Discovering ski touring in Chamonix

Discovering ski touring around Mont Blanc with Chamonix as a base camp. What can be more delightful than a week within mountains, ensuring you 100% pleasure ?


The outings are progressive and the level is accessible, our guides teach you the secrets of the powder in safety while making you discover their secret little hikes. Every day a different landscape: valleys, ridges and slopes always affordable, always far from the crush of ski resorts (except for the first day-test) so that this week is under the sign of pleasure and the mountain preserved. Every day we will move to hike on a different summit around Mont Blanc: Aravis, Switzerland, Italy ... we will vary the pleasures and the panoramas. The program will be organized according to individual wishes, group level, progress in effort and weather and snow conditions. The guide will adapt the outings and will always seek to optimize your stay.

Itinerary

  • Day 1 Warm-up and leveling race at La Tête de Balme

    Warm-up and leveling race at La Tête de Balme Reception of the trainees and verification of the material.
    Departure for a warm-up race and for a verification or discovery of techniques specific to ski touring, as well as research exercises of DVA (Avalanche Victim Detector).
    From Chamonix, we drive to the village of Tour at the end of the valley. After taking the gondola to Charamillon, we go up steep slopes that will allow us to climb our first summit: the Tête de Balme at 2321m. During the descent, we will test our behavior off-piste, while being not far from the ski area and its welcoming slopes if necessary.

    Positive difference in altitude : 365m | Negative difference in altitude : 1240m | Altitude Max : 2371m | Accommodation : lodge / hotel

  • Day 2 Aiguilles Rouges - Aiguilles Crochues (2837m)

    Aiguilles Rouges - Aiguilles Crochues (2837m) Today, we will discover a summit and beautiful slopes generally powdery in the massif of Aiguilles Rouges, facing the great peaks and glaciers of Mont Blanc. We take the Flégère cable car and then the index chairlift, to start relatively high climbing Aiguilles Crochues (2837m).

    Positive difference in altitude : 600m | Negative difference in altitude : 1000m | Altitude Max : 2837m | Accommodation : lodge / hotel

  • Day 3 Descent in the Valley Blanche & night in the Torino refuge

    Descent in the Valley Blanche & night in the Torino refuge A great combination between the classic start of the beautiful Valley Blanche followed by a night in a refuge.
    We start our day by descending the Aiguille du Midi ridge. Departure from the classic Valley Blanche until we reach the Tacul glacier. We then but our skins on to join the Torino refuge where we will spend the night.

    Positive difference in altitude : Around 600m | Altitude Max : 3842m | Accommodation : Torino refuge

  • Day 4 Grands Montets summit

    Grands Montets summit Today, we will evolve on the Grand Montets domain. Located in the Mont Blanc massif, is it freeriders' favorite sport. Carved valleys are huge !
    We start ski-touring to the top of the Grands Montets by the Rachasses pass. The landscape is impressive on the bottom of there large rocky sides. between the Grands Montets summit and the village of Argentière, there is more then 2000m of descent waiting for us at the end of the day.

    Altitude Max : 3275m | Accommodation : lodge / hotel

  • Day 5 Vallée Noire & return to Chamonix

    Vallée Noire & return to Chamonix It is the Northside, the right bank of the Valley Blanche. Less crowded than the classical itinerary from the Aiguille du Midi, but more technical and wilder : this route is magnificent. It borders the right bank of the Géant glacier with its impressive crevices and seracs, and joins the Mer de Glacer and the arrival of the Montenvers train, which we will take to get back down to Chamonix by the end of the day.

    Altitude Max : 2951m

PROGRAM MODIFICATION 
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

Departures for French-speaking groups:

No departure for now

Trip code: SRCHAM

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
  • Planned transfers : Cogne-Valnontey and Lillaz-Cogne

Not included

  • Individual ski material : shoes, ski, skins and knifes, sticks
  • Transfers to meeting and separation points
  • Snacks: dried fruits, cereal bars, chocolate bars, etc .. 
  • All the drinks and personal expenses in refuges
  • Insurance and assistance
  • Application fees (18€ per person)
  • Technical individual equipment : crampons, harness, ice axe
  • Anything that is not mentioned in the "price includes"

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 Altaï Alpes. 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 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
  • Diners : meals prepared by shelter keepers
  • Take some race food according to your own tastes (cereals bars, chocolate bars, dry fruits,…).

