Express Slides

In the Valley, sledding isn’t just for young children. It’s an experience, a test of self-deprecating humor, and sometimes a very real challenge to your motor skills. Ready to let go of the brake?

Every village has its own spot

In Servoz, the groomed natural trail known as La Tour can be reached on foot via the Grangiat trail. One run down, one climb back up. One run down, one climb back up… And then that sudden realization, with your heart racing: no, sledding isn’t a “leisurely” activity for whoever’s pulling the little Eskimo along in their sled.

In Les Houches, at the dedicated Tourchet area, toddlers take their first slides while their parents (seasoned riders) experience the sheer terror of watching their kids go just a little too fast. A little higher up at the top of the Prarion gondola, a wide, gentle slope… Where even the older kids still find a way to race each other. “Your helaaaam! Yes, even if it’s just for one run!”

In Cham’, the Bois du Bouchet offers urban sledding. Just a stone’s throw from downtown, and after a round of hot chocolate with whipped cream and marshmallows, we alternate between sledding, shoveling, and “one last time, then we’re off” (a lie).

In Vallorcine, there’s a bucolic atmosphere at the two sledding areas in Le Buet and La Courzille, not far from the larch trees and the Eau Noire torrent. It’s beautiful, it’s peaceful… Until the first uncontrolled skid. Snow all over your back. Disaster.

Looking for something a little more daring? Head to Les Chosalets in Argentière, where you’ll ditch the sleds and shovels for snow tubing—those big tubes that might just send you soaring.

Ready to level up?

Get ready for thrills on the must-try Alpine Coaster sled run in the Planards ski area in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc: a 1,300-meter-long roller coaster on rails, featuring steep turns, 540° spins, jumps, and waves. You’re pulled up, you zoom down, and you come out laughing. Alone or with a partner, with that little existential doubt right before the first turn.

The final boss at the end of the level: the paret. This traditional wooden sled with a single runner was once used by children in Savoie to get around. Cute? It has no power steering, no filters, and no mercy. With Evolution 2, every Thursday night, we race down part of the Grands Montets slopes after the resort closes. The slopes are yours—far more so than your random trajectories.