The giant French Paradiski area that encompasses 20 resort villages which are part of the resorts of les Arcs, la Plagne and Peisey Vallandry, is encouraging skiers and boarders to think outside the snowbox in 2010 and consider trying one of the numerous adrenalin-pumping, side-splitting and quirky sports they offer besides downhill skiing and boarding.

Not for the faint hearted, Paradiski offers the more adventurous the chance to experience bobsleighing on France’s only Olympic bobsleigh run, ski-joering, ice climbing, snow rugby, speed-flying, watersliding and much more.

With the Bobsleigh run at la Plagne, you shoot down the 1.5km Olympic bobsleigh run either in a four man ‘bob-raft’ at 80kph, a ‘mono-bob’ with speeds exceeding 90kph, or go for the awesome 120kph ‘taxi-bob’ steered by a professional driver.

Paradiski is the only ski area in Europe with a special ski-joering course where skiers sign up for a unique horse-drawn skiing experience that is an age-old Scandinavian tradition .

Ice Climbers can scale the heights of Europe’s only 22 metre artificial ice tower in Champagny le Haut. There are 26 different routes that are suitable for intermediate climbers and professionals.

If you’re in resort on St Patrick’s Day you can take to the pistes at an altitude of 2,300 metres for a game of snow rugby on a pitch approved by the French Rugby Federation. Then battle it out in the final at the end of the day in the centre of the Vallandry resort.

Finally speed-flying is a thrilling combination of skiing and paragliding you can try is Les Arcs ( www.alerion.fr)

To end the day put on your skis and take a run up and attempt to cross a 12-metre long swimming pool situated next to the Altipost high-altitude restaurant. What’s more, watersliding is free of charge and to add to the fun you can place bets on who will sink first.

If you do still want to squeeze in some regular skiing and boarding you’ll find Paradiski has 425km of runs divided in to 236 runs, a 2050m vertical, two peaks at over 3,000 m, 153 km of cross country trails, two snowparks, five boardercross courses and two half-pipes.