Drinks
  • Water is not for free in refuges (from 5 to 8 euros one bottle). We advise you to bring some water purification tablets (Aquatabs or Micropur) in order to drink tap water. 
  • Personal drinks are not included in the trip's price
  • Bring cash for coffees, fruit juices, coke or beers during breaks… Shelters usually don’t accept bank card payments and Euros.

Accommodation

  • Every refuges of this itinerary are comfortable and warm. Dormitories are equipped with blankets for the night (plan to bring your personal bed sheet for hygiene reasons). 
  • Slippers are at your disposal : no need to bring trainers. 
  • We advise you to bring protection against noise (ear plugs).
  • A few electrical plugs are available in refuges, but plan to bring an external battery to charge your camera and switch off your phone during the day. 

Transportation

We will carry our bags every day except on Day 2 as we will sleep in the same refuge for two nights. 

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 equipment (ropes)
  • Slippers and blankets while in refuges
  • Individual safety equipment (beacon, probe and shovel) : thank you for letting us know if you have your own

Vital equipment

Skis
  • 1 pair of ski touring skis, light and with adapted fixations as well as a break or safety strips, and sharpened
  • 1 pair of ski touring shoes with VIBRAM soles
  • 1 pair of adhesive seals skin adapted to your skis
  • Knifes adapted to fixations
  • Poles with large disks

Other
  • Safety equipment : beacon, probe and shovel
  • crampons with "Antibott" system
  • Ice axe
  • Harness and carabineers
  • Survival blanket
  • 1 headlamp with extra batteries and bulb
  • Pocket knife
  • Thermos

Material

Upper body : 
  • Windstopper bonnet
  • Hat or cap
  • Neck scarf
  • Sunscreen (high protection) for skin and lips
  • Sunglasses for glacier category 4 + ski goggles 
  • 2 technical breathable long sleeve underwear type "Carline" (no coton which dries too slowly)
  • 1 technical and breathable shirt to put under your jumper
  • 1 thick fleece jacket
  • 1 fuzz jacket
  • 1 wind stopper and waterproof jacket type Goretex
  • 1 pair of wind stopper mittens (fleece or wool) 
  • 1 pair of undergloves

Lower body : 
  • 1 technical and breathable pair of tights type "Carline"
  • 1 pair of comfortable mountain trousers
  • 1 pair of wind stopper and waterproof trousers type Goretex
  • 2 pairs of socks : 1 thin and 1 thick

Other : 
  • 1 bed sheet for refuges
  • 1 small toiletry bag with 1 fast drying towel
  • Cream for sunburns (Biafine)
  • Biodegradable toilet paper
  • 1 or 2 100L plastic bags and an overbag to protect your belongings and your bag
  • 1 waterproof pouch in which you will put your identity paper, your phone, your money and your insurance/assistance contract with all of your emergency numbers

Luggage

  • A comfortable 40L backpack with straps for your skis
  • A second bag which will stay at the hotel with your changing clothes

Medicine

Your guide has a pharmacy of first urgency.
Plan with your doctor your personal pharmacy:
  • Personal medicine
  • Pain reliever (preferably paracetamol)
  • Double skin
  • Elastoplast
  • Local disinfectant
  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Antispasmodic
  • Anti-diarrheal
  • Anti-vomiting
  • Intestinal antiseptic
  • Eyewash
  • Light sleeping pills
  • Earplugs
  • Broad spectrum antibiotic
  • Vitamins C 
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.  
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Region
France
Activity
Ski Ski-Touring
Duration
5 days
Group
4 to 6 people
Code
SRCHAM
Price
From €965
Level
3/5
Comfort
3/5
Language(s)
French

Strengths

  • The ascent of 4000m on skis
  • A major glacial itinerary in the heart of the Alps
  • Very welcoming refuges

Required level

Technique
This trip is addressed to people who have already have a good experience in ski touring. You have to know how to skin in every type of snow and be used to conversions while ascending. 
You have to have done one or two ski-touring raids (level 2 and 3)

Physical
You need an excellent physical condition to do this trip with 6 hour of ski-touring a day with a difference in altitude of 1000m on average. 

Commitment 
Medium commitment : very few steep slopes but a few crevices to cross according to the weather conditions in the mountains. 
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