Mountain Adventure Holidays
A magnificent snowshoe adventure in one of France's best kept secrets: the Queyras Regional Natural Park. It's widely considered as one of the most beautiful mountain areas in France due to its wild, unspoilt mountain valleys, impressive rock faces and jagged ridgelines in abundance. This is the place to get away from it all and enjoy these magnificent mountains far from the crowds.
The Queyras Park lies south of the ancient town of Briancon, a World Heritage Site, and is just west of the Italian frontier. We base ourselves in a very cosy and comfortable auberge in the characterful village of Aiguilles. There are eight mountain villages in the Queyras, and in terms of mountains the Park includes several summits over 3000m (9840ft) such as the Pic de la Font-Sancte, and the Pain de Sucre. The Queyras villages are integral to the character of the landscape, with their numerous sun-dials, wood crafts, and exceptional lace.
This evening we meet at our accommodation in Aiguilles when your guide will be available to discuss the itinerary and answer any questions about the week ahead. Please note that for those arriving into Turin airport a transfer is included, departing at approximately 1630 hrs to allow us to arrive in Aiguilles in time for the evening meal.
We ease into the week by heading for an excellent view point which gives a good introduction to the area. We begin by wandering through the larch forests on a steady trail before gaining the ridge line and the summit at 2391m (7842ft). This is one of the best belvederes of Saint Veran, the highest village in Europe to be inhabited all year round sitting at a height of 2050m (6742ft). There is the possibility of doing a loop on our descent to vary the terrain and views, and we will also aim to do some training. This will involve some snowpack science, and a chat about mountain safety in winter. We will stop at St Veran for a well earned ‘refreshment’ before heading back to our hotel. It is a great opportunity to check out the ancient architecture and traditional style of the village buildings. If the conditions are good we may do a circular route for which the statistics are given below. If we do an 'out and back' the ascent will be a few hundred metres less. Ascent: 481m (1572ft) Descent: 512m (1674ft) Distance 6.3km (3.9 miles).
Ascent: 762m (2491ft) Descent: 730m (2394ft) Distance: 7.5km (4.7 miles) 5.5hrs
Today we are aiming for the summit of a mountain that rises above the ancient village of Chateau Queyras. We wander through the pine forests, zig-zagging our way up the mountain side until we reach our destination at Sommet Bucher at 2254m (7393ft). The trail to the summit climbs very steadily, with gentle slopes, yet it offers an incredible panorama that includes the Ecrins mountain range, and in fact you can see all the way to Monte Viso in Italy. Monte Viso 3841m (1259ft) is well known for its pyramid-like shape and, because it is higher than all its neighbouring peaks by about 500m (1640ft) it can be seen from great distance. On a very clear day it is said it can be seen from the spires of Milan Cathedral.
Ascent: 846 m (2122ft) Descent: 846 m (2122ft) Distance: 10km (6.2 miles) 5hrs
More picturesque villages on offer this morning as we head for the Col de la Creche. We begin with a climb up a steep mountain road to the community of Les Meyries, from where we begin. A gorgeous ascent then follows through the snow covered pine forests, until we rise above the tree line. It is about now that the impressive ridge leading to the Pic de Agrenier comes into view on our right hand side. We then swing round and aim for our goal at the Col de la Creche. At the Col we have excellent views over the region. We then make our way a little further through the sculpted mounds and ridges of snow to claim the summit ridge!
Ascent: 609m (1997ft) Descent: 609m (1997ft) Distance: 9km (5.6 miles) 6hrs
We start at the Montbardon trailhead, with the high alpages of Fontantie as our goal. This is a superb mountain pasture, and we should get a great view over the Ecrins National Park from the top which sits at 2500m (8200ft). The pastures are home to the cow herds during the summer months, but in winter they are a silent snowcovered landscape with all the cattle safely 'tucked up' in the barns in the valley. As with all the Queyras area, on a good day, we are rewarded with views of snow covered mountains, and ridge lines as far as the eye can see.
