Exploratory blog - news and happenings at Alpine Exploratory
Guided holidays, Summer 2009
posted by Alpine Exploratory on
Monday, 22 December 2008
We've added a guided option on the Walker's Haute Route, for summer 2009. This is our 5th guided trip in our schedule and we hope it will prove good fun!
For 2009, across all 5 guided trips, we're offering scheduled trips - these are trips on set dates that are open to all-comers. So, if you're coming by yourself or as a couple, or in any small group, we hope this will be of interest. If you're a group of about 5 or more, and fancy different dates or going by yourselves, let us know and we'll plan a private guided trip for you.
So, here are the dates for the scheduled trips:
Swiss Valais: 27 June to 4 July 2009
Chamonix Mountain Walking: 11 to 18 July 2009
Julian Alps Hut-to-Hut: 25 July to 1 August 2009
Walker's Haute Route: 15-29 August 2009
Tour du Mont Blanc: 5-19 September 2009
Please contact us for more info about what these guided trips involve. Thank you.
 Guided walking holidays in the Alps
Labels: alps
Snowshoe dates for Winter 2010
posted by Alpine Exploratory on
Tuesday, 16 December 2008
Our scheduled snowshoe trips are now available to book for 2010. It seems a long way off, but it'll soon come round... These are of course additional to our service of private trips for pre-formed groups of family and friends. So, here are the dates:
Chamonix Snowshoeing - 7 nights - 16-23 January 2010
Vaudoise Alps Snowshoeing - 5 nights - 13-18 March 2010
Chamonix Snowshoeing
Vaudoise Alps Snowshoeing
Labels: alps, chamonix, snowshoeing
Chamonix Snowshoeing in 2010
posted by Alpine Exploratory on
Friday, 12 December 2008
For Winter 2010 we are offering a scheduled Chamonix Snowshoeing trip, open to all. Join others to explore the winter hills around Chamonix, with an expert leader. This will run during January, with dates to be announced soon, and is in addition to our standard service of private group trips available at any time during this coming winter (2009) and winter 2010. Please see our updated page for more info:
Chamonix Snowshoeing
Labels: alps, chamonix, snowshoeing
Meet the Tour de France 2009
posted by Alpine Exploratory on
Friday, 24 October 2008
Cycling fan or in search of spectacle? 2009's Tour de France route gives lots of scope for viewing while on one of our trips to the Alps, as follows. Come and see it...
... on a chalet holiday in the French Tarentaise
The Tour de France spends the night of 21 July in Bourg Saint Maurice, having dropped down from Col du Petit Saint Bernard and before heading off over the Cormet de Roselend. Bourg Saint Maurice is a pleasant town local to our chalet holiday in the Tarentaise. There's plenty to do in the area as it is, as well as our easy Alpine walks, but the added bonus of the Tour will make this a special week.
French Alps Multi-Activity
... on a break in Chamonix
Chamonix is not visited by this year's TdF, but is handily placed on the train line between two viewing places. Take the Mont Blanc Express in one direction on 19 or 21 July to see the riders at Martigny; take it in the other direction on the 22nd to see them pass through Sallanches.
Chamonix Mountain Walking
... on the Tour du Mont Blanc
As in 2007, the Tours coincide near les Chapieux. This time they're riding from Bourg Saint Maurice to Beaufort rather than the other way round. So, with a bit of spare time on 22 July you can catch the riders as they labour up the slopes to the Cormet de Roselend.
Tour du Mont Blanc
... on the Walker's Haute Route - in Switzerland!
Unusually for the TdF, two nights will be spent in Switzerland. On 19 July this gives a chance for Haute Route trekkers to follow the race in the valley between Sembrancher and Le Chable before its uphill finish in Verbier. The race rests in this resort on the 20th before restarting from Martigny on 21 July, again passing Sembrancher on the way to Col du Grand Saint Bernard.
Walker's Haute Route
Please contact us for greater detail. Timings are key, both of your start dates and of your walking times, and we can advise on the ins and outs.
Labels: alps, tarentaise, tour de france, tour du mont blanc
New! Walker's Haute Route
posted by Alpine Exploratory on
Friday, 10 October 2008
We're thrilled to be offering a new trip for summer 2009: the Walker's Haute Route. This is one of the classic treks of Europe, taking about a fortnight. It's distinct from the original or 'Classic' Haute Route which is a ski tour or high-mountain expedition. The Walker's version sticks to walker's trails, often challenging, but nevertheless a walker's domain.
