Mountain Adventure Holidays
A fabulous three days of snowshoeing in the spectacular Chamonix valley in France. This is the perfect introduction to winter walking on snowshoes. If you enjoy the outdoors and would like to experience the joy of wandering through snowy forests and valleys then this is the perfect weekend break. For centuries Chamonix has attracted mountain lovers from around the world and we hope that this winter you would like to join them.
Snowshoeing is simply 'walking' in winter. We put snowshoes on our feet to stop ourselves sinking into the snow, and to generally make walking easier. Anyone, who is a regular walker and enjoys the outdoors will love this long weekend. The days involve between 4-5 hrs of walking and there is time to explore, shop or simply relax in this glorious mountain environment. This is a trip aimed at being relaxed, and the snowshoeing while filling most of your day, is aimed at allowing free time in the afternoon. If you want a full day of snowshoeing then you might want to consider one of our other snowshoe trips.
Combine this Snowshoe Long Weekend and our Italian Ski Break for a multi-activity winter week on our Snowshoe and Ski 'Combo' holiday.
Your guide will meet you at your hotel this evening in the beautiful French alpine town of Chamonix to answer any questions about your weekend of snowshoeing. Your guide will also distribute your snowshoe equipment and explain how to fit your snowshoes so they are the correct size for your walking boots.
This morning we travel a short distance to the alpine village of Les Houches where we take the ski lift into the mountains, a great way to save the legs! We are rewarded with excellent views of the entire mountain range, featuring the highest in Western Europe, the mighty Mont Blanc sitting at 4810m (15,776ft). Imagine being up high and surrounded by sparkling glaciated summits and jagged rocky ridges, and you have got the idea. If this is your first time in the mountains in winter we can promise you will find the experience breath-taking. From the top of the lift we leave the skiers behind us and begin our walk to the summit of Le Prarion which sits at 1969m (6458ft). En route your guide will give any instructions necessary with regard to walking while wearing snowshoes. There is no skill required you simply walk! Snowshoes prevent you from sinking too deep into the snow, and if icy they have spikes on the under-side which gives excellent grip. The top of Le Prarion offers a wonderful vista and your guide will be able to point out the major peaks which have for centuries attracted alpine climbers from around the world.
Ascent: 300m (984ft) Distance: 5km (3 miles) Duration: 4h00
Optional activity:
This afternoon you will have free time to visit the world famous alpine town of Chamonix where there are a multitude of options and activities.
You might want to take a trip on the historic Montenvers rack and pinion railway train which takes you up to 1913m (6274ft) above the famous Mer de Glace glacier, the 'Sea of Ice'. The mountain views from this location are stunning, while looking down you will find yourself focusing on the Mer de Glace where you can usually see ski mountaineers descending from the high summits.
Also at Montenvers you will find the 'Grotte de Glace', or Ice Cave which takes you into the very heart of the glacier. Re-sculpted every year, it describes the life of mountain people in the early 19th century. There is also the Glaciorium where there is a fascinating exhibition looking at the creation and evolution of the glaciers over the centuries. Well, worth a visit! Full details of ticket prices and opening times can be found here.
After a leisurely breakfast, we take the historic Mont Blanc Express train towards the Swiss frontier for a snowshoe walk in a local valley. The train ride which takes 30 minutes is to be savoured, and you can reflect on a history which has seen climbers and mountaineers climbing aboard this train for more than 100 years. The locals regard the Mont Blanc Express with fond humour, it's called an ''Express' but travels at a very leisurely pace. To be honest it's pace is perfect as it gives you time to enjoy the beautiful views from its windows.
We then arrive at Vallorcine, this is the 'Valley of the Bears' due to the high numbers of bears in the Middle Ages. Unfortunately, at that time the locals paid their taxes in bear meat, hence there are no bears today! However, if you take a careful look at some of the ancient chalets you will see many a 'bear' motif carved into the wood. We can choose from several excellent snowshoe options here, most of which take us past some characterful hidden chalets and hamlets. We may also explore the Berard Valley, walking beside the gorge and waterfalls where the ice is frozen into fantastic shapes.