Ascent: 791m (2594ft) Descent: 788m (2584ft) Distance: 9km (5.6 miles) 6 hrs
We head into some really wild terrain today and experience the Queyras at its best. We drive to the picturesque village of Brunissard, which is en route to the famed Col d'Izoard which features in the 'Tour de France' and it is near the village that we will begin our hike. We follow the stream to begin with until we are under the impressive limestone cliffs of the Pic de Beaudouis, which reaches 2843m (9296ft) and has various rock climbing routes. From here we venture into a small combe, and then over Le Collet pass where we enter the open valley of Clapeyto. Here we pass ancient summer homes buried under the snow and it is easy to imagine how lovely this area will also be sin summer. We have various options today as we may just consider the Chalets as our goal, or if conditions are good and we do not have too much trail breaking to do, we may aim for the Col de Neal which sits at 2,509m (8204ft). This is an amazing cirque and one which offers a great reward on a blue sky day. The statistics below refer to the full day to Col de Neal.
Ascent: 914m (2988ft) Descent: 913km (2985ft) Distance 14km (8.7 miles) Duration: 7 hrs
The Col de Longet sits at 2701m (8859ft) and is an excellent goal for a great day out on snowshoes. We're spoilt for choice today with a couple of route options available. We can ascend to the Col from near the hamlet of Fontgillarde, the last inhabited village before the Italian frontier. The trail starts from the Pont de Laminae, and takes us through forest to begin with before opening out into the mountains with the jagged ridgeline of the Pic de Chateau Renard towering above us. High on its slopes sits the highest observatory in France, perched at 2930m (9581ft) and from where the stars are often studied. We work our way up through a high combe to the Col where the views open out into the adjacent valley. Or we may start from the ancient village of St Veran, with its characterful architecture before heading south east in the direction taken by the summer hiking trail known as the 'Tour de Queyras'. The statistics given below are an average for today and depend on our chosen route.
Ascent 738m (2420ft) Descent: 2535ft) Distance: 8.5km (5.3 miles) 5.5 hrs
Departure day and our morning transfer to Turin airport, Italy. Please ensure that any departure flight is after 1300 hrs. The journey to Turin will take approx 2.45 hrs.
It is always our aim to complete the proposed itinerary outlined above, however, it may be necessary for our guides/instructors to adjust the daily itinerary based on the weather conditions, group safety and enjoyment.
On all of our trips we aim to accommodate our guests in well-situated, comfortable, characterful, family run accommodation.
We take time to research, update and view the best options available to us on every trip. Detailed below are examples of our favoured venues and those we intend to use. If unavailable at the time of booking we will use alternative accommodation of a similar standard.
The trip fees are based on two people sharing a room. However on many of our trips single rooms are available on request for a supplementary fee.
The Yak Avenir is a characterful Auberge with a great atmosphere. This old building has bright and cheerful rooms done in 'montagnard' style with en suite facilities. The spacious living area has a vaulted roof with a wood burning stove and is ideal for 'chilling out' at the end of a day in the mountains. The meals are from local produce and reflect the cuisine of the area. Charlotte and Phillipe, from Belgium, recently took over the Auberge and in 2020 installed a sauna and hot tub. There is, however, a charge for use of the spa, but it may be worth it to ease tired muscles. Local osteopath Cecile is also basing her services at the Yak Avenir. Very convenient if you 'twinge' anything!
There are various options for getting to the Queyras and our base in the village of Aiguilles. You can take the TGV train from the UK to Paris and then head south to Mont Dauphin/Guillestre. Information on trains from www.raileurope.co.uk.
From there you can take the bus to Aiguilles or alternatively hire a taxi for the 30km (18.7 miles) journey which takes approximately 40 minutes. The bus times are available from the Office du Tourisme.
