Speed Riding across the Chamonix Valley

Apart from skiing and trekking routes there are many ways to have an active holiday at Chamonix. Paragliding over this valley is a visual treat that will stay with you forever. There are tandem flights offered to both adults and children. Imagine soaring like an eagle high above the Chamonix Valley. It is the best way to see the Mont Blanc. There are numerous schools offering relatively similar experiences. Prices begin at around €100 and go as high as €1200 for a tandem ride depending on time and elevation. More information on the official tourism website: www.chamonix.com.

A new sport called Speed Riding is creating waves at Chamonix. This is a mixture of paragliding and skiing and needless to say, results in incredible or rather, extreme speeds. To try this out one must be at a good level of skiing. Most of the paragliding schools also offer Speed Riding, Les Ailes du Mont Blanc being one of them.
There is also the UltraTrail Marathon that takes place in August/September every year. It is run across approximately 166 kms and at a total elevation gain of around 9,600 m. It is one of the toughest races in Europe and best figures stand at around 20 hours to complete, while most runners take around 30-45 hours. Each team consists of two members for safety, and more than 2000 volunteers who ensure safety through the route, and to make it even more interesting, the route changes every year. Interestingly there is no price money, so this is running for sheer pleasure.