Posts by Adrian:
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Ski holiday with a difference….
December 29th, 2011
Ancelle
The Alps and skiing go together like a good French wine and cheese…. Very well! And also like a good French wine and cheese, us Brits love them both! At Undiscovered Alps however, we like to spice it up a bit by offering you a ski holiday with a difference. I suppose you could say that we like to have a few really good wines and cheeses on offer, and enjoy the ability to choose between them all!!
Ice Climbing
In this case the cheeses are all the activities you can do on a ski holiday with Undiscovered Alps! With a fantastic range of winter activities to choose from, including snowshoeing, spending the night in an igloo and ice climbing to name but a few, there is something for every adventurer to try!
You will find lots more details on the activities on our website and on our blog article here.
More importantly perhaps, is the selection of fine wines we have to choose from……. With a choice of either the Krug Vintage, aka the larger high altitude resort of Orcieres, or the local Chardonnay’s, aka the traditional smaller ski villages, we have you covered! Choose from the panoramic south facing slopes of Chaillol, the plateau slopes of Ancelle, the dedicated backcountry / off piste area of Serre Eyraud, the larch lined slopes of St Leger les Melezes or the small, charming slopes of Laye which comes complete with its own Fromagerie. All this talk of cheese and you could taste the local one while skiing!
Chaillol
The smaller ski villages offer an authentic French skiing experience, which is becoming more and more unique to the Southern Alps. Whereas the Northern Alps have in places become busy and commercial, with large apartment blocks etc; The ski villages have retained all of their traditional French charm, as well as quieter slopes, great snow records and minimal lift queues.
You can even choose to ski in a different village each day, each with their own character and appeal, and each with different, but equally impressive views of the Alps. They all also benefit from the excellent sun record in the Alps, with over 300 days of sunshine a year. The vast majority of the skiing is at a lower altitude as well, which means you can enjoy some fantastic tree lined slopes, as well as some much more manageable temperatures. All of t
Serre Eyraud
hese great benefits combined with our selection of winter activities make for a true ski holiday with a difference!
Whether you are a first time skiing family, or experienced skier looking for something a bit different, the Ski villages have something to offer you! We are huge fans of them at Undiscovered Alps, and did we mention they work out great value?! Have a look at the Ski Villages Ski Adventure Holiday on our website here for lots more details.
Have you skied in a ski village before? What did you think? Please leave us a comment here and let us know!
How to enjoy the French Alps “sans skiing”
September 19th, 2011
Sleep in an Igloo in the Alps
Want to do something different in the Alps this winter? Whether you simply want a break from skiing, or skiing is just not your thing, the Southern French Alps have the answer!
Having fun snowshoeing in the Alps
The winter wonderland that the Southern Alps transforms into in December makes it an ideal place for a wide range of activities. From ice climbing to snowshoe walking, from husky sledding to sleeping in an igloo, there are activities for almost anyone!
One of the most popular activities has to be snowshoeing. I am a huge fan of snowshoeing! Up until last year I was an avid skier, and had never tried snowshoeing. I was lucky enough to get a chance to go snowshoeing with Molesley Rowing Club, who came on holiday with Undiscovered Alps last year. It was an amazing experience. You get to enjoy the mountains and appreciate your surroundings a lot more than regular downhill skiing, enjoy the ascent as much as the descent and best of all get away from the crowds and discover the best the back country Alps has to offer.
Ice climbing in the Alps
Another fantastic activity in the Alps and another firm favourite of mine, after a memorable introduction by Bernard this January, is ice climbing! It’s available to people from all ages as long as you have over size 36 feet as that’s the smallest size crampon and boot available!
Waterfalls in the Alps are spectacular enough in the summer, but when they freeze for the winter they become truly magical!
You can stand on a frozen river bed, which is only accessible for a few months of the year and your guide will quite literally show you the ropes up the waterfall in front of you! With amazing views and climbs to suit all grades, from novice to expert, ice climbing is a must on any winter trip to the Alps!
Husky Sledding across the winter wilderness
Husky sledding is another ‘must do’ winter activity in the Southern Alps. Feel like you have travelled back in time, when husky sledding was the only way to get around the wilderness of the mountains in the height of winter. You can have your own husky sled and team of dogs, for anything from a taster 10 minute session to a day and overnight trek, sleeping out with your huskies in the mountains. You get to bond with the animals as they pull you through the snow covered, tree lined wild as the cold air rushes past your face…. Truly exhilarating!
And, if you want to experience the winter wonderland under the stars, why not spend the night in an igloo! This is only available in a few places throughout the Alps. At 2300m up on the Rocherousse plateau in Orcieres, there is an igloo village, looking like something out of the Arctic (and feeling as cold as the Arctic at times!).
