Best of Freeriding in La Grave, Piémont & the Ecrins Ski Tour
Overview
The mountains of south-east France & the Piedmont in Italy hold a multitude of wonderful ski areas, many of which you will never have heard of. Each has fantastic freeride powder skiing in common, but one that catches everyone’s attention is La Grave. La Grave is legendary worldwide as a place all freeride skiers need to experience at least once on their lives. A truly extraordinary place, it is not like any ski resort you will have been in before. Raw & unfettered adventure in epic, often technical terrain of huge proportions, La Grave has many freeride descents of over 2000m vertical. In short, a place best sampled with an experienced guide in a group of like-indeed people. If this appeals to you, read on……
The Best of Freeriding in La Grave, Piémont & the Ecrins tour is led by an experienced local guide that knows the region like their own backyard. Utilising a single, centrally located base hotel, the group will travel by private minibus to a different ski area each day, using the local ski lifts & some skinning to seek out the best freeride powder in the region. Every night, once comfortable at the hotel, the guide will discuss with the group the options for the next day’s adventure over a few après ski drinks.
Ski Resorts Visited
Away from La Grave, but within easy driving distance, the region holds a list of true freeride powder gems. In Italy, the Via Lattea’s Sestriere is consistently awesome. Between Sestriere & La Grave, Montgenèvre & Serre Chevalier has some of Europe’s best tree skiing, never mind the impressive alpine zones & backcountry descents! Nearby, & unknown to most international guests (sshh, don’t tell anyone!), Puys St Vincent (PSV to its friends!), Pelvoux & Queyras hold fresh snow when other resorts have been tracked out. For those wanting to spend more time exploring La Grave, a private tour can easily be arranged. See the Itinerary Tab for more.
Meeting Point & Transport
The meeting point for the tour is either of two train stations - Briançon (France) or Oulx (in Italy). Oulx is on the Paris-Lyon-Turin-Milan fast train line so is a handy way to get to the area. Once picked up, your group will have its own minibus to transport you to up to six different ski areas on the tour, including (but not limited to): La Grave, Sestriere, Montgenevre, Serre Chevalier, Puys St Vincent Pelvoux & Queyras. See the Itinerary Tab for more.
Accommodation & Meals
Enjoy the hospitality, food & drink of a classic French town or Italian village for 5 nights. The usual base is the fascinating town of Briançon with its fabulous Vauban Fort. It is central to all the ski areas on the tour, but flexibility, weather & snow will dictate the best place to stay. Past tours have also utilised villages such as Claviere (in Italy, right on the border with France near Montgenevre). Suffice to say, everyone will be comfortable wherever you rest your head! See the Accommodation Tab for more.
Guides & Group Size
All guides are fully certified mountain guides with extensive local ski & mountaineering experience, plus their understanding of clients’ needs/wishes, and their teaching/organisational skills. The maximum number of guests per guide/group will be 7, but may be as low as 5, depending on conditions.
Technical & Personal Requirements*
Ski Ability
Participants must be experienced skiers (no splitboarders - sorry, this is a SKI tour!). Splitboarders can only be catered for in a specific group (please enquire!). You should be at ease with skiing on all types of snow at a sustained pace all day long. Slopes may include short steep & exposed sections (40o to 45o) plus couloirs. Skinning uphill will be involved, but will be no more than 45 min to 1 hour per day. No previous skinning/ski touring experience is required. All ski gear can be rented & avalanche safety gear is included in the tour price.
Fitness
Good physical condition is required, skinning or short ascents on foot will not exceed 45 min - 1hr/day. You should be prepared to ski all day long at a good pace, approx. 4 - 6 hrs skiing.
*Good to know: if you don't have the level required, the guide may ask you to leave if necessary for the well-being of the rest of the group. If in doubt, please do not hesitate to ask!
A Note About Covid
The tour operator undertakes to follow all the recommendations issued by the relevant government. The tour vans are disinfected after each use and wearing a mask is strictly compulsory for all trips. This for the clients and for the guides. Participants will be informed of the health protocols relating to the accommodation where they stay - it is mandatory to respect them. For the latest on travelling to Europe see the website Reopen Europe.