about biathlon, we talk about the combination of cross-country skiing and rifle shooting”.

Quickly we forget Nordic skiing and concentrate on the sporting shooting, partly due to the fact that it is snowing and also to avoid disturbing the Swiss national team training. I’ve never done sporting shooting! After a theoretical initiation given by a famous trainer, we are all aligned, lying on the snow, facing our respective targets. And it’s great, despite the cold and bad weather!

 

Above: Photo 1, I try to aim one of the small targets facing me. To shoot when you are stand up is much more difficult than laid on the ground. It is not easy to remain perfectly still, to aim well, arm and reach the target. Very quickly the arms shake! Photo 2, the training air seen from the cafe of the Biathlon Arena Lenzerheide.  

Below: Photo 1, the biathlon rifle. Photo 2, the targets with the bullet impacts. When l am not stand up, I can reach the small targets without problem. But standing it is very disappointing! The small targets are the inner darker circles in the the big black circles. Photo 3, While training: one of the athletes of the Swiss national team.

Back To The Hotel

The weather Clears Up

Light lunch and long break at the restaurant of the Hotel Schweizerhof Lenzerheide. Then we pick up our ski equipment rented at the Sportshop Pesko, located opposite the hotel. Surprising detail: an ibex seems to climb one of the store’s giant walls (pictured above).

Night Skiing

SnowNights 

You won’t see much! My smartphone has a very poor definition in low lights, sorry! I ski at night for the first time (video below)! And frankly, it’s GREAT! I loved it so much that we did twice the slopes for the beginners before we stopped at a mountain restaurant!

And I prefered skiing quiet with a monitor, because all the rest of our little team has a very good level of skiing and snowboarding. Just a tip: forget the dinner in a slope restaurant, because then going back on slopes becomes pretty problematic! Especially if you are tired (LOL)!

 

Photos & Vidéos : © Mademoiselle Le K – Tous droits réservés.

Informations  

Graubünden FerienFerienregion Lenzerheide, Arosa TourismSWISSSwiss Travel System (STS)Switzerland TourismBiathlon Arena Lenzerheide, SnowNights

Related posts : DESTINATIONS & HOTEL REVIEWS

Many thanks to the Graubünden Ferien, Lenzerhaide, Arosa, Switzerland Tourism, SWISS and Swiss Travel System (STS) for this beautiful invitation. As always, these are my opinions.

Skiing & Driving a Ski Trail Groomer in La Tania, France

France-La-Tania-Ski-Resort-5-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

The Arrival @ La Tania

France-La-Tania-Ski-Resort-4-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

The Small Resort That Rises

ideally located between Courchevel and Méribel. When I arrive from Meribel, it snows a lot. The drive was fast. And I decide to do a walking tour in the station crossed by the slopes and surrounded by fir trees (pictures below). I love fir trees! A real addiction!

I discovered La Tania or La Tagna meaning “the den of bears” in Savoyard dialect. The resort will celebrate its 25th anniversary in April. This is the newest of the 3 Vallées, the largest ski area in the world. Less known than Courchevel, but very near Courchel, La Tania offers accommodations at more affordable prices.

 I really like the area of wooden chalets, all different from each other (photo above). As the surfaces are large with modern amenities and concierge service, renting a chalet with friends or family is interesting. In the first picture of the post: the view, firs, snow from a superb chalet … isn’t it beautiful?   

France-La-Tania-Ski-Resort-1-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K France-La-Tania-Ski-Resort-2-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K France-La-Tania-Ski-Resort-3-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

Cross Country Skiing

France-La-Tania-Ski-Resort-Cross-Country-Skiing-Nordic-Skiing-Meribel-Altiport-1-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

The Magic of The Landscape

The last (and unique) time I did cross-country skiing, I was a pre-teen! So when in early afternoon I pick up my equipment, I was so surprised by the light weight of my boots and skis! Then I joined Adeline Girard, my ski instructor which is a former ski champion.

We drive to Meribel Altiport / La Tania, where we park in front of Le Blanchot restaurant, the starting point of the routes in the forest, with trails of various levels (blue, red … like in Alpine skiing). Nature is fantastic! And Adeline immediately knows how to put at ease.

What a fantastic afternoon in cross country, everything is magic! I also learnt that cross-country ski trails are groomed (in the pictures below, you can see the rails on each side of the track). And when I lift my head, I can admire the top of trees … Even cross country skiing is more physical than skiing, you forget the effort in the scenery. And we ski until the dusk.

France-La-Tania-Ski-Resort-Cross-Country-Skiing-Nordic-Skiing-Meribel-Altiport-2-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le KFrance-La-Tania-Ski-Resort-Cross-Country-Skiing-Nordic-Skiing-Meribel-Altiport-3-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K France-La-Tania-Ski-Resort-Cross-Country-Skiing-Nordic-Skiing-Meribel-Altiport-4-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K France-La-Tania-Ski-Resort-Cross-Country-Skiing-Nordic-Skiing-Meribel-Altiport-5-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le KFrance-La-Tania-Ski-Resort-Cross-Country-Skiing-Nordic-Skiing-Meribel-Altiport-8-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le KFrance-La-Tania-Ski-Resort-Cross-Country-Skiing-Nordic-Skiing-Meribel-Altiport-6-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K  France-La-Tania-Ski-Resort-Cross-Country-Skiing-Nordic-Skiing-Meribel-Altiport-11-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le KFrance-La-Tania-Ski-Resort-Cross-Country-Skiing-Nordic-Skiing-Meribel-Altiport-12-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K  France-La-Tania-Ski-Resort-Ski-Slope-Machine-Snow-Groomer-2-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

Driving The Ski Trail Groomer

France-La-Tania-Ski-Resort-Ski-Slope-Machine-Snow-Groomer-1-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

The New Experience!

Yes I did it! Around 6 p.m., I meet the professional driver of a ski trail groomer to have a ride and see in real conditions how tracking the ski trails and driving a 700,000 Euros machine (if I correctly remember)!

I am like a kid, super excited to be behind the scenes! And when the driver asks me if I’d like to drive the machine, I was so happy! So I start driving on trails that lead to Courchevel. I am so focused (a bit too much, lol!) … And the machine is so sensitive that I dare not step on the accelerator!

Then around 8 p.m. I go back to La Tania through deserted slopes! I’m SO tired that I let the restaurant and directly go to bed! It was an exciting endless day!

France-La-Tania-Ski-Resort-Ski-Slope-Machine-Snow-Groomer-3-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

Photos : © Mademoiselle Le K – Tous droits réservés.

Informations  

www.latania.comwww.les3vallees.com  

For cross country skiing or skiing lessons, you can contact the ESF La Tania : +33 (0)4 79 08 80 39 and Adeline Girard: +33 (0)6 30 36 56 13.

Related posts : DESTINATIONSHOTEL REVIEWS & LIFESTYLE

Many thanks to the 3 Vallées and La Tania Tourist Office for this exciting invitation. Big thanks to Adeline Girard and the ski trail groomer driver. As always these opinions are my own.