Ascent: 450m (1476ft) Distance: 5 km (3 miles) Duration: 4h30
Optional activity:
This afternoon you have further free time to explore the valley. You may want to take the Aiguille du Midi cable car up to 3800m (12,464ft) where you will feel the altitude and experience what it is like to see Mont Blanc up close, or at least as close as you can get without further effort. For more than 60 years, the Aiguille has been a world attraction.
There is also the alpine museum which chronicles the history of Chamonix, and the famous climbers who have made their mark on the mountaineering world.
Or if you would like some luxury you could visit the new QC Terme wellness and spa centre. The spa is indeed a wonderful place to spend an afternoon and you will feel brand new after the experience! Any aching muscles will soon disappear. You should consider booking on-line in advance of your visit if you want to be guaranteed a reservation. On-line reservations can easily be cancelled if necessary.
Today we ascend to an 'alpage' - a beautiful, high alpine meadow where sheep and cattle graze in the summer months, but in winter is a wonderful place to enjoy the snow. The ancient Chalets de Chailloux farm also offers a fabulous panorama of the glaciers and peaks dominating the Chamonix valley. To be honest we think it offers one of the best views of Mont Blanc and the other stunning alpine peaks of this wonderful part of the French Alps. We being with a steady climb through lovely larch forests before we reach the high ground, en route we pass ancient chalets which for generations have been the summer homes of local people. Often the tell tale aroma of wood-smoke means that someone has come up for the night to enjoy the solitude of this snow covered world. On our way back down we can do an excellent loop through the silent forest which sees few other people. We should arrive back in Chamonix with some time for some apres 'snow' and a sauna before dinner.
Ascent: 570m (1869ft) Distance: 8km (5 miles) Duration: 5h00
Optional afternoon activities at your own cost:
Todays snowshoe hike will have been longer than the previous two days, but it may still allow time to further explore Chamonix, or simply to relax in the hotel sauna.
Today you leave having filled your lungs with pure mountain air, and hopefully with a healthy glow on your cheeks.
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.
While in Chamonix we usually use the 3* Hotel Aiguille du Midi which is a lovely place to stay with excellent food and sauna/spa facilities. This trip will include Dinner, Bed and Breakfast and meals can be adapted to suit any dietary requirement. To ensure that we are able to book the Hotel Aiguille du Midi we advise you to book early. If this hotel is not available then we will stay somewhere similar in Chamonix and always where possible we use family run hotels, with plenty of comfort and character!
Chamonix, France is easily reached from other European and worldwide destinations by road, rail, coach or plane.
Geneva, in Switzerland is the closest international airport, only 1h15 by road which makes shared transfers, buses or trains easy to arrange.
A range of travel options to reach the Chamonix valley can be found on the Chamonix Tourist Office website.
If arriving via Geneva we recommend that you book a seat on a shared transfer which is a door-to-door service to reach your accommodation in Chamonix. We recommend Mountain Drop Offs, Chamexpress and Haute Pursuit for this service. Easybus also runs a service from Geneva airport to Chamonix Bus Station. This service runs throughout the day, but does not drop you at your hotel.
Please contact us if you need further advice on your specific travel requirements.
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 £200.
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.
Please note that if you are booking onto a combined Italian Ski Break and Snowshoe Long Weekend then both your transfer to and from the airport will be included in the trip price. Our Italian Ski Breaks are for beginners to cross country skiing and are based in the gorgeous Italian town of Cogne which is approximately 1h30 from Chamonix, France.
| From Price | £0 |
| Holiday Type | Snowshoeing |
| Duration | 5 Days |
| Group Size | 8 |
| Minimum Age | 18 |
| Maximum Altitude | 1969m (6458ft) |
| Countries Visited | France |
| Meet In | Chamonix, France |
