YANNICK BOISSENOT - AT HOME - SALEWA

A day in the Alps

From father to skier in a few steps

Every father knows that there is only one way to sneak out of the children's room late at night or early in the morning: on tiptoes, one step at a time, without making a sound. He presses the handle millimeter by millimeter, crossing his fingers that it won't creak. If the floor is wooden, he moves with the grace of a cat.

Yannick is used to sneaking out of his children's room early in the morning. Because in addition to being a father, Yannick Boissenot is a skier. When you live in Chamonix, at the foot of Mont Blanc, adventure awaits on your doorstep: no need to travel thousands of kilometers to find snow in the New Zealand Alps or to ski the iconic Japanese powder on the island of Hokkaido. When you live in Chamonix, between October and July, everything is within reach, you just have to find the time. To practice in the best conditions, it is recommended to choose your alpine ski equipment well.

Everything is just a matter of time

And every father knows that with two children, time can be scarce. The choices we make, the way we decide to use our time, define us as human beings. Our identity truly belongs to us when we have the means to live it: you have to ski to be a skier, and to be a father, you have to love your children, play with them, and teach them what is important in our eyes. Our identity resides in the things and people we dedicate ourselves to.

Yannick goes down to the kitchen. Léa has already prepared him a steaming cup of coffee, which he drinks with satisfaction. "Don't be late," she gently reminds him. Yannick nods while devouring some slices of bread with jam and putting on his socks. "Of course, Léa, don't worry. I'll be home early afternoon. We'll make a cake and take out the sleds." And when it's time to ski and you want to focus on performance, it may be relevant to consider purchasing a high-performance alpine ski equipment or to inquire about racing ski packs.

Léa smiles as she watches Yannick prepare his backpack and grab his skis. She follows him with her eyes as he heads towards the door, blows him a kiss, and continues to watch him from the window, his face blurred by the breath of his respiration condensed by the biting air. It is not easy to build one's identity. It is not easy to understand who you are and what you want to do with your life. And once you understand it, it is not easy to let go of those parts of yourself that have been so hard to build. Looking for sensations outside the traditional slopes? Don't hesitate to choose your freeride ski or explore the offer of all mountain skis. And for your safety, it is essential to choose an effective back protection.

Everything is a matter of choice

But sometimes, it is not necessary to give up. Sometimes, it is enough to live in the right place, where it is possible to be a good father and a good skier, to juggle between the children's room and the Argentière glacier, between the garden swing and the Aiguille du Midi. Let's choose to live in the right place, and make the effort to do what it takes to continue to be ourselves, without giving up any of the things that matter to us.

Because at the end of the day, the famous Japanese powder and the New Zealand Alps are not that important. It is the feelings that matter: that of skiing down the slopes safely while making perfect turns, and that of taking care of the people we love. To complete your winter experience, also consider checking our selection of outdoor snow equipment suitable for all desires.

Yannick quickens his pace. In the distance to the east, the sun reveals its first rays.