The Deux Alpes Outdoor Festival last weekend was a chance to watch and try out a wide selection of the summer sports available in the resort. Mountain biking, running, skiing, snowboarding and paragliding all featured with opportunities for beginners and experts alike.
The festival took place over four days, although most of the action was at the weekend and the resort opened officially on the Saturday. Thursday saw the start of the Paragliding pre-World Cup, while Friday added the MTB opening party with exclusive access to the mountain bike trails for participants. The MTB Moon Party completed the day with a barbecue and a guided descent from the Diable as night fell.
Saturday and Sunday offered introductory and improver sessions in multiple activities including yoga, Zumba, slackline, rock climbing, and golf. These could be taken individually or as part of the festival pass package which also included a picnic.
The lake by the foot of the slopes, Lac de la Buissonnière, was as busy as I have ever seen it. With swimmers, sunbathers, and slacklines over the water, it felt like a beach resort in the sunshine. The ice rink, ice-free in summer, had been transformed into a slackline stadium, with different types of slackline, coaching, overhead ropes for assistance, and demonstrations. I thought I was reasonable on a slackine, but a few minutes with coach Romain Billard showed that I had a lot to learn. I could feel myself improving straight away under his patient tuition. Saturday evening’s entertainment was courtesy of French rock band Miss America, whose unashamedly eighties-styled riffs went down well with the crowd in the square.