The route runs from Chamonix to Zermatt. Along the way, a series of passes need to be crossed; these passes are on the North-South mountain ridges that run up to the main Pennine chain of this part of the Alps. Passes are typically 2,800m or 2,900m. Stages are broken up by villages and huts, for the most part handily placed.
We are offering the whole route, plus each half of the route. It splits quite neatly into two at Arolla.
Please see our pages and let us know any time if you'd like to discuss options or book yourselves in:
Walker's Haute Route
Walker's Haute Route West
Walker's Haute Route East
Labels: alps, walker's haute route
The North Face Ultra Trail Mont Blanc
posted by Alpine Exploratory on
Tuesday, 7 August 2007
Each August a race is held on a circuit of Mont Blanc, roughly following the Tour du Mont Blanc route. In 2007 look out for the race on 24-26 August, starting and finishing in Chamonix. The course is 163km long and climbs more than 8,900m. The fastest competitors expect to run it in under 25 hours and there is a limit of 46 hours for everyone. Around 2,500 runners took part in 2006 - watching them fly by is a real spectacle and was remarked upon by some of our clients last year. Disruption to walkers should be minimal.
Ultra Trail Mont Blanc - the official website of the race
Labels: alps, tour du mont blanc, ultra trail
Tour de France 2007 and the Tour du Mont Blanc
posted by Alpine Exploratory on
Thursday, 5 July 2007
The 8th stage of the Tour de France, the world's most famous cycle race and arguably the biggest sporting event in the world, met the route of the Tour du Mont Blanc this summer. On Sunday 15 July 2007 it was possible to watch the 165km stage between Le Grand Bornand and Tignes, from a vantage point near the village of les Chapieux on the TMB. The stage was won by Michael Rasmussen from Denmark in a time of 4h 49m 40s after a long solo breakaway. Rasmussen's ride also gave him the leader's yellow jersey, thanks to the time he made up on the previous holder.
Tour de France - the official website of Le Tour
Les Chapieux is a staging post on the typical Tour du Mont Blanc route, two stages from the start in Les Houches. It marks the Southern extent of the Mont Blanc circuit. Our accommodation in les Chapieux is a welcoming auberge that makes a good base for exploring the surrounding Beaufortain Alps. The route also passed a few km from our chalet in the Tarentaise, up the hill from Bourg St. Maurice, where we run summer walking and multi-activity holidays.
Tour du Mont Blanc - our popular self-guided walking holiday along this classic trail
French Alps Multi-Activity - rafting, mountain biking, paragliding, you name it!
Labels: alps, tarentaise, tour de france, tour du mont blanc
New for 2007 in the Julian Alps
posted by Alpine Exploratory on
Tuesday, 12 September 2006
We have added two new itineraries in the Julian Alps ready for summer 2007. Both are self-guided holidays. The new trips complement our existing trips in Slovenia, making 5 in total. The trips range from easy walking holidays based in the valley to more strenuous high-mountain treks.
Trek for 5 days in the high mountains of the range, staying in a range of huts, on our Hut-to-Hut holiday. Previously this longer trek was only available as a guided holiday.
For something totally flexible and (we believe) different to anything currently offered in the industry, take our Julian Alps Starter Pack. This is a pack of information, maps and accommodation bookings designed to let you hit the ground running. For experienced trekkers who know their mountains but don't yet know the Julian Alps, this service has two benefits - reduced time spent planning, and being pointed to the best walking.
Julian Alps Hut-to-Hut
Julian Alps Starter Pack
Labels: alps, julian alps
New option on the Tour du Mont Blanc
posted by Alpine Exploratory on
Sunday, 2 July 2006
Are you interested in the Tour du Mont Blanc but would you prefer to spend only one week on trek? As well as our main TMB holiday we offer the route in two week-long trips. Choose the Northern or Southern half then walk the other section in the future! The 6-stage Tour du Mont Blanc North leaves the Italian Val Ferret and follows the TMB route via Champex to the Chamonix valley. High-mountain glacial scenery and charming valley floors characterise the stages; your accommodation is varied, characterful and friendly.
Tour du Mont Blanc North
Guided and Self-Guided Holidays
Labels: alps, tour du mont blanc
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