5-day avalanche and safety skills training course - Clarée Valley

The guide welcomes you at our office, close to the SNCF station, for a coffee, tea or yogi tee.
We then check everyone’s equipment and bags and distribute the equipment hired.
For those who want to add to their equipment, our small shop offers a great range of specialist mountain equipment and textiles.

Off-piste skiing at Puy St Vincent (or Serre-Chevalier )

A first day to get to know each other and ski some superb off-piste runs. On the programme this day: transceivers and companion rescue practice.

Meals and overnight stay in a hotel in the valley.

We’ll start from the picturesque hamlet of Le Laus and head for Arpelin or one of the many local summits suited to our objective: improve your knowledge and abilities regarding mountain snowpack and snow metamorphism and route selection.
A beautiful descent between chalets and larches will take us back to the gîte.
After a good day’s skiing, we’ll meet for a drink to discuss and prepare together for the next day’s outing, using maps and the information at our disposal ( Avalanche Bulletins, weather forecast,...).

Overnight in a gîte in Cervière.

Ascent : 850m

Our destination for the day is the Lasseron, the emblematic mountain of Cervières, which offers an unforgettable panorama on the Ecrins massif.
We’ll set off from Cervières to explore the marvellous, cold Vallée des Fonds, dotted with superb icefalls. We’ll then head up the splendid slopes of the Lasseron to the summit.
You will be able to deepen your knowledge of snowpack; a stratigraphic section of the snow cover will enable you to discover its characteristics, which your guide will explain in detail (types of crystals, fragile layers, etc.). He will explain how to analyse it and what you can learn from it. Then, under his expert guidance, you can take the initiative to decide of the right route.

Return to the gîte where we will prepare together for the next day’s outing.

Night in a gîte in Cervières

Ascent: 1000m

This course has been specially designed to enable you to acquire the essential knowledge to prepare, lead and manage a ski touring outing in maximum safety. The aim is to give you the tools and the method to analyse the ongoing situation: the Avalanche bulletin, the snowpack, weather forecast, maps and how to cross-reference all this information.
Every evening you will decide with your guide on the next day’s ascent based on all these parameters.
You will also learn risk management techniques such as group management, not forgetting skiing techniques.
The ultimate aim is to give you a greater understanding of the winter environment so that you can be more self-sufficient, safer and find the best snow!

7 participants maximum. Departure is guaranteed from 4 participants. You will be notified at least 7 days before departure in the event of cancellation. Where possible, an alternative solution will be offered.

NB : For cancellation conditions for privatised trips (made up groups) please refer to our conditions of sale.

Please note that we offer some of this equipment for rental, they are indicated by a * in the list below, you will find rental prices in the "Gear rental and extras prices" section.

Equipment rental and changes are only possible before payment of the balance of your booking (45 days before departure). We advise you to take the time, as soon as you register, to list the equipment you already have or which can be lent to you. Any equipment initially rented from ROC ECRINS even not taken on the day of departure must be paid for.

The head

• Sunglasses class 4*protective lenses
• Ski goggles
• A mountaineering or skiing helmet*
• A warm hat
• Sunscreen high protection (30 and 50)

The body

• A mountain rucksack * suitable to carry skis if necessary, approx. 25 litres
• A long-sleeved top, prefer merino wool to synthetic fabrics as the are more breathable
• A fleece or soft shell jacket
• A warm down jacket
• A Gore-tex waterproof jacket*to protect against rain, snow and wind
• An avalanche transceiver (avalanche transceiver) + shovel* and probe*.

Hands

• A pair of thin leather ou fleece gloves and a warmer pair with a waterproof membrane

Legs

• Ideally a Gore-tex type ski trousers *with with long side zips. For cold days, a long warm underwear may be worn underneath

The feet

• Ski touring skis *
• Ski skins* in good condition
• Ski crampons* suitable for your bindings
• Ski touring boots
  
• Telescopic ski poles*
• A spare pair of socks

Miscellaneous

• Bring containers for around 2 litres of water, ideally a one-litre bottle plus smaller ones to keep warm and close to your body in your jacket.
• Small knife
• Small thermos flask
• Camera
• Small first-aid kit adapted to your personal needs, also containing elastoplast and double-skin dressings for any blisters.

This list is not exhaustive and should be completed with all what you may specifically need.

ROC ECRINS proposes for sale equipment adapted to your activity and your stay DIRECTLY on our premises in L’Argentière-La Bessée where we will welcome you on the first day . Don’t hesitate to ask us for advice or ask your guide on site.