The igloo village is built at the start of every season, and offers an authentic eskimo experience in the heart of the Southern French Alps! You get a hot meal with your guide in your igloo, before bedding down for the night with only candle and moon light. If you are even more adventurous, you can explore the mountains with an UIAGM high mountain guide by snowshoe, who will teach you how to build your own igloo where you can spend the night, completely away from civilisation! Sleeping in an igloo is a real unforgettable experience.
A journalist from the Independent Newspaper travel supplement came out to visit us a couple of years ago, and wrote an article on their igloo experience! Both spending a night in an igloo and husky sledding were also featured on Conde Nast Traveller’s website last winter! Have a look here for igloo and here for husky sledding.
These are just a selection of a few of the activities that can make up a winter holiday in the Alps. Have a look at the full range of the activities we offer at Undiscovered Alps. Have we missed one out that you think should have got a mention? Mountain passions have also done a tour of the Alps in search of other things to do in the winter. Have a read of their ‘mountains of things to do’ too. What is your favourite activity? Let us know in the comments!!
Top 10 Summer Activities in the French Alps – Part 2
July 18th, 2011Well here it is! The long awaited second part of our feature on the top 10 activities in the French Alps! Another opportunity for us to plug all of the amazing activities to do with Undiscovered Alps, and hopefully an opportunity for you to get some inspiration for your next trip.
5. White water descent – Like the sound of hydrospeed but would prefer something slightly tamer, and where you can at least attempt to stay out the water? White water descent is for you! Negotiate your way down the rapids in either a raft for 6-8 people or a “hot dog” which is the equivalent of an inflatable canoe for 2 people. Both are exhilarating as you battle your way down the river trying to stay on board! This activity is best experienced as early in the summer as possible, when the water is at its highest and fastest, but normally still amazing right until September.
4. And climbing in at 4 is Via Ferrata! Originally developed by the Italian army as a way of traversing the Alps in the early 20th century, this has recently developed into a world wide sport. Via Ferrata is a fantastic introduction to the mountains. You are constantly secured, as well has having ladders and metal pegs etc to help you negotiate the rock face; almost anyone can now experience the thrill of climbing in spectacular surroundings. With different routes suitable for young children up to adults, this is a fantastic activity suitable for the whole family!
3. Tree climbing – fancy reliving your days as a child and climbing almost anything you could? Tree climbing is for you! You get to explore high up into the canopies where you would never have previously ventured, secured by ropes at all times. This activity is definitely not just for the kids! You can try climbing lots of different types of trees, and when you get to the top you get some fantastic views! If you want to take your experience even further, you can spend the night sleeping in hammocks strung between the trees…. not for the faint hearted!
2. Galloping into second place is Horse Riding! With horses being one of the first methods of transport throughout the mountains, they have a long history in the region, and our guide will help you experience the best parts of the mountains on horseback. With a huge range of possible tracks including spending the night in the mountains with the horses and camping out in a teepee, we have something to suit a rider of any level including complete novice! A popular activity choice with a summer multi activity holiday!
1. The number 1 summer activity in the French Alps has to be………. Canyoning! One way to think of canyoning is as a natural waterpark, with rock slides and chutes, big pools for you to jump into and waterfalls for you to enjoy. Canyoning combines lots of fantastic activities – abseiling, rock climbing and all while in the water. You start up at the top of the canyon and negotiate your way down through all sorts of amazing obstacles. This activity is great as a family, and should you have younger children, there is even a Canyon they can take part in! It also serves as one of the best way to cool off from the hopefully sunny weather you will be experiencing. It lets you see part of the mountains you would never have seen before, all while safe and comfortable with your highly qualified local guide. Thrilling, exciting and challenging – the perfect summer multi activity with Undiscovered Alps!
Have we missed your favourite activity out? Something else you think is worthy of our list? Why not leave us a comment and let us know!!
Top 10 Summer Activities in the French Alps – Part 1
June 24th, 2011An opportunity for us to shamelessly plug some of the fantastic activities you can do on a summer holiday with Undiscovered Alps, but also hopefully a chance for you to discover activities you might never have otherwise thought of doing!
10. “In at ten and down two places from last week”, I jest, but our first activity is High Ropes Adventure! You may have seen these sorts of tree top adventure centres opening across the UK within recent years, but these have been a fixture in the French Alps for almost as long as the taste for exploring gripped this fantastic region. Negotiating zip wires, spider nets, tight ropes and wobbly wooden blocks while being suspended in the trees are all in a days work on the High Ropes! We also have the biggest in Europe that you can explore, which is ideal for the real adventure and thrill seekers amongst you.
9. Mountain Biking – with an amazing array of mountain biking routes and disciplines available, you will never be bored. Choose from challenging single track downhill, to enduro routes, to a bike park full of technical trails packed full of features to a more relaxing cross country route for a family to enjoy with stunning views! The Southern French Alps really has it all. Top all of this off with the most sunshine out of the whole of the Alps, and top of the range bikes and equipment for you to hire, why go anywhere else!? For the keener rider, we have some fantastic Mountain Bike Holidays to choose from, including our new Alps to Provence route.
