Beaufortain Weekend
Ski-touring in the Beaufortain is an art of living!
It is fully integrated in the local way of life, up to the creation of a ski-mountaineering mythical race : the Pierra Menta.
From the outset, cable-car free slopes calls skiers to come and make beautiful bends in the powdery snow, so much that the level of snow is particularly great all winter in this little place of paradise.
Itinerary
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Day 1 Arêches - Roche Parstire (2109m)
We meet in Arêches early in the morning and rent some material if we need to. Our guide will brief us on the weekend's program and will give us our picnics.
We start with a car ride to join the small and authentic hamlet of Boudin in the heights of Arêches : you start walking towards the East to regain the Pré pass at 1703m from where the overlooking view on the Roselend lake will delight you. From the pass, the slope going towards South will lead us to the ridge : we'll have to follow it and take off our skis for a small portion before arriving at the Roche Parstire at 2109m. The 360° view is magnificent : a farandole of peaks and Mont Blanc in the background, what's better to start this trip and put ourselves in good conditions.Positive difference in altitude : around 800m | Negative difference in altitude : around 800m | Altitude Max : 2109m | Accommodation : lodge
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Day 2 Arêches - Roche Plane summit (2166m)
Departure from Maisonnettes, just abode Arêches, crossing mountain pastures, forest and finally a nice slope before ascending the Roche Plane, one of the most crowded summits of Beaufortain because it is ideal for ski-touring. Arrival at the principal peak (2166m) on foot, by a ledged ridge. gentle descent twisting between firs !
Positive difference in altitude : around 1070m | Negative difference in altitude : around 1070m | Altitude Max : 2166m | Accommodation : lodge
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Day 3 Arêches - St-Guérin lake road - Mont Coin (2539m)
Short car ride towards the St-Guérin lake. Going through mountain pastures, we'll ascent the Mont Coin (2539m) on its Westside. It will be our biggest difference in altitude of the trip.
We'll descend on the same tracks to Arêches, and we'll say goodbye in the afternoon.Positive difference in altitude : 1260m | Negative difference in altitude : 1260m | Altitude Max : 2539m
ITINERARY CHANGE
The program can be modified by your guide due to weather conditions or participants physical conditions. For safety reasons and to ensure a uniform level corresponding to the one announced, the supervision and organisation boards have the right to interrupt your participation if your technical or physical level are lower than the one required. The interruption will not give you any right of refund or payment of compensation.
Dates & prices
International departures:
No departure for now
Departures for French-speaking groups:
No departure for now
Trip code: SRBE3J2023
Included
- A deposit of 30% of the trip’s price will be needed during the booking, the whole price must be paid at least 30 days before departure.
- The technical organization of the stay
- Mountaineering with high-mountain guides
- Collective equipment provided (ropes)
- Half-board accommodation in refuges, cottages and lodges
- Lunch picnics
Not included
- Individual equipment : harness, crampons, ice axe, helmet
- Ski-touring equipment : shoes, skis, skins, knifes, poles
- Safety equipment : avalanche transceiver, probe, shovel
- Batteries for the avalanche transceiver (4 batteries LR03 AAA)
- Drinks and personal expenses
- Snacks (cereal bars, dried fruits, chocolate bars, etc...) at your own convenience
- Transfers to the meeting and dispersion points
- Insurance / assistance : research fees and helicopter rescue, hospitalisation and repatriation mandatory
International flights
If you wish, we can take care of booking your international flights to the closest airport of your destination.
Terms and conditions
Booking conditions
Booking a trip with Montagne Expedition implies acceptance of the terms and conditions of sale. Each customer is required to complete a registration form and, subject to availability at the time of registration, travellers are expected to pay a deposit of 35% of the total price to complete their booking. Payments can be made online or by bank transfer. You will receive an e-mail with your booking confirmation.
Invoice procedure
Once your booking is confirmed you will receive an invoice by e-mail. The full balance of the trip must be received at least 30 days before your departure date. Montagne Expedition reserves the right to cancel your booking, free of charge, if this deadline is not respected.
Cancellation policy
If for any reason you have to cancel your trip, Montagne Expedition requires written confirmation of your decision. The money you have paid will then be refunded according to the following deductions:
- Cancellation received more than 30 days prior to the departure date: a sum of €50 per person will be retained
- Cancellation received 30 to 21 days before the departure date: your deposit, 30% of the total trip price will be retained
- Cancellation received 20 to 14 days before the departure date: 50% of the total trip price will be retained
- Cancellation received 13 to 7 days before the departure date: 75% of the total trip price will be retained
- Cancellation received less than 7 days before the departure date: 100% of the total trip price will be retained
Special cases:
Please note that, regardless of the date of cancellation or modification if you have agreed to pay for services such as hotel reservations, flights or additional activities, these services are usually non-refundable so additional fees may apply.
- Fixed airfares: if your airline ticket was issued in advance, often done to avoid significant surcharges, you will be charged 100% of any non-refundable fees if you wish to change or cancel your flight plan.
