Introductory Ski Touring Week

Escape the crowds and soak up the charm of the Southern French Alps on skis, with the added bonus of the best sun record in the Alps.

FIXED DATES: 17th March to 24th March 2012 - ideal for individuals looking to join a group.

OTHER DATES: Any week between December and May for groups of four or more booking together.

Ski touring is la creme de la creme for anyone who loves skiing, mountains and snow! It is the perfect way to explore the French Alps in Winter and Spring. And if you are a snowboarder - don't worry you can still make the most of the mountains on your board. But instead of skinning up on skis you make your way up on snowshoes!

Get away from the crowds and experience the majestic ambiance of the high mountains.... look out over dramatic views of the Barre des Ecrins, La Meije, Le Bans and lesser known but equally impressive Southern Alpine Peaks as you skin up the mountains.... be the first to make tracks in virgin snow.... breathe in the clean crisp air and ingest the peace and tranquility of the mountains.

You don't have to be an expert skier to enjoy ski touring - all you need is a good level of fitness and a passion for the mountains.

This holiday is a progressive ski touring week introducing and practicing the essential safety and technical skills for ski touring. Starting with a selection of classic day tours of the Champsaur valley and culminating in a two day tour taking in one of the famous ski touring summits, the Grand Pinier 3117m, in the heart of the Ecrins National Park - no ski touring experience is complete without a pre-dawn start in the high mountains, watching the sunrise. We can also adapt the programme to suit snowboarders who want to experience the 'ski touring' ambiance. Please contact us for more details about this.

Have a look at the example itinerary in the itinerary section to give you a good idea of what to expect and the format of the week. In reality we would adapt the itinerary when you are here to make the most of the conditions of the day.

The programme is designed to give you a thorough grounding in the skills needed for ski touring in a high mountain environment.

You will learn how to use ski touring equipment - fixing skins and ski crampons, perform kick turns and perfect your off piste skiing.

You will also learn about avalanche and snow and ice safety in a high mountain environment.

You don't need any previous ski touring experience but you should be a fairly competent intermediate skier and have a good level of fitness (be prepared to undertake climbs of 2-4 hours on skis) to join this trip. Snowboarders wishing to participate would also need to be competent intermediate boarders.

0845 009 8501

Itinerary / Highlights

Day 1 - Arrival

We'll collect you from Gap train station and take you up to the Auberge Des Ecrins, where you will meet the other members of your group and your guide.

You can settle into your room, have a drink in the bar or go for a little wander around the area.

Once everyone has arrived we'll give you all your equipment: skis, boots, skins and ski crampons (couteaux), avalanche tranceivers, shovel and probe, for the week so you have some time to familiarise yourselves with it all before tomorrow!

Once that is all sorted we'll have a welcome drink and chat about the week with the guides before settling down to a hearty evening meal!


Day 2 - Off Piste Skiing Technique and High Mountain Safety

After breakfast you will go off with your guide to the charming but challenging little ski village of Serre Eyraud where you will spend the day perfecting your downhill off piste skiing so that you can make the most of your descents when you are ski touring.

There are lifts to take you up and lots of interesting routes through the trees to ski down. It's north facing so the snow is good and there won't be many other skiers here so you can let your hair down and go for it! It's a perfect place for practicing off-piste technique!

You can eat lunch in the pretty little village of Serre Eyraud and soak in the ambiance of one of the few remaining traditional French alpine ski villages!

During the day you will also learn about high mountain safety and practice some of the safety skills essential for ski touring such as avalanche search and rescue.


Day 3 - Day Tour to La Palastre

For the best conditions and in the interests of mountain safety we will leave reasonably early from the Auberge (don't worry you will get breakfast!)

La Palastre 2280m is a beautiful col just behind the mountains you can see from the Auberge.

Have a look at our photo album of Ski Touring La Palastre on flickr.

It is a gradual ascent through open snow fields and rocky outcrops with beautiful views over the Champsaur valley - about 720m of ascent in total.

You'll have plenty of time to get used to skinning up and getting comfortable with your equipment. It's a lovely warm up ski tour.

Further up the mountain there are a couple of steeper sections where you will need to put your kick turns in to good use!

There are several options for the final part of the route so depending on how you are all feeling and the conditions it can be extended or shortened. It takes about 2 - 3 hours to climb in total.

Depending on where you end up and the conditions, there are a few choices for skiing down so you can choose the gentle gradients or the slightly more technical steeper couloirs.


Day 4 - Day Tour to La Petite Autane D'Orcieres

Again another early start (you'll be used to these by the end of the week!!) to set off to the remote alpine village of Archinard.

From here there are several choices of ski tours so we'll make a decision based on the conditions and your motivation!!

La Petite Autane D'Orcieres 2458m is one of the classic routes - a beautiful and varied ski tour.

There are about 850 metres of ascent so a little longer than the Palastre.

