DENT DU GEANT ascent

The advantage of attempting the ascent of the Dent du Géant on the first day is that you have time to climb in the sun, as you will be sleeping in the refuge. Of course, you will attempt the ascent of the Dent du Géant on the day when the weather forecast is best.

Night at the Torino refuge

To make the most of the local granite, your guide will suggest either the Arête des Marbrés or the Aiguille d’Entrêve.

Descent by cable car.

End of our trip in Courmayeur at the end of the afternoon.

The programme is intended as a guide only. It could be modified at any time by the mountain guide for safety reasons, weather conditions or regarding the physical and technical level of the participants.

You will review the climbing techniques on long routes to update and strengthen your skills for maximum safety and fluidity in the roped party during the climbs. We’ll go over the different types of roping depending on the configuration of the routes, and the techniques for belaying on the move or belaying from a belay station.

NB: This course requires an excellent physical condition and technical ability. The altitude, approach walks and mountain terrain require real technical skills. Approach walks will take between 30 minutes and 1 hour 30 minutes for elevation gains ranging from 250 to 650 metres maximum.

2 participants maximum. Departure is guaranteed from 2 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.

Personal equipment

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 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.

Feel free to bring any gear you already have but bear in mind that legislation regarding I.P.E. (personal protective equipment, in this case helmets, harnesses and sunglasses) limits the use of equipment over time. They can be used for 5 years from the date of purchase. After this date, your equipment is no longer considered to be up to standard. For more information on E.P.I., click here > www.inrs.fr

The head

• One pair of sunglasses* protection class 2 or 3
• A cap
• A helmet*

Hands

• A pair of leather mittens, such as cycling or sailing gloves for abseiling and belaying.

Bodywear

• A long sleeves undershirt, fleece or soft shell jacket
• A Gore-tex jacket offering waterproof protection
• A pair of warm or light climbing trousers depending on the weather

Technical equipment

• A climbing harness*
• a lock biner* and a 40cm sling*
• Quickdraws and other equipment that you wish to use or learn how to use
• A pair of comfortable climbing shoes*
• Daypack * (large enough for spare clothing, your lunch & personal climbing gear, approx 35L)
• a small backpack (8-10L) to take the minimum you need on the route

And last but not least...

• Water containers, ideally a one-litre bottle plus smaller ones to slip into the bag.
• Small knife
• 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.

Mountaineering 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.

Conditions in high mountain change throughout the summer and these changes can sometimes alter the supervision standards for each ascent. The supervision standards define the number of people that the mountain guide can supervise for each route and that standard can be modified during the season.
These changes may affect the price of the trip or the programme. Your registration for one of our trips or ascents means that you understand and accept this possibility.

The programme is intended as a guide only. It could be modified at any time by the mountain guide for safety reasons, weather conditions or regarding the physical and technical level of the participants.

Nous ne demandons pas de certificat médical pour participer à nos stages, néanmoins il peut être utile de vérifier auprès de votre médecin traitant que vous ne présentez pas de contre-indication (notamment en cas de maladie chronique) à la pratique d’une activité physique soutenue en haute-montagne.

Si vous suivez un traitement particulier, nous vous demandons de nous en avertir afin d’être en mesure de prendre les dispositions adaptées en cas de besoin.

L’altitude peut provoquer lorsque l’on est pas suffisamment acclimaté un mal aigu des montagnes appelé aussi MAM. Il se traduit dans la plupart des cas par des maux de tête, des nausées, et un sentiment général d’inconfort mais peut parfois dans les cas les plus graves évoluer vers un œdème pulmonaire ou cérébral nécessitant une redescente immédiate.

C’est pourquoi il est toujours utile, avant tout séjour et dans la mesure du possible, de réaliser des randonnées en montagne ou moyenne montagne, notamment pour ceux qui vivent au niveau de la mer.