Turin, Italy is the nearest airport, and as mentioned above we have included a transfer from Turin to Aiguilles at a time to suit the majority of the group, but no later than 1630 hrs on the arrival day. The transfer time is approximately 2.45 hrs. Your flight back from Turin should ideally be from 1300 hrs onwards on departure day. Please get in touch if you would like to discuss flight and transfer times.
Early arrivals can either wait at the airport, or if enough time allows make use of the 50 minute Turin Eco City Tour detailed on the Turin Airport website.
It is a condition of booking that you have appropriate insurance for your chosen activity, including emergency helicopter rescue, repatriation, medical costs, as well as trip cancellation/curtailment insurance in the event of you being unable to join/complete the trip.
Please read the relevant clauses which are numbered 10, 11, 11a, 12, and 22 and are set out in our Terms and Conditions.
We also recommend your insurance covers you for baggage loss/damage. Tracks and Trails Ltd are unable to accept responsibility for the loss or damage to any client equipment or luggage.
If you are booking on behalf of other people it is important that you ensure that insurance has been arranged by all others included in your Booking Form.
You should bring all insurance documentation with you at the time of the activity. If you fail to provide proof of insurance we reserve the right to ask you to leave the trip.
If you are joining a trip in the UK helicopter/mountain rescue insurance is not required as this is a free service.
For further details, please read the Insurance section on our website.
Winter mountain weather in the European Alps can vary considerably, and in this respect it is no different to any mountain environment where the terrain influences the weather and it can change from valley to valley.
In winter the weather can deliver everything from clear blue skies, and glorious sunshine, to heavy snowfall and strong winds. Essentially, as with all mountain journeys, you should be prepared for any eventuality.
Temperatures vary depending on the month, generally December, January, and February are colder, but by March and April the temperatures are warming up and spring is on the way.
In December and January they can range from -10°Celsius (14°F) to 3°Celsius (37.4F), in February from -5°Celsius (23°F) to 7°Celsius (44.6°F), and in March from 0°Celsius (32°F) to 13°Celsius (55.4°F).
The above figures are a general indication only as the weather can vary considerably year on year for any given month.
When packing for a trip in the mountains it is important to have the appropriate equipment and clothing. This kit list features items we believe are necessary for the weather you might encounter and the accommodation you will be staying in.
Generally clothing for snowshoeing should be equivalent to that used for walking in the mountains in winter. For this trip all the necessary snowshoe equipment is provided free of charge. This includes snowshoes, walking poles, snow probe, snow shovel, and avalanche transceiver. The carrying of this safety equipment is compulsory and demonstrates ‘best practice’.
Your guide will arrive at the ‘Welcome Meeting’ with only enough snowshoe equipment for those who have booked it via their Booking Form.
Equipment
Clothing
Comfort
Personal First Aid
Documentation
Additional Items
**Supplementary snacks if you follow a gluten free or coeliac diet**
Leaders are all first aid trained and carry their own first aid kit
The image below gives examples of how snowshoes can be attached to your rucksack
On many of our trips there will be an element of 'group kit' which will be shared amongst our guests. As mountain people you will be used to team work and working together to the mutual benefit and safety of the group.
The 'group kit' will be minimal and usually just a case of sharing a few lightweight 'survival shelters'. For example on a week-long trip you may carry a small shelter for just one day before passing it on to the next person.
If you are booking a trip in winter there will be a few additional safety items. These will be distributed in such a way that no one is over burdened.
Other group items necessary for safety and comfort will be carried by your guide/instructor.
For each of our trips there is a minimum number of guests required to book before we can 'guarantee' your trip will run. It depends on the particular trip in question, but it is normally 4. The maximum number of guests on your trip is displayed in the 'At a Glance' box on the righthand side of the trip page.
We strongly advise you do not book travel until we have confirmed your trip is 'guaranteed' to run. If you book travel before we have confirmed it is 'guaranteed' we cannot be held responsible for any financial loss if the trip does not go ahead.
