Top tips for first-timers

British instructor Guy Beaumont ( gbnordique.fr), who teaches cross-country skiing in the Giffre Valley, France, offers advice.

The basics

There are two main forms of cross-country skiing: classic, which is more akin to running; and skate, which, as it sounds, is more like ice skating in movement. Both are carried out on groomed trails but need different gear.

Get a lesson

Tuition is key, even if you are an experienced Alpine skier – the technique for cross-country is very different. A two-hour introduction will get you to the stage where you venture out alone on easy trails, without being a danger to yourself or to others.

Don’t turn up dressed for Alpine skiing

If you wear too many layers you will quickly be too hot. If you are used to cycling or running in winter, similar clothes will work well. Gloves should be light to give you more control of your poles, and it’s important that these are the right length – they are longer than in Alpine skiing.

Classic is generally easiest for beginners

The classic movement is more akin to how you would propel yourself along if you were on a child’s scooter than it is to walking – so it’s easier to master. Your weight should only ever be on one ski at a time, and it’s extremely important to learn how to stop, often using a snowplough: in cross-country skiing, it’s all in the ankle movement, rather than in the heel as it is in Alpine skiing.