L’ampleur des voies envisagées dans un cadre de haute montagne exige une excellente condition physique et technique. Le niveau des voies effectuées sera moins élevé que le niveau demandé mais l’altitude, les marches d’approche et le terrain montagne requièrent une réelle aisance technique..

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.

Accommodation in dormitories and rooms with 6 to 8 beds (hörnlihütte); blankets provided, please bring a sleeping bag liner, shared toilets and washbasins, no showers at the Torino refuge. Hearty meals, picnic lunch.

If you wish to arrive the day before, we can book a night’s accommodation for you in a gîte.

Transports from the meeting point to the start of the climbs are provided by Roc Ecrins. If none of our vehicle are available we may ask you to use your own vehicle.

If you are arriving by train,

• TGV connection Paris-Bellegarde and TGV Marseille-Lyon, TER connection to Les Houches, then shuttle
• The SNCF railway line serves all villages from St Gervais-les-Bains-Le Fayet to Martigny (Switzerland) via Servoz and Les Houches, then shuttle buses .

If you are coming by car,

• From Italy, take the A5 motorway to AOSTE, then follow signs for Courmayer.
• Coming from the south, take the A7 motorway to Valence, then the A49 to Voreppe, follow signs for Chambery and Geneva to join the Autoroute Blanche to Les Houches, then take the Mont Blanc tunnel to Courmayeur.
• From the north, take the A6 motorway then the A40 to Macon, the Autoroute Blanche then the N205 towards Les Houches, then the Mont Blanc tunnel to Courmayeur.

If you are arriving by plane,
Geneva International Airport

• Mountain guiding service , including their meals, overnight accommodation
• Full board accommodation in mountain hut from the first evening to the lunch on the last day
• Organisation ans reservations (accommodation, guide, equipment) of your stay
• Cable car passes

Lorsque nous allons en montagne, nous sortons de la société que nous connaissons pour nous retrouver dans un milieu encore un peu épargné par les activités humaines.
La montagne est singulière puisqu’elle est le symbole d’une liberté. En effet c’est un lieu où quiconque peut s’exprimer, gravir, sauter, glisser, vivre, partager et plus encore. Que notre objectif soit un sommet, une ligne ou simplement la découverte des paysages, nous profitons tous d’un moment privilégié avec la Nature.
Pour garder cet espace de vie aussi beau et le conserver, il faut aussi en prendre soin et savoir vivre avec tous les acteurs de la montagne.

UN ENVIRONNEMENT FRAGILE. Pour le préserver quelques simples règles de bonne conduite : rester sur les sentiers, ne rien prélever, ne rien jeter et se faire discret tant vis à vis de la faune qu’à l’égard des autres randonneurs et alpinistes. La montagne est l’un des derniers lieux silencieux, et ce silence est un trésor à chérir, à respecter et à partager !
EN MONTAGNE, vous ferez cordée avec votre guide, vos amis ou d’autres personnes que vous ne connaissez pas, tous unis par un même objectif.
L’entre-aide est de mise, au sein du groupe mais aussi vis à vis de quiconque aurait besoin d’aide. Pensez au sens de « circulation » : Ceux qui descendent laissent passer ceux qui montent.
EN REFUGE aussi, il est important de respecter certaines règles de savoir-vivre pour garantir une cohabitation harmonieuse. Vous devrez vous déchausser pour monter dans les dortoirs, des crocs sont prévus à cet effet. N’oubliez pas que les réveils sont en général très matinaux alors soyez discret. Au réveil, il est d’usage de plier sa couverture.
Au moment du DÉBRIEFFING de la journée, il est d’usage d’offrir un verre au groupe pour apaiser les moments de doutes, de peurs, et/ou fêter le sommet, revivre les moments forts, drôle et joyeux de la journée. Et si le cœur vous en dit, à la fin de votre séjour, vous pouvez remercier votre guide avec un petit pourboire, une tradition ancienne mais bien sûr non obligatoire.

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.