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Val D Isere Other Information
Under the ‘Winter Touring’ category, you’ll find guided snowshoe outings (when you might encounter chamois or ibex) and husky-drawn sleigh rides, in which a ‘far north’ atmosphere adds to the excitement during a trial run with professional mushers. Between six and 12 huskies draw the sleigh, and can cover from 30 to 60 km a day at 10km an hour. Some even include dinner in a typical alpine restaurant. Snowmobiling and ice-driving are possible too.
Then there’s the Ice Fountain at La Daille, where high-mountain guides will teach you how to make use of crampons, ice axes and harnesses. You’ll enjoy it more if you’re in good physical condition. You could take to the skies with a parasail, and ‘fly with the eagles’ from the summit of Solaise for a maiden flight. Looking down (if you dare) you can admire anything from a sea of stone or slate roofs, the odd chamois, the immensity of ‘lost’ valleys, the Pissaillas or Ruitor glaciers, or the slopes of Miravidi across the border in Italy. ‘The human bird’ says the tourist office,‘ doesn’t really know where to look first!’
There’s also swimming at the public baths in the complex near the Olympic lift, but perhaps Val d'Isère’s favourite pastime off the snow is shopping. It has one of the biggest and best high streets in the European Alps - and don’t miss the side streeets. Ski and boarding clothing ranges from the highly technical to designer (Prada). And if you’re in town at the end of the ski season, you can be sure to pick up some real bargains.
Broadband internet has recently made it to Val d'Isère. Powder Monkey has 20 computer terminals - and a coffee machine - while those with a wi-fi enabled laptop can log on free to the wi-fi internet in the Warm-Up bar/restaurant.
