I'll have a go at cross country too. Never done any skiing at all so I'd have to rent the gear. (got a jacket and trousers but nothing else.)

At Les Rasses there are wonderful X country skiing trails - every year we have the "Mara"which for fans is a must
We are both pretty awful but really enjoy just taking our time and enjoy the beautiful scenery and then stopping off for some lunch
A couple of links - www.ski-vaud.ch
www.ski-mara.ch

I do own a pair of cross-country skis (normal ones, not skating) and usually go a couple of times each winter, but I have never quite got into it . The thing that gets me is the way the nice deep, well-prepared, nicely parallel tracks always seem to peter out into nothing at the bottom of a long hill where there happens to be a sharp bend... skis go off in two completely directions and I do the splits not very elegantly.

Normally I panic and fall over well before actually reaching the bend though

I much prefer snowshoeing, where you can just head off in any direction and not bother about things like staying in the tracks and not knowing how to stop.

We will arrange a trip to La Brévine where there is a great hire shop right next to a flat and easy piste - with a nice restau just in the right place for hot chocolate or lunch, near Lac des Taillères. If I remember correctly it is 15FR for a half day- but the kind lady told me that if we get there just before 12.00 she'll let us have the half day from 11.55! the hire includes skis, poles and boots- brilliant.

Stephen I really do understand! The key is to choose pistes with very litlle ups and downs, as in La Brévine, or as Smackerjack says, Les Rasses to les Cluds (near St Croix). I can't do steep hills on xcountry either!

I've done La Brévine to La Chaux-du-Milieu and back - yes, that's the kind of nice easy stuff that I can handle.

We would both be in for some xcountry-skiing as well. We brought our skis all the way from Canada last winter and didn't get to use them.

Snowshoeing also sounds great, if Stephen NE would like to go some time, we would be willing to rent them and tromp around with you.

I would be happy to organise a snowshoe hike somewhere in the area - I won't be living in Neuchâtel any more, but I can always come back for a weekend.

One nice option is to do a snowshoe + fondue evening - for example, meet at Vue des Alpes or Tête de Ran after work, do a moonlight snowshoe walk for an hour or two, then go for a fondue in one of the mountain restaurants up there. The Métairie des Gümmenen near Tête de Ran is a good place for this.

Thank you for this excellent idea. My other half would enjoy skiing but for me it would have to be snowshoeing!
Looking forward to an outing in the snow...

We usually go west instead- so we have 2 restaus to stop at on the way for hot chocolate, soup or lunch : l'Auberge des Taillères and Chez Bichon. Last time I took 2 English newbies, a storm whipped up whilst we were have hot choc chez Bichon, and by the time we came out if what a proper snowstorm, drifting and biting into your face, and tracks all disappeared. They were so freaked out I had to hitch-hike back to La Brévine to get the car and take them home to safety! They say it was a great adventure, lol.

On the topic of restaurants, have you heard about the new one in La Brevine which offers Mediterranean cuisine? This could be of interest if the group activity happens there.

Yes, we go there all the time! It's called l'Auberge des Taillères and makes an ideal cross-country skiing stop from the hire shop. The owner is as mad as a hatter and comes from Montpellier (France) but worked in Yorkshire and also the QE2, so likes to speak English. The resta has half a boat sticking out of the entrance (smokers area) and is full of nauticalia stuff - great food too and lovely views of the Lac des Taillères.

Another great trip there if the lake does freeze solid and turns into a giant skating rink, with skate hire by the side, with bratwurst, vin chaud and hot chestnuts!