When booking a holiday as a solo traveller a twin bedded room comprising of two single beds, is booked as standard. This will be with someone of the same gender unless you request to pay extra for your own room. Single rooms are often limited in supply so if you would like to pay a supplement for a single room we urge you to get in touch as soon as possible. This trip has a single supplement of £180.
We go to great lengths to work with first class guides and instructors who are passionate about their work. They are all fully qualified, insured, and hold the correct documentation.
Please note your guide/instructor has complete discretion to make a daily decision on whether or not to take the advertised route based on the weather and the ability of the members of the group. They have our authority to make any route changes they believe are necessary in the interests of safety and enjoyment.
For our walking, family, and snowshoeing trips your guide will be a fully qualified and experienced International Mountain Leader. For our running trips your guide will be an International Mountain Leader, and an experienced mountain 'trail runner'.
If you have booked on a cross country ski trip you will be with a fully qualified professional BASI Nordic Ski Instructor or equivalent. BASI is the British Association of Snowsport Instructors.
For this trip where you are centre-based, in other words where you are staying in the same accommodation all week, you are welcome to bring whatever luggage you require. However, please note that not all the hotels we use have elevators. This means you may need to carry your luggage to your bedroom and this might involve climbing several flights of stairs. We would suggest that luggage with wheels is generally a good idea.
We do not include lunches in your trip fee for various reasons. We have found our guests have particular tastes and requirements for 'trail' or 'hill' food and it is better you choose and buy what you require. Buying supplies and trying local specialities is a great way to inter-act with the local people and to practise your language skills.
Lunches on our trips are 'picnic' style lunches, in other words you take a packed lunch with sufficient snacks, food and fluid to sustain you throughout your day of activity. If there is the possibility of lunch being taken at a restaurant/farm/cafe beside the trail, your guide/instructor will advise you of this.
Each evening you can choose to order a picnic or a sandwich from the hotel, or your guide/instructor will advise you of other options such as a local shop or market and whether you need to purchase items in the evening or if the shop/market is open early enough the next morning not to delay your start. In all cases we would always ask you to settle any 'bill' for lunch or drinks in the evening before you depart, and not on the morning of your last day when there may be a queue.
On your itinerary you will find an indication of the amount of ascent and descent you can expect each day. This offers a guideline to how much effort might be expended each day and allows you to decide, based on previous experience, if your fitness and stamina are correct for the trip.
We make every attempt to ensure these statistics are as accurate as possible, but ask you to note that the most modern of technology used to record these details can show considerable variations in terms of ascent, descent, and in particular distance. In other words no two people using GPS devices on the same route will have exactly the same details recorded at the end of the day.
The statistics given should be used as a 'general' indication of the effort required.
It is useful to arrive at your destination with some cash in the local currency, however, on most occasions it is relatively easy to visit a 'cash machine' after arrival and withdraw money on a credit or debit card. Some of our locations are an exception to this in particular Norway, where the accommodation will often have no facilities for withdrawing cash, but they will take a credit card.
On many of our trips we will visit remote cafes/farms where it is wonderful to enjoy a drink and a cake, at places such as these they will only accept payment in the local currency in cash.
Food
On our trips we encourage you to experience local tastes and dishes that reflect the culture of the country and for this reason many of our accommodation options will be family run with a reputation for the traditional food of the region.
If you have a 'special' diet because of an allergy or intolerance to a certain food type which will make you ill the accommodation will cater for this as best they can, eg gluten free, nut free, lactose free.
If you are vegetarian then this is not a problem as the hotels/refuges are used to being asked for vegetarian meals. Our accommodation will try to cater for those with vegan diets but in remote refuges in the mountains this is more difficult. If you would like to discuss the suitability of a trip for a vegan diet please contact us. Gluten-free diets will be possible with regard to the evening meals, but we would advise that you bring along some gluten-free snacks for your breakfasts and lunches.