- Fixed in-country costs: early charges for firm bookings will be charged if you cancel or modify your trip.
- Insurance costs: if you have taken out comprehensive or cancellation insurance, the cost of insurance is due and cannot be refunded.
Please note that fees apply according to the date Altaï Canarias receive your cancellation or modification request in writing
If we have to cancel a departure due to an insufficient number of participants, you will be informed no later than 21 days before departure and a full refund will be issued, you will not be entitled to further compensation. We reserve the rights to cancel departures due to exceptional circumstances which may impact the safety of participants. Such circumstances include those amounting to 'force majeure' in which case participants will receive a full refund but they will not be entitled to any compensation.
Changes to travel contract
If you wish to make a change to your booking please contact us in writing; you will be expected to pay any fee which might arise from this change. In the event of unforeseen external events, Montagne Expedition may change some aspects of the travel contract. If any changes are necessary you will be informed as quickly as possible.
Pricing
The prices on our website are updated regularly and all of the prices we advertise are accurate when published. Montagne Expedition reserve the rights to make changes to any of these prices. Before you make a booking we will give you the up-to-date price of your chosen holiday including any supplements, upgrades or additional activities you may have requested. If the number of travellers is fewer than the indicated number of participants on the website, a small group surcharge may be applied. For all of our trips we include details of services, prices and what is/is not included but please be aware that changes to the prices may be necessary in accordance with exchange rates or price changes of various components of the journey.
Contract transfer
If you are unable to travel for any reason with Montagne Expedition, you can transfer your booking to another person in which case our modification conditions apply. Both the transferor and transferee will be jointly and severally liable for payment of the total holiday price and other associated expenses. Some airline carriers treat name changes as cancellations and you may be required to pay for the cost of a new ticket.
Insurance
We recommend you to get your personal insurance before your departure to cover the activities undertaken by Montagne Expedition. If you have not purchased any of our insurances, we ask you to email us your insurance contract information (company, contract name, contract number, phone number) and bring those information with you on your trip.
Practical info
Staff
Your trip will be supervised by a high-mountain guide who will teach you the technical elements needed for the good progress of your stay. He may need to modify the program in order to ensure safety regarding weather conditions and participants physical conditions.
Food
Meals
- Lunch picnics and diners in refuges.
- Bring some snacks according to your own tastes.
Drinks
- Personal drinks are not included in the trip’s price : water, tea, coffee, beer, coke...
Accommodation
Hotel/lodge accommodation in shared rooms (4 to 6 people).
Budget & exchange
France is in the Eurozone. Therefore, the unit of the currency is the Euro.
Credit cards and debit cards are very useful for cash advances (but don’t forget to bring your PIN number!).
Refuges often don’t have EPT (Electronic Payment Terminal): it is best to bring cash.
Be aware of the fees usually applied when purchasing products or services on a credit card.
Always take more rather than less, as you don’t want to spend your trip constantly feeling short on funds.
As currency exchange rates can often fluctuate, we recommend to check the following website for daily exchange rates: https://www.xe.com/
Tips
Clients usually pay for the guides’ drinks : you might find it practical to make a group kitty at the beginning of your stay (no obligation).
Supplied equipment
- Collective material (ropes) if needed.
- Sleepers and blankets in shelters : bring your own sleeping sheet.
- Safety equipment (avalanche transceiver, non provided batteries, probe, shovel) : please let the agency know if you have your own.
Material
Technical material
Skis
- One pair of light touring-ski equipped with breaks or safety straps
- One pair of ski-touring shoes with VIBRAM-type sole
- 1 pair of sticky sealskins suitable for ski
- Knife
- Sticks with fender washers
Other
- Safety equipment : avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe
- Crampons with « anti bott » system
- Ice axe
- Life blanket
- Harness and swivel snap hook
- Clasp knife
- Thermos or bottle
- Headlamp with replacement battery
Everything must be in good condition before departure.
Personal equipment
Head
- Windproof bonnet
- Hat or cap
- Scarf
- Solar cream (high protection index), face + lips
- Glacier sunglasses (category 4 index) + ski goggles
- A balaclava can be useful in case of wind or great cold
Upper body
- 2 technic breathable underclothing with long sleeves (Carline type, no cotton, it is drying too slowly)
- 1 breathable technic undershirt
- 1 thick polar coat
- 1 windproof and waterproof coat (Gore-tex type)
- 1 pair of windproof mittens (polar or wool)
- 1 pair of windproof gloves (polar or wool)
- 1 pair of under gloves
Lower body
- 1 pair of technic tights (Carline type)
- 1 pair of comfortable mountain pants
- 1 pair of windproof and waterproof pants (Goretex type)
- 2 pair of socks (one thick, one thin)
Other
- Toilet paper + lighter
- Biafine (sunburn cream)
- One sleeping bag
- One toilet bag with one quick-drying towel
- 1 plastic bag (100L) + one upper bag to protect your belongings and backpack from the rain
- 1 waterproof sleeve to put your ID, phone, money, insurance/ assistance contract with all your emergency numbers
- Some warm-hands and feet
Luggage
- You will be carrying your one-day belongings and equipment in a 40L- bag (equipped with ski racks, ice axe,…)
- Your personal belongings will stay in the lodge in another bag (travel bag)
Medicine
Your guide will be carrying a first-aid kit. However, plan to bring your own pharmacy kit :
- Personal medicine
- Pain killers (paracetamol)
- Double-skin
- Elastic adhesive tapes
- Bandages
- Local disinfectant
- Anti-inflammatory
- Antispasmodic
- Anti-diarrheal pills
- Eye drops
- Light tranquilizers and sleeping pills
- Earplugs
Non-exhaustive list.
