Snowshoeing: the winter activity almost anyone can do!

Yes, getting here from Australia takes 20-plus hours. But if you're making the trip to Europe in winter, snowshoeing in the French Alps is genuinely one of those experiences worth building your itinerary around.

While Australians are no strangers to snowy mountains (the Snowy Mountains and the Victorian Alps have their fans), the scale and atmosphere of the French Alps is something else entirely. Here, you can wander through ancient larch forests and wild valleys flanked by 3,000-metre peaks, with silence deep enough to hear your own footsteps in the snow.

And here's the best part: you don't need to be a skier, a mountaineer, or even particularly sporty. Snowshoeing is winter hiking. Snowshoes are an accessory (sometimes an essential one) that attaches under a regular hiking boot and lets you walk on top of the snow rather than disappearing through it.

A few minutes is all it takes to feel at home.

We are the Nature and Mountain guides at Altimood, and every winter we take out dozens of first-timers. This guide pulls together all the advice we wish we'd had for our own first outings in the snow.

From picking the right gear to handling a descent, plus what to wear and the best spots to start out, here's everything you need to know.

What is snowshoeing?

A snowshoe attaches under a hiking boot to distribute your body weight and float on the surface of the snow (or at the very least stop you sinking knee-deep with every step).

The concept goes back thousands of years. In North America and the Alps alike, traces of wooden and leather snowshoes have been found dating back several millennia, used by ancient peoples for hunting and winter travel.

Today's version keeps the same principle but swaps wood for aluminium, technical plastics, or carbon fibre. Modern bindings clip on in seconds, and integrated crampons grip hard-packed snow without any extra effort on your part.

In practice, snowshoes open up forests, alpine meadows, and backcountry terrain where hiking trails disappear under 50 cm of fresh powder. The activity is accessible from around age four or five and works beautifully for families on a day out or for those after a multi-day winter adventure.

How do you walk in snowshoes?

Good news: it feels almost exactly like ordinary walking. The technique is quick to pick up, though a few small adjustments make a real difference to comfort. The golden rule? Never step backwards in snowshoes (a fall is practically guaranteed!).

Walking on flat ground

On flat or gently sloping terrain, your stride stays natural. The one adjustment is to keep your feet slightly further apart so the frames don't overlap. There's no need to raise your knees high: a smooth gliding motion does the job on firm snow.

Trekking poles are a big help right from the start. They steady your balance, keep your rhythm going, and make it much easier to haul yourself upright if you tip over into the powder.

Going uphill: the heel lift

Most modern snowshoes include a heel lift, a small metal bar that slots under the heel, flipped into position with the tip of your pole basket. It raises your heel, takes the strain off your calves, and makes the climb noticeably more comfortable.

On steeper sections or hard snow, the kick step technique works well: stamp the front of the snowshoe into the slope to anchor the front crampons. When the gradient is too steep, switch to zigzagging rather than going straight up.

Going downhill: heel first

On descents, most people instinctively lean back. This can help in powder over the short term, but it puts strain on the knees. Staying upright, or even leaning slightly forward into the slope, keeps your knees tracking in their natural line. On hard snow, trust the crampons under the frame to hold your footing.

Traversing a slope

When crossing a hillside horizontally, your ankles take on a fair bit of stress. Use the uphill edge of the snowshoe to stamp out a small flat platform. Use your poles for balance and avoid crossing your feet. On hard snow, lean on the crampons and accept the ankle angle.

Worth knowing: snowshoes are brilliant for rolling terrain but they have limits. On very steep or heavily angled slopes, the flat frame doesn't grip the way ski edges do, and the leverage it creates really tests your ankles. Progress can become tiring, unstable, and potentially unsafe.

If the route steepens significantly or becomes exposed, it's far better to turn around or swap to crampons for safety.

From reading to actually doing it: just go!

You could spend days reading articles and watching tutorials, but nothing beats getting out on actual snow.

