LES ECRINS

The long road to becoming a mountain guide is a daunting one. For Laetitia Chomette, who first discovered the mountains at the age of 18 while studying in Grenoble, France, the idea that she could make a life out of them seemed like a pipe dream. 

 But little by little, as she ticked off marquee ski descents, traverses, and climbs, becoming a mountain guide started to seem within reach. For the last three years she's lived in the legendary alpinist epicenter of La Grave, where she is today a hut custodian, manages the guides bureau, studies snow science, and has become an apprentice or "aspirante" mountain guide.

Now 30, Laetitia says the tension of the built world has disappeared into the simple pursuit of a life spent moving through natural environments. Living in a small, tight-knit community where the rhythms of the mountains dictate daily life is freedom at its finest. She's come farther along that journey than she ever thought possible.

ANNECY

At 28, Cindy Tschamper might seem too young to have already had a midlife crisis. But, like many people, the pandemic caused her to rethink her priorities in life and take a step back. Born and raised in the French Alps, Cindy spent her childhood moving from home to home as her parents renovated houses and flipped them. With her father an artisan and her mother a painter, she grew up doing hands-on work. So, after finishing college and working in marketing as a category manager in the sports industry, something didn't feel right.

She didn't know exactly what it was until Covid hit, and she moved back to the beloved mountain town that her childhood had orbited around: Annecy. There she re-discovered the joy of working with her hands, and decided to quit her marketing job. Today she's a cabinet maker, with a stripped-down daily routine that brings her endless joy. Building and restoring furniture feels closer to her soul, and being in the heart of the Alps lets her live a more local life. She's forsaken a car, and instead gets around by train, bus, carpool, bicycle, and even skateboard. And while life takes a mellower pace now, she certainly hasn't slowed down on piste.

Laying her edges into corduroy and snapping turns into fresh groomers is still central to who she is. Along with practicing the sports she loves with as small of an environmental footprint as possible.

ZAGREB

At just 19 years of age, Zrinka Ljutic, an alpine skier from Croatia specialising in slalom and giant slalom, is bringing a breath of fresh air to the women’s circuit. Supported on a daily basis by her family, trained by her father and his special methods, this precocious young skier inspires and intrigues.

She achieved her first podium finish last winter and reached 12th place in the slalom overall standings that same season. This passionate skier with a wide range of interests never forgets to take time out to skate with her friends, ride the mountain bike trails in the resorts where she stays, get on a snowboard from time to time and, above all, spend her summers on the shores of the Adriatic Sea windsurfing and kitesurfing.

A talented guitarist, 'Zizi' as she's known, finds the right vibes in tracks by Led Zeppelin, Foo Fighters and Rage Against the Machine. Discover her world, from World Championships to physical preparation at home in Zagreb.