Picture this: you’re in the middle of the Mont Blanc Massif, waking up to views of remote mountainscapes out the window of your ski lodge, coffee in hand, ready to take on the day. Sound good? We think so. With some of the best ski touring routes in the French Alps, Chamonix never disappoints. This is a trip designed to channel your inner backcountry explorer; remote hiking meets off-piste downhill skiing in this up-and-coming new sport, and with world-class guides and like-minded people around you, it’s a trip you won’t forget. You’ll learn the art of ski touring as well as developing mountain safety and navigation skills.

Evening 1 - Arrival in Chamonix

Time to make yourself at home at our basecamp for the trip: a cosy backcountry ski lodge. We’ll meet our guide for a briefing and tuck in to some traditional Alpine food ready for a day of adventure tomorrow.

Day 2 – Developing backcountry skills

We head over to the Brévent or Flegere ski area for a full day of touring in the Aiguilles Rouge. This will give us an introduction to backcountry skiing and skinning, help us to familiarise ourselves with the gear and we’ll discuss avalanche risk, the importance of weather forecasting and practice using transceivers.

• Night and dinner at Ski Lodge 

Day 3  – Perfecting those skills

Depending on conditions, we’ll find a great area to keep practicing and learn new skills off piste with another full day out. We’ll work on the skills introduced yesterday, and most importantly - have some fun!  

• Night and dinner at Ski Lodge 

Day 4 – Mountain hut Des Prés and ski touring

We'll transfer to Les Contamines and Val Montjoie, and ski tour up to a brand new ski refuge. It has a spectacular setting in the heart of the Contamines nature reserve, facing the Mont-Blanc range - spectacular views all round!

• Night and dinner in the hut

Day 5 - Ski tour descent from the lodge

Depending on the conditions and weather we'll enjoy another morning of ski touring before heading back down to Les Contamines and back to Chamonix by car.

Please note: this itinerary is given as an indication; weather conditions and safety requirements may mean changes are made to the programme. 

WHAT'S INCLUDED

• 4 days with a Fully certified ski instructor or mountain guide
• Accommodation - 3 nights at lodge in double rooms with half board, 1 night at hut in dorm with half board
• Meals - breakfast and dinner
• Ski passes
• Transfers from Chamonix to Les Contamines and return to Chamonix

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED

• Transport to and from Chamonix
• Lunch and drinks at dinner
• Personal insurance - you'll need this to join
• Personal equipment - this is very personal so you can bring your own or we can help you hire
• Tips

• Warm hat
• Thermal underwear
• Fleece or warm layers
• Down jacket
• Windproof jacket and trousers
• Warm gloves
• Thin lining gloves
• Sun hat
• Long sleeve shirt
• Ski goggles
• Skins that fit your skis
• Ski Poles
• 30-40L Rucksack with attachment loops for skis
• Ski touring Skis and boots that fit you well
• Ski crampons
• Avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe
• Sun glasses
• Water bottle & thermos flask
• Sun screen (high protection) plus lip salve
• Head torch with fresh batteries
• Earplugs and lightweight Sleeping bag liner (only for huts)
• Valid Passport
• Smartphone
• Cash in Euros/ credit card
• Casual clothing and toiletries for the hotel
• Shoes for the city
  
  

You'll need to make your own way to Chamonix. The closest airport is Geneva and Chamonix is also well supported by a rail network.

How good a skier do I need to be?

This course is specifically designed as an introduction to touring so you don't need any prior ski touring experience. You should be a decent off-piste skier but don't worry if you haven't been for a little while, we'll get you back up to scratch ASAP.

If you already have some skills, our April course will help you take things to the next level.

How hardcore is this going to be?

This is all about giving you a friendly intro to ski touring so don't worry, we won't be dangling you from any cliffs.

What skiing skills will we be working on?

We'll be taking your skiing skills and applying them to the world of touring - how to move efficiently and safely.

Already a skier? The April trip is designed with intermediate skiers in mind so we'll work on areas you want to improve.

What mountain skills will we be working on?

This is all about being safe on the mountains - how to read snow conditions, assess avalanche risks, how to navigate, make sense of the weather forecasts and how that impacts us as skiers. You’ll spend time practicing with transceivers, to ensure that if the worst happens you have the skills to deal with it.

We'll also work with you to take your skills to the next level.

Is kit included?

Not on this one. We want to keep the price as competitive as possible and allow people to bring what gear they already have. We can help you arrange hire locally for everything you need. A premium touring set up with skis+touring bindings+skins and poles cost about £55 per day. And the avalanche safety pack including a transceiver, a shovel and probe cost about £15 per day.

What's the ski lodge like?

During your visit in Chamonix you’ll stay at our favoured ski lodge: It will be your comfortable, cozy yet sporty home for your stay

You can literally step on to the mountains and into the magic of the valley, only a few minutes walk away from Chamonix down town.

Enjoy a delicious, hearty dinner with a mix of international classics and local delights in a home-cooked style. After dinner, swap stories of the day in the relaxed bar.  During the high season they are happy to make takeaway lunches so you can immerse yourselves in the mountains all day.

Who's our guide?

Learn from a fully certified ski instructor or mountain guide allowing the group to ski on glaciated terrain. Open up the world of ski touring - get this one booked!

Is there a minimum age for this trip?

Yes, all our trips are for people of 18 years of age and older.