Snowshoeing is intuitive: your body learns by doing. Clipping in, testing grip on a gentle slope, feeling the frame underfoot, managing your breathing on the way up, this hands-on experience will teach you more than any blog post. Start on marked trails or head out with a guide, at your own pace, and let your instincts do the fine-tuning.

Which snowshoes should you choose?

This is often what causes the most hesitation before a first outing. There are loads of options and prices vary quite a bit. Here's what actually matters.

Size based on weight

Snowshoe size is based on your total weight including your pack. The heavier you are, the larger the surface area you need to stay on top of the snow.

Note: In very cold, dry powder (with no firm base), you'll sink further than expected. If you're between sizes, go larger.

Small frame or large frame?

• Small frame: Great for marked trails, packed snow, and moderate slopes. Light and less bulky, these suit beginners well. Good choice for group outings if you want to keep the weight down.

• Large frame: Designed for off-trail terrain and deep snow. Heavier, requiring a wider stance.

Hire or buy?

If you're heading out once or twice on your European trip, hiring snowshoes makes perfect sense: up-to-date gear, no luggage hassle, lower cost. For those who catch the bug and plan to come back (it happens!), buying your own eventually becomes worthwhile.

For brands, TSL (French-made), Inook, MSR, Tubbs, and Atlas are all solid options.

A note: for guided outings with Altimood, snowshoes and poles are included. You don't need to hire or buy anything.

Women's snowshoes: what's the difference?

Don't get too hung up on Men's or Women's labels. It really comes down to build and body type. Models sold as Women's (narrower and lighter) are a good fit for any hiker, male or female, with a lighter frame, a narrower foot, or who wants a more nimble snowshoe on tighter tracks. What counts most is that your foot is held firmly in the binding with no lateral play.

What to wear and bring for snowshoeing?

The most common mistake? Showing up in a full ski suit. Snowshoeing is hiking, an active pursuit where you warm up fast.

Clothing: the three-layer system

For your upper body, layer up like this:

1. A moisture-wicking base layer (long-sleeve thermal top, merino wool or synthetic). Zero cotton: it holds sweat and will chill you at every stop.
2. An insulating mid layer (fleece or a lightweight puffer jacket) to retain warmth.
3. A protective outer layer (waterproof, windproof jacket, Gore-Tex or similar) stashed in your pack for wind or on the descent.

For the lower half: winter hiking trousers or regular hiking trousers with a thermal layer underneath. Ski pants work fine if they have ventilation zips.

Footwear: comfort first

1. Technical socks: Merino wool or synthetic blend (ski socks are perfect).
2. Ankle-high boots: Waterproof hiking boots (Gore-Tex) are plenty for a day out. Avoid Moon Boots or après-ski-style boots that are too wide and soft: zero ankle support, and they pop out of bindings constantly on slopes.
3. Gaiters: A handy extra to keep snow from creeping in at the top of your boot. Sometimes built into the trousers.

Essentials to carry on you or in your pack (20 to 30 litres)

• Poles: Adjustable, with wide snow baskets.
• Sunglasses (Cat. 3 or 4) and sun cream: Snow glare can cause photokeratitis (corneal burn) even on overcast days, a bigger risk than most people expect.
• Gloves and a beanie: A lighter pair for the ascent, a warmer pair for the descent.
• Water (at least 1.5 L) and snacks: Cold, dry mountain air dehydrates you just as much as a hot Australian summer.

Safety when snowshoeing

Snowshoeing is still a mountain activity. The most common incidents aren't slope-related: they're caused by hypothermia, fog (loss of direction), or avalanches.

Avalanche risk

The question of safety equipment (beacon, shovel, probe) comes up often:

• On marked trails or managed Nordic areas: Risk is managed by patrol staff and the equipment isn't required.
• In the backcountry (off-trail): The beacon-shovel-probe kit is essential. More importantly, you need to know how to use it. Carrying the gear without training is little more than false comfort. And remember: this isn't safety equipment, it's rescue equipment.

Before every outing, check the local weather and the avalanche forecast issued by Météo-France (risk rated 1 to 4 for hikers).

