Orienteering and treasure hunt in Courchevel

It's an adventure sport that involves finding hidden beacons in an urban or natural area. In Courchevel, participants use a map, a compass and their smartphone to validate the markers by scanning the QR codes displayed on them. You can do this activity on your own or in a group, running or hiking. In winter, it is advisable to have snowshoes or not to venture off footpaths.

This activity combines navigation - you need to know where you are on a map - walking or running, and strategy in finding the markers.

It's a great way to spend some fun time together while exploring nature and stimulating body and mind.

Children and adults alike will get a real workout as you breathe in the mountain air at the top of your lungs.

To help develop children's confidence, you'll have the opportunity to let them make decisions about routes during orienteering, so they can improve their spatial skills at a time when we use Google Maps almost daily to get around. Even adults will have to relearn how to read a map and take advantage of this intellectual stimulation.

As a family, you'll need to develop your sense of cohesion to make the right decisions and finish the race ahead of the others.

It's also a way of exploring nature in a way you'd never do on foot or with snowshoes. You'll need to keep your eyes peeled everywhere to make sure you don't miss a beacon that's right in front of your nose.

The Lac de la Rosière orienteering course is accessible to all and includes 9 markers with QR codes.

To take part in this orienteering race, you will need to order your route from Azimut Rando's online shop and pay €6 per group.

Azimut Rando

You will receive an e-mail with a link and a document explaining how to install the application, as well as a map complying with FFCO standards that you can print out.

Of course, you can prepare for this orienteering race with an initial strategy to give yourself the best chance of success before you set off.

The race starts near the car park at Lac de la Rosière.

During the race, you can simply use your mobile phone or print out the map and use a compass. If you're only using your phone, at each stage you'll find an extract of the map concerned in the application, and you'll be able to access a digital compass to help you find your way.

This orienteering race can be enjoyed in both summer and winter: if you're doing it in winter, be sure to bring snowshoes or contact Azimut Rando on +33 6 83 17 78 65 to check that the route is fully accessible in hiking boots.

For a personalised race, Azimut Rando organises half-day races with advice and prize-giving, ideal for an EVJF/EVG or company seminar.

And if you want to improve your skills, Azimut Rando organises two-day courses.

Each season has its own treasure hunt, with Crocus the Groundhog in summer and Polaris the polar bear in winter.

👉Hunt for Crocus the Woodchuck in summer

You're going to help Crocus the Marmot who, in his hunt for a butterfly, has got lost far from his burrow. Take a family walk through the forest and mountain pastures to help him find his family. You'll go from clue to clue on a 4.3 km trail with 500 metres of ascent. Depending on the age of your children, you can do this treasure hunt over half a day with teenagers, a full day or even two days with younger children. All you have to do is pause the application.

The Crocus la Marmotte treasure hunt starts at Lac de la Rosière and finishes on the Biol plateau.

👉More information on the Crocus la Marmotte website:

Crocus la Marmotte

👉Track game Save Polaris in winter

To be done on snowshoes, cross-country skis or on foot when possible, you'll love Polaris finding its lair in the forest.

Because of global warming, this little polar bear, now a vegetarian, has come to find refuge in the Courchevel resort, and because he misses bathing in the frozen waters, he has lost his way near Aquamotion. He needs you and your sense of direction to find his way back.

The route is 3.7km long and has a 320m vertical drop. As with Crocus la Marmotte, you can do this treasure hunt over half a day or several days.

The trail starts near Aquamotion and finishes at Praméruel.

👉More information on the Sauvez Polaris website:

Save Polaris

Each treasure hunt costs 6 euros and you can play alone or with others, with no limit on the number of people.