Autrans: A Nordic skier's paradise

This weekend a German/Austrian couple picked me up and took me with them to Autrans, a ski station in the Vercors mountains. Autrans is a very special place and unique from other stations in the French Alps due to one thing- it's a Nordic ski park.
Yes. To all you cross-country skiers who've felt left out of the thrill and excitement of Alpine ski resorts winter after winter, this is for you.
I couldn't believe my eyes. Kilometers and kilometers of perfectly plowed ski tracks. A labyrinth of one-way trails that featured both classic cross-country tracks and firm, smooth skate ski pistes. Skate skiing is à la mode in France. Almost every skier I saw that day was gliding along on skate skies, which meant the classic tracks were all mine.
The park felt like any other ski resort with trails running through wide-open spaces that opened up to views of the valley and the Belledonne range. But for people like me who prefer the backcountry terrain, Autrans has a plethora of forest trails that made me forget I was even in a ski park at all.
But be aware of one thing: for being a Nordic ski park, these pistes had some serious downhill. I had to ditch the cross-country tracks at times so I could plow down the hills in my non-metal-edge skis. It was an exhilarating experience that made for some fun wipe outs.

It wasn't until I was done skiing for the day and walking back to the car that I realized why Autrans is such a special place. I looked up and saw a torch with Olympic rings on it. It all made sense now. Autrans is where the Nordic ski events of the 1968 Winter Olympics took place. Word.

So to all you cross country skiers out there in this frozen world, you aren't forgotten about. Somewhere in the mountains of France lies a ski resort experience just for you.