BRANDS ON SALE :

• BEAL (Climbing and mountaineering harnesses, slings, descenders, carabiners, quickdraws, belay gloves, climbing bags, headlamps, mountaineering helmets and climbing helmets, ropes ...)
• CAMP (Climbing and mountaineering axes, liquid chalk and chalk)
• SALEWA (Mountaineering shoes)
• CASSIN (Mountaineering crampons)
• ALTITUDE EYEWEAR (Sunglasses category 3 & 4)
• YYVERTICAL (Climbing safety glasses)
• NATURAL PEAK (Technical T-shirts in wood fibre, long and short sleeves and leggings)
• ICEBREAKER (Merino wool technical T-shirts, long and short sleeves and leggings)
• DYNAFIT (Ski touring boots, second-hand and new ski touring skis)
• LES BATONS D’ALAIN (Hiking poles and ski touring)
• LABORATOIRE BIARRITZ (ecological sun cream, body, face & lips)
• COMPEED (Double skin plaster to prevent blisters ...)
• BOULES QUIESS (Ear plugs for good nights in refuges...)

Ski touring is dependent on different factors that we can sometimes neither anticipate nor control; we may therefore have to modify the programme of our high mountain holidays before or during the stay for various reasons:

• if the weather and/or snow conditions make it impossible to carry out the planned programme and/or
• if there is a delay in the opening or early closure of a ski lift or refuge

In these cases, we will offer you an alternative programme, sometimes on the day of departure, which you may not refuse.

Ski touring, as all mountain activities have some level of risk particularly of avalanche or injury in the event of a fall.
To reduce the hazards that they are exposed to skiers must follow the safety instructions given by the instructor.

You must be aware of these risks and accept them when booking.

No medical certificate required to take part in our trips, but it may be useful to check with your doctor that you have no contraindications (particularly in the case of chronic illness) to physical activity in the high mountains.

If you are undergoing any particular treatment, please let us know so that we can take appropriate measures if necessary.

Altitude can cause acute mountain sickness when you are not sufficiently acclimatised, also known as AMS. In most cases, it is accompanied by headaches, nausea and a general feeling of discomfort, but in the most serious cases it can lead to pulmonary or cerebral oedema, requiring an immediate descent.

Ski touring is a physically demanding.
With an average daily ascent of 900m, it’s important that you arrive in very good physical condition to get the most out of these 5 days of training.
If you do an endurance sport on a regular basis, that’s perfect; if you don’t, we advise you to train in the weeks/months leading up to your stay. Running, hiking, cycling or swimming at high intensity are perfect sport to improve your stamina and fitness.

This stay is open to all good skiers who are comfortable on red runs and in all types of snow and who master the ski touring equipment.

N.B.: If you do not have the required level, the guide may ask you to leave the course for the safety of the whole group.

By state-certified mountain guides or trainees mountain guides (aspirant guides) from the Roc Écrins team. They will have a VHF radio connected to the emergency services, a satellite phone or a mobile phone. They will also have a collective first-aid kit.

*A trainee mountain guide is a guide in training who is authorised to work and supervise climbs from their third year of training. They are not beginners, as it takes several years of practice and training to build up a list of routes and have the experience and technical level required to enter the mountain guide training course.

As a travel agency, we have our own professional liability insurance.
To take part in one of our stays , you must have individual civil liability insurance, covering you in the event of damage caused to others. In addition, you must be properly insured for the chosen activity and covered for (rescue and repatriation costs) in the event of an incident or accident occurring during the course. It is your responsibility to check the cover offered by your personal insurance policy. If you do not already have such insurance, you can take out one of the policies we offer:

-* ASSISTANCE’ insurance, covering repatriation, rescue and search costs and interruption of stay, represents 2.6% of the price of the holiday. 
-* ‘MULTIRISK’ insurance covering rescue and search costs, repatriation, cancellation, loss of luggage and interruption of holiday, represents 5.6% of the price of the holiday. 
-* For non-European residents, ‘ASSISTANCE for non-European Union citizens’ insurance, covering rescue and search costs and interruption of stay, represents €10 per day.

1 Night in a hotel in L’Argentière-la-Bessée in a double or triple room. Sheets and towels provided.
1 Night in a cottage in Laus . Accommodation in rooms for two to four people, sheets provided, please bring your own towels. For dinner, home-style cooking with mountain specialties and traditional recipes made with fresh local and organic produce wherever possible.

These accommodations are subject to availability at the time of your registration.

Transport provided by Roc Écrins. If none of our vehicles are available, we may ask you to organise car pooling with other participants. In this case, travel expenses would be refunded to the person using their vehicle.

• To join us: Please bring suitable equipment for your vehicle (snow tyres or snow chains), MANDATORY on some of the roads used during your stay. >HAUTES-ALPES.FR

That’s the CO2 produced by our travels during your stay!

