View of Mt Blanc Massif, originally uploaded on flickr.
Take a break from the pistes, and get out into the wilderness on snow shoes. There are many trails (some maintained, others more adventurous) in the Haute Savoie and immediate Chamonix area for snow shoeing. Even when the avalanche level is high and the pisted skiing is closed due to this danger, there are safe walks one can do on snow shoe, such as this one high above Servoz in the Chamonix valley, with beautiful views of the Mont Blanc massif.
We ski several times a week (of course) but also snow shoe at least one day a week, often on a trek with our two dogs. What is great about the area is you can be as adventurous or laid back as you like. There are times we like to snow shoe into the high mountains (when the snow pack is stable) with a pack lunch, in the same areas where others choose to ski tour, and there are other times we prefer the more gentle wooded trails which often end at a cozy alpine restaurant for a nice cooked lunch before heading back.
