I would hire unless you plan to use them a lot. I have some tsl ones that were reasonably priced and effective but I use them so rarely they don't justify the space in my cupboard.
Yes, with skis you can get a glide in to lengthen the stride but snowshoeing you just step. I felt that in deeper softer snow it's easier to slide/ push the ski forward but with snowshoes you have to do a more exaggerated lift which is more tiring.
If the email we had yesterday from our Mairie is correct, not all French ski resorts are shutting as our local area is planning to stay open for another couple of weeks & it looks like all the stations in the Champsaur are open
There is a new design of snowshoe that works better going downhill. The footplate operates through a 'hollow'.
This may be irrelevant given the midnight change in circumstances in France where only food shops and pharmacies will be open.
Serre Chevalier has definitely closed for example. Moving lifts may give a false impression as restaurants and safety people do essential close down work,
In the States, our local backcountry club used things called Crossblades for approaches to fairly decent sized hills and they liked them. Not sure how good, bad or indifferent they are but they're still using them.
A couple of the ski patrollers on our local smaller resorts used them as well for flitting around the place as they have a "skin" side which you unclip, turn it over onto the "ski" side.
I'm guessing your approaches could well be on deep virgin snow, in which case definitely get ones that will handle your weight to prevent you plunging too deep. I use MSR Denalis with the add-on tails most of the time - I'm 85kg in my pants. Biggest problem with them is the length gets in the way if you're amongst rocks and trees but I'm tall so will find it easier than someone short I guess. Aside from the straps perishing, the MSRs are excellent.
The Irish Government today announced the creation of a new National Park, the country's eighth. Located on the Dingle Peninsula, Páírc Náisiúnta na Mara, Ciarraí includes the rugged Conor Pass, the unique island of Sceilg Mhichíl, and Mount Brandon, one of...