Skip to main content

Haute-Savoie Creates the Biggest Cross-Country Ski Area in France

One pass for thousands of kilometres of ski de fond trails

Featured in
News & Reviews
Author
Alison Shayler, Chamonix Reporter
Updated

In a first for French ski resorts, 24 areas of the northern Alps have joined together to form the Nordic Haute-Savoie, a massive cross-country ski domain.

All resorts within the area have unified their cross-country ski pass prices and sales system, meaning that you can purchase or reload your pass from any of the 24 resorts - including online from the comfort of your home.

The Nordic Pass 74 gives access to all the cross-country ski trails in the Haute-Savoie - as well as a 50% discount in Suisse Romande (Switzerland) and Val d'Aosta (Italy).

There is also the introduction of the Nordic Pass Rhône-Alpes, which gives access to 83 circuits in the 7 departments of the region: Ain, Ardèche, Drôme, Isère, Loire, Savoie and Haute-Savoie - over 5000km of pisted trails.

The aim of the initiative is to make it easier for people to enjoy cross-country skiing, wherever they are, and to attract more people to the sport. Cross-country skiing is easy to learn, great exercise and a wonderful alternative to Alpine skiing on bad weather days. The equipment is also inexpensive to hire from most ski hire shops. You can read more in our guide to cross-country skiing in Chamonix.

Both passes can be bought online at Nordic Pass 74 and you can find the local cross country ski trails on our Maps Page

With the first major snowfall of the season forecast for this weekend, we’re waxing our cross-country skis and getting excited already!

Latest News & Reviews

Find out all about what is happening in the Chamonix valley and how to make the most of your time here. The latest news, reviews of fun activities, current events and the trendiest restaurants, as well as interviews with leading locals, insider's guides and our top choices for things to do, see and experience in the valley. Plus, during the winter season, our famous snow reports and dump alerts all in the same place.

See allLatest News & Reviews
Cooling down in Chamonix this summer 2019
Marathon du Mont Blanc 2017
the French entrance to the mont blanc tunnel
Latest gear - best new clothing for spring 2019
Latest gear - Mountain running equipment for 2019

Upcoming Events

Chamonix hosts a wide range of sporting events throughout the year. The biggest ones include the Mont Blanc Marathon in June and the UTMB trail running race in August. In March, the Unlimited Festival brings ravers to the mountains while Musilac Mont Blanc takes place a month later. At the end of July, the Cosmo Jazz Festival hosts concerts all around the valley.

See allUpcoming Events
Les Houches Market
What's on for Halloween 2018 in Chamonix
an image of a person with red gloves holding a snow heart