Dog sledding holidays in France and Europe

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Cassandre Dufour

Travel expert in France, Switzerland and Italy.

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Kristiina Gaillard

Alps and Scandinavia travel expert

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Laura Kankaanpää

Alps and Scandinavia travel expert

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Originally from the Far North, dog sledding has gradually become popular closer to home: mushers have settled throughout our mountains to practise and introduce others to this joyful, energetic and sporting activity. Spectacular major races cross the Alps, the Jura and the Vosges. Nothing is more uplifting than watching a dog sled team pass through a snowy landscape, and nothing evokes wide-open spaces, adventure and a complete change of scene quite like it…

Dog sledding in France: a fun new experience

Driving a dog sled requires a little physical effort, but it is pure pleasure. Whether in Swedish Lapland or on the high plateaux of the Vercors, every moment is a joy as you glide silently through a pristine landscape, watching the pack dance along ahead of the sled. A moment suspended in time, almost unreal… a childhood dream! It is hard to imagine a better way to explore in winter while feeling fully immersed in nature.

Driving the sled team: working as one, even at the far end of Europe

Sled dogs are athletes, and they love it! Whether Huskies, Greenland Dogs or Malamutes, these animals have a physical need to pull, to the point of literally lunging forwards during preparations. Once the joyful frenzy of departure has passed, a truly close relationship develops between the musher and these athletic dogs: spoken encouragement gently helps and supports the team in its work. As soon as a slope appears, you need to take some of the weight off the sled to keep it as balanced as possible, or hold it back on descents. The team becomes one, and there is no room for passivity: everyone has their place and their role!