After a pretty start in the larch forest, you arrive at a series of little hanging valleys with rocky outcrops that you gradually make your way through.

After a relatively steep climb out of the last valley you finish up on a spectacular ridge. As you emerge onto the ridge you are rewarded with an impressive view of the east face of Grand Autanes (a mountain that has inspired many a ski mountaineer!).

The ridge is narrow and feels pretty airy but is an easy ski. You follow the ridge up as far as you want before heading off down.

The descent is as varied as the ascent with little gullies, slopes and rocky outcrops to navigate before reaching the tree line where you have an easy and pretty ski through on forest tracks.


Day 5 - Choice / Rest Day

This is the one day you can have a lie in so make the most of it!!

There are plenty of things to do in the area from a day ice climbing to a day relaxing in the pool and jacuzzi complex.

So you can either relax and let your legs recover before the big end of week tour, try something completely different or continue skiing - either in the resort or we can organise another day tour for you

It is really up to you and we can discuss the options available when you are here.

Please note that any activities or ski passes organised for this day are not included in the price and would be payable as an extra, either at the time of booking if you already know what you would like to do or locally when you are here.


Day 6 - Ski in to Refuge L'Ecole in Dormillouse

This is a fabulous ski tour up to the col de Freissinieres at 2782m with the possibility of an easy ski mountaineering summit of Roc Diolon 3071m and an incredible descent through one of the most beautiful valleys in the Alps to the remote village of Dormillouse at 1681m.

The start of the tour is the easiest yet - a lift up in a chairlift to he Rocherousse plateaux! We'll catch the first lift to be sure to get the place to ourselves!

After that it is an easy climb up to the col via various pretty hanging valleys and snowfields.

From the col we can go straight down the other side towards the refuge or if you are feeling up for it we can rope up and take in the Roc Diolon. The route to the summit is up a beautiful, slightly exposed ridge with a real high mountain ambiance. You will be roped together for security but it is an easy climb.

Then you have nearly 1400m of glorious descent to the village of Dormillouse!! The valley is a truly spectacular, classic u-shaped valley surrounded by dramatic peaks and little glaciers, totally wild and natural and uninhabited except for the village.

Dormillouse is unique. It is only accessible on foot - a good hour and a half away from the nearest road but is still inhabited by a handful of families all year round.

We'll spend the night in the village in the Refuge L'Ecole, a fantastic refuge with great ambiance, eccentric guardian and good food!


Day 7 - Summit of the Grand Pinier 3117m

In the heart of the Ecrins National Park, the Grand Pinier at 3117m is a classic summit of the Southern Ecrins massif and a 'must do' for ski tourers and ski mountaineers visiting the region.

We'll do the classic route taking in the summit as part of a grand traverse across the mountains from Dormillouse to the pretty alpine village of Prapic back in the Champsaur valley.

It's a long climb with nearly 1440m of ascent, so an early start but it's worth it.

The area is especially rich in wildlife due to it's remoteness and you are likely to be rewarded with precious scenes of chamois playing in the snow, golden eagles hunting the discreet and camouflaged ptarmigan...

We attack the summit by the east side up to a ridge, less exposed than the ones you have already done, but with a special high mountain ambiance. The last climb up to the summit is steep and sometimes it is necessary to rope up and walk with crampons, carrying your skis.

There aren't many better places to eat your picnic - with views over the big alpine summits of the Ecrins Massif: Barre des Ecrins, Mont Pelvoux, Ailfroide....

The descent is superb - all 1600m of it!!

The start is steep and then it opens out offering a choice of interesting little valleys and gullies all the way down to the pretty alpine village of Prapic, where a well deserved beer in the bar is more than welcome!

A grand finale to a top week!!



Day 8 - Say Goodbye
This is the sad day where we have to say goodbye! We'll drop you off at Gap train station if you are catching the train.

Other Details

Accommodation Details

The Auberge Des Ecrins is situated in the beautiful Champoleon valley just at the entrance to the Ecrins National Park, one of the most dramatic mountain ranges of the French Alps.

The accommodation has been newly refurbished in a unique style of modern and mountain and has a restaurant, bar, internet access, library and some of the most beautiful views in the area!

The rooms come in various sizes from small double or twin rooms to large family rooms - all with en-suite bathrooms with either shower or bath.

It is run by a small team of passionate foodies and outdoories headed by Stephanie and Laurent and their two children, who will ensure you are well looked after.

Please note the accommodation is quite remote and there are no shops within walking distance. There will be opportunities during the week to stop off at shops but please come prepared with your favourite snacks just in case!!

Departure Dates, Options & Prices

BOOK YOUR PLACE FOR 2011:
17 - 24th March 2012 - ideal for individuals looking to join a group.

OTHER DATES: Any week between December and May for groups of four or more booking together.

0845 009 8501