💡 Want to get a solid handle on snow and avalanche risk? We offer a snow and avalanche safety course of one day, designed specifically for snowshoers.

Where to go snowshoeing in the French Alps?

The French Alps are worth flying to Geneva or Lyon for. The snowfall here is generous, and several massifs offer gentler terrain that's perfect for getting started. Flying in from Australia, the Southern Alps are conveniently reachable from either Geneva (about 3 hours) or Lyon (about 2.5 hours), making them a natural base for a winter adventure.

• Champsaur-Valgaudemar: Our home territory and an absolute gem. Snowshoeing in the Champsaur takes you through preserved valley floors, magical larch forests, and sweeping views over the Écrins from high-altitude hamlets (1,200–1,800 m). The atmosphere has a real "Far North" quality to it.
  • Ancelle & Chaillol: Family-friendly resorts above Gap, with marked and well-maintained snowshoe routes.
  • Orcières-Merlette: A higher resort (1,850 m) with very reliable snow and long walks across the Rocherousse plateau.
• Dévoluy: Far less crowded than the big-name resorts, it delivers a genuinely wild mountain atmosphere. Brilliant for a snowshoeing day in the Dévoluy well away from the holiday crowds.
• Villard-de-Lans / Corrençon: Set a little further north in the Vercors, this Nordic area is a benchmark destination. Its vast plateau is ideal for snowshoeing in the Vercors with no technical difficulty at all.

When to go? The season generally runs from mid-December to late March. January and February tend to offer the best snow quality, while March brings long sunny days with spring snow (firm in the morning, heavier by afternoon). If you're in Europe for a European winter, this window lines up perfectly with Australia's summer, a genuine advantage of the southern hemisphere calendar.

Going out with a guide?

For your first outings, especially when you've come this far, going out with a mountain guide completely transforms the experience. Not because snowshoeing is extreme, but because a local guide brings things no blog can offer:

• The right route, every day: They choose the itinerary based on actual snow conditions, the weather, and the group's energy levels.
• Nature immersion: Reading wolf or chamois tracks in the snow, spotting wildlife, learning the stories of the massif.
• Safety sorted: The guide handles navigation, avalanche risk, and pacing. All you need to do is take in the scenery.

At Altimood, we offer introductory snowshoeing outings as half-day or full-day experiences. Equipment (quality snowshoes, poles, and safety gear when needed) is always included. For those wanting more, we also organise multi-day snowshoeing trips with nights in mountain refuges. The only prerequisite for multi-day trips is being in good physical condition.

Frequently asked questions about snowshoeing

Is snowshoeing difficult?

Not at all, it's one of the most accessible winter activities around. If you can walk, you can snowshoe. A few minutes is all it takes to find your balance. The three things to keep in mind compared to summer hiking are managing the cold (layering, avoiding heavy sweating), navigation (trails vanish under snow), and avalanche awareness. On marked snowshoe routes, none of these typically cause any hassle.

What age can kids start snowshoeing?

From around four or five on flat ground, with small snowshoes sized for them. The trick is having a motivating goal: reaching a hut, following fox tracks, having a snack in a sunny clearing. From ages eight to ten, kids can comfortably manage two to three hours on varied terrain. For very young children in a child carrier, be aware: they get cold far more quickly than the adult who's moving.

How fast do you walk in snowshoes?

On packed snow, expect 3 to 4 km/h (close to a normal walking pace). In deep powder, progress slows to 1.5 to 2.5 km/h and gets very demanding when you're breaking a new trail. For elevation gain, an average hiker ascends around 200 m/h and descends 300 m/h. The basic rule: always add 30% to your time estimates compared to a summer outing.

Do you need a beacon (DVA) for snowshoeing?

Not always. On marked trails or managed Nordic areas, avalanche risk is controlled and safety equipment isn't required. However, as soon as you leave secured zones and venture under slopes of 30° or more, the beacon-shovel-probe kit becomes essential, and you need to know how to use it. Before any backcountry outing, check the avalanche forecast from Météo-France.

Further reading