a WEEKEND to discover ice climbing on the Pays des Ecrins’ waterfalls

We meet at our office with a cup of coffee or tea, then gear up and/or check your equipment before setting off for the ice climbing site in the best condition at the time. We’ll start this course by learning climbing techniques: using crampons and ice axe to climb an ice wall.
We’ll then look at belaying techniques and rope management from a belay station, to give you the basic skill to allow you the next day to climb a multi-pitch waterfall with confidence.

Meals and overnight in a gîte in L’Argentière-La Bessée

On this second day, we propose climbing a beautiful Muti-pitch waterfall. For example: "Torrent de Queyrières" or the "Y" in Ceillac, "Paulo Folie" in the Fressinières Valley....
You’ll enjoy climbing all the way up the waterfall, which reveals all its facets as you go.

Difference in altitude: around 250 m. Ascent time: 4 to 5 hours. Total time: 6 to 7 hours.

End of the course late afternoon in L’Argentière-La Bessée.

NB : 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.

Over these two days, the guide will teach you the techniques for climbing on steep ice in order to give you the skills needed for the safety and fluidity of the rope party during the ascent of waterfalls of several pitches: roping up, handling the ice axe, use of crampons, belay techniques, placement and removal of belay points...

4 participants maximum. Departure is guaranteed from 3 participants. You will be notified at least 48 hours 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 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.

Individual technical equipment is included in the package (boots, helmet, ice axe, crampons, harness), please provide us with your shoe size on the registration form.

The head :

• sunglasses class 3
• a pair of white glasses to protect you from ice impacts
• a beanie hat or a balaclava that fit under your helmet
  a helmet
• sunscreen

The body

• a 30-litre mountain rucksack*
• long-sleeved underwear
• a fleece or soft shell jacket*
• a warm down jacket
• a gore-tex type waterproof jacket*
• a screw-lock carabiner
• a 40cm lanyard.
• DVA, shovel, probe

Hands

• a pair of thin gloves in leather or ceramic for handling at belay stations
• warmer glothes for climbing

Legs

• ideally gore-tex type trousers* with long underwear underneath ; ski trousers may be suitable, they must be water-repellent

The feet

• crampon compatible mountain boots , warm and providing good ankle support.
• a pair of crampons in good condition
• specific waterfall ice axes

Miscellaneous

• provide containers for around 2 litres of water, ideally a one-litre thermos plus other smaller plastic bottles to slip into your jacket warm next to your body.
• energy food (cereal bars, dried fruit, etc.)
• a small knife
  camera with strap
• A small first-aid kit adapted to your personal needs, including elastoplast and double-skin dressings for any blisters.

This list is not exhaustive and should be completed with your specific needs.

ROC ECRINS proposes for sale equipment adapted to your activity and your stay DIRECTLY at our premises in L’Argentière-La Bessée where we 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, ice pins, climbing bags, headlamps, mountaineering helmets and climbing helmets, single ropes and abseiling ...)
• CAMP (Climbing and mountaineering ice 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, used 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 Earplugs for a good night’s sleep in a refuge...

Ice climbing as all mountain activities have some level of risk particularly falling rocks/ice, falling to the ground (failure to belay), etc.
To reduce the hazards that they are exposed to, climbers must wear their helmet at the foot of the cliffs, while climbing and belaying, and follow the safety instructions given by the instructor.

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

• Vous devez être en très bonne condition physique.

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.

To take part in one of our stays, you must be properly insured for the chosen activity (rescue and repatriation costs) in the event of an incident or accident occurring during the stay. (We strongly recommend that this also includes cancellation cover). It is your responsibility to check the cover provided by your personal insurance policy. If you do not have such an insurance, you can take out the EUROP ASSISTANCE contract when you sign up. The amount of the "ASSISTANCE" insurance covering repatriation, rescue and search costs represents 2.4% of the price of the stay. MULTIRISK" insurance covering assistance, cancellation, loss of luggage and interruption of holiday, represents 5.6% of the price of the holiday.

In a gîte in L’Argentière-La Bessée. Overnight stays in four-person rooms, bed linen provided, please bring your own towels. For dinner, home cooking with mountain specialities and good traditional recipes using fresh local and organic produce whenever possible.

This accommodation is subject to availability at the time of booking.

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: make sure your vehicle is equipped with the right equipment (snow tyres or snow chains), [compulsory on some of the roads used during your stay]->https://www.hautes-alpes.fr/evenement/1634/1639-actualites.htm]

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.

• Supervision by a mountain guide
• Technical equipment: boots, crampons, ice axes, helmet, harness, safety kit (avalanche transceiver, shovel, probe) if necessary
• Full board accommodation in mountain hut from the first evening to the lunch on day 2
• 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.