Passport
Please make sure your passport and travel documents are valid.
Visa
- Up to 90 days visit in France : citizens from most countries do not need a visa to visit France.
- Over 90 days visit in France : non-EU or non-EFTA citizens must have a visa to visit France over 90 days.
For further information, please check the following website : https://france-visas.gouv.fr/
Identity card
For EU citizens, you can use your identity card to travel to France.
Mandatory vaccines
There are no mandatory vaccines needed to travel to France.
If your have any questions concerning a trip to France or if you’re wandering what vaccines you might need for your trip, take an appointment with your local clinic and travel doctor. You can call Passport Health at 1-888-499-7277.
Health information & recommendations
For this trip, you must be fit : you can train with other sports such as running, cycling, swimming or sportive walk. To have a reasonable chance of success, a high degree of fitness and stamina, some previous experience of altitude is highly recommended.
Training advices to check with your general practionner : six months before departure, try to do at least 1 to 2 endurance sport sessions a week (each one must last at least one hour) and do a 6 hours trekking during the week-end with an elevation of 400m/hour during three hours. Three months before departure, try 2 to 3 endurance sport sessions a week and increase your trekking time during the week end from 7 to 8 hours.
Please inform us of any health issues : allergy, diabetes, asthma, or old strokes...
Weather
The weather in the French Alps varies up and down the mountain chain. It is a mountainous region between 800 and 4000 meters, so altitude plays a big part in the local weather.
As you climb higher into the mountains it gets 1 degree cooler every 100 meters. It is the case all year around but other factors such as temperature inversions and winds influence the climate. The sun plays a very important role too. In the winter, when the sun is lower in the sky, some lower or north facing valleys are blocked from the sun by mountains for a large part of the day and are colder.
Keep in mind that weather conditions are unpredictable. Therefore, the trip organization can me modified for your safety.
Electricity
There will be electricity in most places you will stay. If you are scared to run low on battery, we advise to bring an external battery charger.
Power plugs in France have the particularity of being male and female at the same time : they have 2 prongs and a receptacle. If you need an adapter, please purchase if before departure.
In France the power plugs and sockets are of type E. The standard voltage is 230 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz.
Local time
France is in the Central European Time Zone. Central European Standard Time (CET) is 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+1).
Like most states in Europe, Summer Time (Daylight-Saving) is observed in France, where the time is shifted forward by 1 hour; 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+2).
After the summer months, the time in France is shifted back by 1 hour to Central European Time (CET or GMT+1).
Sustainable tourism
We do our best to offer trips subscribed to the principles of responsible and sustainable tourism. Our aim is to allow visitors to discover the many facets of France by taking you off the beaten path and getting you in touch with its nature and residents, while ensuring that your visits do not have a negative effect on its natural environment and people.
- Most of our accommodations are run by locals, thus ensuring that the largest part of the revenue generated through your trip will stay within the region.
- France is known for its exquisite cuisine. The art of cooking and the joy of eating are part of everyday life. Each region has its particular foods and flavors which we would like you to explore and appreciate.
- Water is a precious and rare good. Our team and those travelling with us are thus advised to use it with consideration and avoid excessive water use where possible.
- Please try to recycle your waste whenever possible, even though recycling may not be a well-known concept in all areas.
- Be cautious and respectful when hiking. Make sure to wear suitable footwear and avoid picking flowers, moving stones or lighting fires.
My local agent
Marie
- Originaire de Chamonix et depuis toujours passionnée de montagne et de grands espaces, Marie n'est jamais bien loin des sommets. Elle saura vous aiguiller dans vos choix d'aventures pour une expérience inoubliable.
- Region
- France
- Activity
- Ski Ski-Touring
- Duration
- 3 days
- Group
- 6 to 8 people
- Code
- SRBE3J2023
- Price
- From €550
- Level
- 3/5
- Comfort
- 3/5
- Language(s)
- English / French
Strengths
- Summits accessible to every level
- Incredible snow
- A friendly skiing area in a magnificent environment
Guide's advice
This trip in supervised by a high mountain guide which will teach you the technical elements necessary to the good progress of the trip. The guide might have to modify the program in order to ensure your safety depending on the weather conditions and the physical conditions of the group.