Does anyone do Nordic ( cross country) skiing?

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We’ve had a couple of ski holidays and I can make my way easily down a green and down a blue run with slight terror. Oh, and I’m also scared of chair lifts. At 44, I’m pretty sure I have neither the skill or the inclination to get much further. DH and the kids ( 10 and 13) are better and more confident. I love snowshoe walking, the mountains, tobogganing and all the other snowy fun. Just not the hurtling down a mountain bit. It would be nice to have an activity we could enjoy together and I’m wondering about Nordic skiing. Is it good for nervous skiers? Might my kids find it dull? Would we need to start with individual lessons? Do most ski shops hire out the skis? Is there anything else I need ti know before going it a go? There’s a track at the (tiny) resort we spend time in, and far more facilities in Abondance/ Chatel (45 mins drive). Any thoughts appreciated!

I had a fabulous holiday Nordic skiing many years ago.

I had no ( absolutely zero) experience on skis and I loved it. Could not believe how absolutely knackering it was though ....the guides had us eating 1st and second breakfast, elevenses, lunch etc and I still lost weight!

I would love to try it again

That sounds promising! It might even be key to dealing with lockdown porkiness. It’s taken me so many lessons to unsuccessfully downhill ski, the idea of a winter sport I can actually do is exciting

I was also a nervous skier and dh suggested nordic skiing - second day I slipped and had a really nasty accident! Obviously that was partly bad luck but I now stick to snowshoeing as you DON'T slip. Also it's really tiring as you don't normally use those muscles.! By all means, try it but don't fall for the "nobody ever gets hurt" doing it spiel!

I have! I lived in a country where it's a big thing. I too hate downhill skiing.
Two things though - there ARE some downhills in x country skiing. So you have to be able to take that on the chin. Uphills too! But obv fewer and shorter/shallower in general.
Also you have to have a reasonable level of fitness. It's a brilliant work out.
I loved the feeling of gliding through the countryside wheeeeeee!

Nordic skiing is great,specially when the track goes through beautiful woods.you might find it a bit difficult when the track goes a bit downhill.it feels a bit like jogging and once you get the hang of it,you can go like the clappers.I can recommend the "Engadin" in Switzerland!

My friend lives in Norway so I’ve done it quite a lot. I love it. You still get the excitement of downhill bits but the snow is much softer if you fall and they are shorter. It is hard work though. I love how peaceful it can be when you’re the only ones on the trail and you get to see some amazing scenery.

Could I jump on to please ask for recommendations of resorts with a lot of cross country skiing routes? Sounds just my thing! thanks

We went to Kandersteg in Switzerland a few years ago. We've also done it in Alaska - where you have to be very careful not to ski over moose droppings, which bring your skis to a rude and juddering halt! Actually you have to beware of moose generally!

I do a bit of it - there are two types: classique which is where you have your skis in a kind of a furrow dug into the snow and skating, which is a lot more energetic. You generally wouldn't spend as much time doing it in a day as downhill skiing as it is more energetic. It is a hell of a lot cheaper (€8 euro for a day pass v €35+ for downhill and rental is cheaper) and lessons are good to start with but you wouldn't need anywhere near the same level of instruction as skiing to get started).

Loads of great places in Haute Savoie - Les Brasses which is not too far from Abondance has a very big area, and Sommand / Praz de Lys also have gorgeous tracks and right beside the downhill skiing so your family could even do their downhill while you enjoy the cross country. For bigger resorts, les Confins near La Clusaz has a lot of tracks.

www.haute-savoie-nordic.com/#

Thank you to everyone who replied. This is really helpful. I'm keen to try it when we go to France this half term, and am going to book a lesson in Abondance, if we can. It's good to know there are lots of tracks in the Haute Savoie as the resort we usually visit only has one track and I'm not sure I've ever seen it used!

I did a cross-country skiing holiday in Italy before I had children and enjoyed it. What I found difficult was going downhill (although the downhill stretches were generally quite short). The skis are very long compared to downhill skis and I felt like I had little control. I stayed mostly in the grooves at the side of the track as I hadn't got the hang of 'skating'.

www.engadin.ch/en/cross-country-skiing/

I'm a cross country skiier - in fact I'm the type of crazy who has rollerskis so she can practice in summer!

There are 2 main styles - Classic, where you are in snowy tram-tracks and Skate where it is more a skating motion. The two styles use different skis and have different ankle support requirements in the boots. You can do some bits of skate on classic skis but it's really inefficient because of the different grip requirements on the bottom of the skis, and skate people will hop into the tram tracks on downhills to get the nice fast ride down. In my opinion Classic is the easier style to get started on, and potter around, skate has a pretty tough learning curve initially.

