La Vattay and Mont-Jura is maybe not the biggest or most visited domain for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in France, but for those of us who live in the Pays de Gex or Geneva, it is the closest. It is also the safest bet for finding cross-country ski trails with snow since it is north-facing and most of the trails are not too exposed to the sun.

You have the possibility to choose from more than 10 different cross-country ski trails ranging from beginner to experienced, and in recent years several trails for snowshoeing have been opened. This, together with the small sledding area, restaurant, toilets, ski schools, ski club and ski and snowshoe rental make La Vattay a favorite for a weekend outing during the winter season.

The restaurant will be open and serve up hearty mountain food. There is a covered area in the basement where you can eat your packed lunch. But why not do it like the Norwegians? Prepare and bring sandwiches, hot chocolate, oranges, and chocolate (preferably the Norwegian classic Kvikk Lunch; if you are unable to find it a bar of Kit Kat will do). Find yourself a nice place in the sun with a good view of the mountains to enjoy your food and a rest. Bringing kids? Pack plastic buckets, shovels, and butt sleds, and make snow as much fun as the beach.

On sunny Sundays, the 900 parking places spread over 4 different parking areas quickly fill up. If you are not an early riser it might be a good idea to take your time with the morning coffee and wait for the early birds to finish and head back home. Opening hours are from 09.00 in the morning to 17.00 in the afternoon.

The easiest way to get to la Vattay is by personal car. During the French school holidays, there is a ski bus that only operates on Saturdays, and only if the ski lifts at La Faucille are open. The ski bus will take you from Divonne les Bains and Gex past La Faucille to La Vattay. To check the timetable, click here.

The more than 140 km of trails will take you to the Plateau de la Vattay, into the forest of Vaud (Switzerland), and down into the valley of Valserine. On the trail called La Petit Grand you will be rewarded with a superb view of Mont Blanc after some gentle uphill climb.

The trails are usually freshly prepared every morning. For a Norwegian like me, it was strange to have to pay a ticket to go cross-country skiing at first, but the quality and the selection of choice when it comes to trails make you understand why. Compared with alpine skiing the total cost for a family of four will be much less than a one-day ski pass at one of the big stations in the Alpes. Click here to see the list of prices for adults and children.

Something else which differs from my native Norway, but I actually find great, is that all the trails are one-way only. When you’re heading down a slope, the risk of crashing into somebody coming in the opposite direction (or being rammed by a less experienced skier coming down a slope at high speed) is non-existent. This makes cross-country skiing at La Vattay very safe. But don’t forget to watch out for each other, always monitor your speed and the speed of the others, especially in places with steeper descents. Always assess the situation and make room for somebody potentially falling over. Leave enough time for others to get up before you attempt your turn on the descent to avoid accidents. Adults weigh more than children and will therefore catch more speed. If somebody should tumble and fall over in front of you, and you can’t steer clear, it’s better to just do a controlled fall yourself – at least you’ll avoid hitting the other person. The reason for saying all this is that my daughter almost got her eye rammed by the tip of a beginner’s ski as a child – she fell during a descent, failed to get up in time, and a novice lady at full speed coming down the same path was clearly not in control of her own speed, failing to exit the piste, just yelling for my 5-year old daughter to clear the tracks. It was a close call, but the situation could have been completely avoided if the beginner had done a controlled fall.

For security measures, dogs are not allowed to accompany you on any of the trails (neither cross-country nor snowshoeing).

If you say you are not an experienced Nordic skier but want to learn or simply improve your technique, there are three ski schools that offer group and private lessons for both children and adults. To contact them and book your lesson click here: Ecole de ski Nordique de la Vattay and ESI Ecole de ski Nordique and ESF La Vattay.

There is even a ski club where children between 8-16 years of age can hone their skills and techniques every Saturday.

If you do not have your own skis or have children who are growing too fast to invest in their own equipment you can rent skis from La Vattay Sports. La Vattay Sports also rents out snowshoes and sleds (pulka) if you have really small children with you.

Here is a link to the complete map of all the cross-country and snowshoeing trails. On-site you can pick up a nice postcard that has all the trails marked.

To plan ahead you can consult which trails are open here and check the weather on their webcam.

Very often when it is grey and miserable down by the lake, it is nice and sunny up in the mountains, so when in doubt check the webcam.

How to get there: For the moment it is only possible to reach La Vattay by car. Due to the closure of the alpine site of La Faucille due to Covid, the Ski bus going from Divonne les Bains and Gex is not operative for the moment.

Parts of Domaine de la Vattay are situated in a nature reserve. It is therefore important to stay on the marked trails between 15 December and 30 June in order to protect the animal wildlife in the Haut Jura.

At last, a little trick that could come in handy, especially in rented or new shoes. I always try to bring with me a small selection of band-aids. On more than one occasion has this made the ski outing much more pleasant and less painful for myself, my children, and other skiers I have met.

Enjoy the winter!