If you have a 'special' diet which is NOT because of an allergy or intolerance, and is not 'veggie' then we apologise, but we cannot cater for this. The accommodation on the popular routes will be catering for many people each evening, in some cases up to 70/80 meals per night, 7 days a week, and realistically they cannot produce many different meal options unless the food will result in illness.
Water
The countries we visit all have tap water which is drinkable. If for any reason a particular hotel is having a problem with a remote mountain water supply they will normally post a sign over the tap indicating that you must not drink the water. At all times you are welcome to ask your guide/instructor if the water can be drunk. We would ask, for environmental reasons, that you avoid using single-use plastic bottles, and bring a water bottle that can be used repeatedly.
A passport with 6 months remaining validity at the end of your stay is generally required for visits to countries outside the EU, such as Norway. Please check the relevant embassy or consulate for other nationalities. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct travel documents and visas for your holiday. Visa requirements and charges are subject to change without notice.
We recommend you check if you require an adaptor for your electrical items at:
http://www.worldstandards.eu/electricity/plugs-and-sockets/
Note that if your trip involves staying in a mountain refuge/rifugio/hut that electric sockets may be in short supply and for that night you may not be able to charge any items. Although the accommodation will have electricity this will often be supplied by solar panels or a generator and limited to use by the staff. For this reason we advise that carrying a small slimline and lightweight 'battery pack' can be very useful for recharging phones which many of you will also use as your camera.
Before booking consider whether you expect to be in the appropriate physical condition on the date of your departure to allow you to fully participate in and enjoy your holiday. If you have any doubts because of an illness or injury it would be advisable to check with your doctor.
For UK residents travelling to an EU country you should obtain and bring with you a free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This entitles you to state provided medical treatment in certain European countries, but is not a substitute for medical travel insurance. Also note that if/when the UK leaves the European Union that the EHIC card may no longer be valid. Please check this before departing. We advise that you always carry your insurance documents with details of the Emergency Medical telephone number for your insurance provider, and your policy number.
We feel strongly about protecting the environment and do not encourage the use of single-use plastic items. We would ask that you arrive with a ‘water bottle’ or ‘hydration system’ that can be used repeatedly. We would point out that we operate a ‘zero tolerance’ for rubbish, and would ask you to remove all your rubbish items from the mountain even those you consider to be bio-degradable. In particular we ask that you remove any toilet tissue.
You can read our full policy here.
Working across international boundaries, and with various currencies means that the price of our trips can change overnight. We have, however, undertaken to guarantee that once you have paid your deposit the price of your trip is fixed. In this respect we urge you to book early to ensure that you receive the price advertised on our website. The website price may increase due to currency fluctuations, but we guarantee that the price advertised on the date of your booking will be maintained in your individual case.
Due to the specialised nature of our holidays, we co-sell a number of trips with 'partner' companies. These are carefully selected to ensure they reflect our ethos and standards in terms of the service we offer our guests. By encouraging other companies to sell our trips it means that your chosen holiday may reach its 'minimum' number earlier, allowing us to guarantee the trip and to give you the go-ahead to book your travel arrangements.
There may be occasions when our partners have helped book your accommodation and organise the logistics for your trip. On these occasions your hotel may have recorded your room reservation in the name of one of our partners.
We guarantee that companies with whom we work will offer the same package as Tracks and Trails Ltd. The price will be the same, though occasionally they may be operating in a different currency. Your itinerary and the items that are included, or not included in your trip fee, will also be the same.
We believe in team work, and enjoy working with other small high quality companies. If you have any questions about this policy please contact us and we will be happy to discuss it with you.
Prices may vary depending on date.
| From Price | £0 |
| Holiday Type | Snowshoeing |
| Duration | 8 Days |
| Group Size | 8 |
| Minimum Age | 18 |
| Maximum Altitude | 2656m (8711ft) |
| Countries Visited | France |
| Meet In | Turin Airport, Italy |