There are still uphills and dowhills in cross country skiing - and in resorts with a decent amount of trails these can be graded similar to downhill grades (blue/red/black). Downhills are much harder to control compared to alpine skis. Cross country skis have much more flex, are narrower and don't have metal bound edges to bite into the snow. I struggle on anything more than a red to be honest.

A good, easily accessible (flights/transfers) resort to learn in is Seefeld in Austria. It has a cross country ski schools, lots of trails and a nice 'starter' area near town. Finland, Norway and Sweden resorts have lots of trails, but a bit less stuff around 'getting started' as locals seem to learn it as soon as they can walk! I've heard good things about Engadin in Switzerland, and Dobiacco in Italy but they can be a bit less easy to get to.

I don't know the Haute Savoie region very well, but lots of French resorts have a 'bit' of cross country tails groomed. They can be quite stealthy though - you may not notice them as they are alongside roads, through woods etc.For example there is this set of trails near to Courmayeur www.courmayeurmontblanc.it/en/cross-country-skiing-3

I cross country ski, in the Jura. In the alpine resorts, you have to search for the trails, often they are in the valley therefore subject to lack of snow and lack of sunshine.. depending on the season and the conditions. I love it... I don't love skiing around a field, along by the side of the road or round and round in circles! 2 hours of cross country skiing is enough for me for a day so not quite the 6 hours I might do on downhill. This year I have let the family off on their adrenal outing while I have randoneed up, met them for lunch, taken the cable car down and then done some cross country in the afternoon - best day ever!! Is it a family activity? My 17 year old joins me occasionally, especially last year when lots of the resorts were closed and out of kindness when I want a pacer. My 12 and 15 year old will do it occasionally as a 'lets join Mummy on something she likes doing' but they are not so fast. I am no racer.. I ski about 5km in under 40 minutes as long as it's not too hilly... but that can change significantly depending on the terrain.. last week I did 4.5km in an hour and while I wasn't pushing it... I wasn't exactly hanging around.

As I said earlier... I tried Randonee this year for the first time.. well second.. and it is great fun but totally exhausting. I didn't love coming downhill on those skis and while I do have a fear of ice, I am a fairly confident skier.. my favourite combination was hike up and gondola down!! Coffee and cake at the top, vin chaud at the bottom!!

ChateauMargaux Your cross country outings sound glorious! You say you need to search for the trails, and that is certainly true where we are. Are they generally signed ‘Ski du Fond’?

I've heard good things about Engadin in Switzerland, and Dobiacco in Italy but they can be a bit less easy to get to.
Dobbiaco was where I had my accident but before that, it was very pretty! I actually have an all weather nordic ski practice track 5 minutes from my house - it has sort of brushes on the track. I've never tried it though.

Last time it snowed here we took our skis out into the surrounding fields and down the lane to the village. Felt fabulous!

By all means, try it but don't fall for the "nobody ever gets hurt" doing it spiel!

And this is so true - you will fall a lot when you start out (like any snowsport). In general, the falls are less severe than with alpine skiing, but they can definitely happen when you hit a patch of ice, an awkwardly placed pine cone, someone catches the back of your skis or you are trying to do the one foot outside the track snow plough. I did group lessons once in Seefeld and it was unusually icy that year - 3 of the group got injured (sprained thumb, knee ligament, broken wrist).

I do fall quite a lot… maybe once every two outings.. but the falls are not at the same speed and less likely to do as much damage. I have had three pretty bad downhill accidents. Usual falls are due to the track being just a bit too fast, a mind wobble or loosing concentration because I am trying to be semi social to the very occasional other skier on the trail. It’s surprising how far you can catapult yourself off the track and how big a dent you can make in soft snow..

It’s ski de fond and the link posted above is pretty good in terms of showing where the pistes in Haute Savoie are as well as the number and range of trails.

I had a cracking fall when we went to Kandersteg - short sharp little downhill (you do get downhills - it's never completely flat). I tangled my great long skinny skis at the bottom and had bruise so intense I actually went to the doc when i got home because it wasn't shifting. ouch!
I love the uphills on x country skiing - you really have to beat your way up and it is hard work in a good way!

Sorry to be the harbinger of doom on this thread but make sure you have good insurance!! I didn't and it cost me thousands.

Insurance is also needed for downhill… cross country skiing is not more dangerous.

Ah, thanks for the reminder about insurance. We have winter sports specified on our annual policy ( especially as we’ve done it in America!). Actually, a colleague of DH had a life changing spinal injury cross country skiing, and I think that contributes to my nervousness about skiing in general.

Insurance is also needed for downhill… cross country skiing is not more dangerous.
Yes I know but I didn't have it because it didn't really occur to me as dh made it sound like it was risk-free. (Yes, I know - stupid). I also had a life-changing injury and paid out thousands for physio. If I had had insurance I would have been awarded compensation. Big mistake!

I am sorry you had a life changing injury @rifling