To join us :

Why not car pool or take the train ?

For information:

• Paris - L’Argentière-La Bessée (710km) by overnight train !

1. By train : 2,53 kgCo2
2. By car : 137 kg CO2
3. By electric car : 14,1 kgCO2

• Lyon - L’Argentière-La Bessée (250 km)

1. By train : 1,22 kgCo2
2. By car : 48,4 kg CO2
3. By electric car : 4,96 kgCO2

• Marseille - L’Argentière-La Bessée (259km)

1. By train : 0,88 kgCo2
2. By car : 50,1 kgCO2
3. By electric car : 5,13 kg CO2

Carpooling ? We can put you in touch with other participants. Contact us by email or telephone. https://www.blablacar.fr/

Offset your carbon emissions !

For every tree planted, 150 kg of CO2 are stored !
https://www.reforestaction.com/plan...

The Pays des Ecrins region has excellent transport links.

If you’re coming by train,

The SNCF provides direct daily services from Paris, Marseille and Grenoble to L’Argentière-la-Bessée station.
PLEASE NOTE: the Pays des Ecrins station is called "L’Argentière les Ecrins". You must specify the full name of the station when booking, otherwise you may receive a ticket for "l’Argentière" station in Savoie.

• TGV connection, Paris-Turin. Get off at Oulx then take the shuttle to Briançon and l’Argentière.
• TGV connection, Paris-Valence or Paris-Grenoble with bus connections
• Night trains from Paris and the East of France. Information www.sncf.connect.fr
• from Nice, Marseille or Gap, regular bus services (www.autocars-scal.fr - 04 92 51 06 05)

If you are coming by car,

• From the north, take the A48 motorway to Grenoble, then the Col du Lautaret (RN91). Drive through Briançon towards Gap. You enter the Pays des Écrins at Saint-Martin de Queyrières.

• From Italy, take the A43 Maurienne motorway through the Fréjus tunnel, then the Col de Montgenèvre. Drive through Briançon towards Gap.

• From the south, take the A51 motorway to La Saulce, then head for Briançon (RN 94). You enter the Pays des Écrins at La Roche de Rame.

• Mountain guiding service , including their meals, overnight accommodation
• Full board accommodation from the first evening to the lunch on the last day, picnic lunches
• Lift passes
• Transport during the stay
• Organisation and reservations (accommodation, guide, equipment) of your stay

• We welcome you to our premises for a cup of coffee or tea and equip you on site
• Free parking is available at the meeting point
• You can have a shower at the end of your stay
• You have free access to a relaxation area with Wifi, toilets, microwave, etc. while you wait for your train (5 minutes’ walk from the station)
• You can leave a bag with your personal belongings on the ROC ÉCRINS premises during your stay
• You will receive a 10% discount on our entire sales area (ROC ÉCRINS customers only)

Mountains are a magic place, a place where wildlife is still present and a place of great freedom That’s why we like it so much as well as so many more and more people. But it’s also a fragile environment that need to be respected and protected. Please follow few simple rules of good behavior: stay on the trails, don’t take anything, don’t throw anything away, and be discreet. The mountains are one of the last silent places, and this silence is a treasure to be cherished, respected and shared!

IN THE MOUNTAIN, you’ll be roped up with your guide, your friends or other people you don’t know, all united by the same goal. It’s all about helping each other, not only within the group but also with anyone else who need help. And don’t forget when walking: those who go down let the way to those who go up.

IN THE REFUGE also, it’s important to respect certain rules. You’ll need to take your shoes off to go up to the dormitories; sleepers are provided for this purpose.
Don’t forget that climbers get up very early in the morning so please be discreet. When leaving the dormitory , it’s
usual to fold the blanket.

At the end of the day or of the stay it’s customary to offer a drink to the group
to soothe moments of doubt and fear, and/or to celebrate the summit, sharing the day’s
strong, funny and joyful moments. And, if you feel like it, at the end of your stay, you
can thank your guide with a small tip, an old tradition but nothing is mandatory.

To book your trip :

• complete the pre-registration form online
• You will receive a booking contract by email. It sets out the details of your booking as well as the schedule and payment terms.
• On receipt of this contract, the deposit of 30% must be payed within 4 days in accordance with the terms and conditions set out in the contract. Your registration can only be confirmed when the deposit has been payed.
• The balance must be paid 45 days before the departure. Please note that any balance not paid within 45 days of departure will be considered as a cancellation of your booking. Financial withholding would therfore be applied in accordance with our terms and conditions of sale.
• For a of a booking made less than 45 days before departure, the total amount of the booking must be paid on receipt of the booking contract in accordance with the terms and conditions set out therein.