Videos of Avoriaz

The mountains look stunning from the air and the quietest and most peaceful way to see them is on a paragliding wing. This video was shot in Chamonix in the summer but paragliding is a very popular winter sport too and it's available in nearly every ski resort in the Alps. You don't need to be very fit to try it either. If you can ski or jog for 10 meters then you can fly. Just be sure to wrap up warm!

One of the key elements in ski touring is efficiency. Equipment is built to be light weight for this reason but it it is not enough to have carbon fibre poles and the latest boots if you don't move in an efficient way.

Guy Willet from Dream Guides in Chamonix talks us through the basics of backcountry hiking. Using touring bindings and specialist ski touring boots you can hike through un-pisted areas to discover untamed slopes or just scenic views.

Downhill, Cross-country and road cyclists are spoiled for choice in the Portes du Soliel. National downhill tracks, Tour de France routes and cross country rides in two countries. What ever your style or passion if it's on a bike, it's in the Portes du Soleil

For the first of our Mountainbike trail guides we teamed up with Morzine Mountainbike Mechanics to bring you this look at the blue run Chatellane over in Chatel.

Surely the fastest way to get to the Alps is to fly? Or is it........?

To travel in the off piste there are a few pieces of equipment that are essential; first among these are skins. Skins were originally made from animal skin, hence the clever name, and were used because they allowed travel over the snow.

Intermediates and above will appreciate the vast range of Avoriaz which has nearly 250kms of reds and blues to choose from.

Snow chains can make driving in wintry conditions safer and easier but fitting them can be tricky if you haven't done it before. Watch this video to see how it's done.

In the fifth of our Backcountry Guides series Chamonix Mountain Guide Guy Willet explains what to look for in avalanche search and rescue equipment and how to use it.

Ski touring is one of the best ways to enjoy the mountains. Far from the lift queues and ski school snakes, it is just you, fresh air, and the mountains.

Statistics show that in the event of an avalanche accident a buried victim has between fifteen to twenty minutes to be recovered alive.