8. Kayaking – From whitewater river kayaking to more relaxed lake kayaking, you can have an amazing time kayaking with Undiscovered Alps, no matter what your level. The kayaking on the lake is a very popular activity and is spent normally at either the Lac De Serre Pnocon or Lac de Sautet, both spectacular alpine lakes with deep blue crystal water and fantastic scenery for you to enjoy from the water. Our whitewater kayaking is that popular, we have even created two specific holidays for it, at both an intermediate and beginner level! We have a number of different rivers to choose from for differing abilities, and we are also just round the corner from the slalom world championships this year which you can go to enjoy when you need a break from the water yourself!
7. Something a bit different in at number 7 – A night in a refuge. Mountain refuges are dotted around the Alps, and are essentially there to provide refuge for mountaineers and walkers. In the summer months, some of these mountain refuges are open to the public to stay in and have a custodian who looks after the hut and its guests. As part of this activity, you set off on a walk – anything from 1.5 to 8 hours, and arrive in the mountain refuge where you spend the night with all of the other guests, provided with a 4 course evening meal and socialising and sleeping in dormitory style accommodation. A fantastic, truly authentic French experience, in the heart of the mountains with good views and company – a worthy addition to any summer activity holiday!
6. Caving – With the Champsaur and Valgaudemar valleys being in such close proximity to the Devoluy Massif, we have a caving playground for you with experts and guides. For those of you who have never felt brave enough to experience this underground labyrinth, we have a great taster session for you to get to grips with caving and used to being underground. You can enjoy underground lakes, streams, tunnels, ice caves and even an underground glacier. For the more experienced or athletic, you can spend longer in the cave, venturing deeper underground with more technical routes, which will prove challenging to even the fittest!
The top 5 will be coming up shortly so watch this space! Is there an activity you would most like to see in the top 5 that hasn’t been yet, why not write a comment and let us know! Alternatively get in touch via facebook or twitter!
Rooms with great views in the Alps!
May 18th, 2011At Undiscovered Alps, we are spoilt for rooms with great views. In fact every single one of our properties has a fantastic view from one side or another! Here are some of the highlights –
Friendly 2* Hotel – As featured on roomswithgreatviews.com, this property has an amazing view that might look familiar to those eagle eyed Undiscovered Alps Facebook fans out there! Looking West from the front facing rooms in the hotel, you get to see a bit of everything….. traditional French villages and countryside with the backdrop of the alpine resort of Laye and its surrounding peaks. Fantastic!
What a winter wonderland!
Modern but Rustic Auberge – Situated in perhaps one of the remotest and most beautiful valleys in the area, this Auberge is framed amongst the high peaks of the Champoleon valley. While it doesn’t command and long panoramic views down valleys like some of our other properties, it does give you an authentic alpine experience in some dramatic surroundings. Some of the rooms have amazing balconies for you to take it all in, and each side of the property offers a different mountain vista!
The Auberge in its alpine environment!
Chalet Style Apartments – The chalet style apartments are situated on the north side of the Champsaur valley at 1600m and have amazing south facing views across the valley, with sun all day long (weather permitting!) Each apartment has a terrace area where you can eat and enjoy the views, planning your next adventure with Undiscovered Alps!
One of the many views from the terraces of each apartment!
Renovated Alpine Farmhouse – In my opinion, saving the best to last! The view from the farmhouse is not only great from the rooms but also from the swimming pool this property and its guests benefit from having access to in the summer. This property offers one of the best places to relax after your activities with Undiscovered Alps, and recharge your batteries for the following day. A true gem that also happens to be fully booked except for one week this summer, from 23rd July, so why not send us an enquiry now!?
Fancy a holiday at any one of these fantastic properties, and experiencing these views for yourself?! Why not send me an email – adrian@undiscoveredalps.com
Make the most of being a Scot – reach your holiday high…in July!
May 9th, 2011I live in Glasgow, and like the rest of the Scots I am really beginning to get in the mood for some proper summer weather. Having visited the Undiscovered Alps this winter, I couldn’t imagine a better place to go!
Scottish schools break up for summer holidays at least 3 weeks prior to the English schools this year. That means that late June, early July is a fantastic time to come and visit the Undiscovered Alps, especially from Scotland! Whether you choose to travel by car, plane or train, the Alps are easily reached from north of the border. You can fly direct to Marseille from Edinburgh. You can take the train from all over Scotland down to London, where you can jump on the Eurostar to Paris and then take the night train to Gap or of course you can drive.
Late June and July aren’t just ideal because of the school holidays however. They also happen to be one of the best times to visit this stunning part of France! First off, the weather is fantastic. It is regularly in the high 20’s and early 30′s, and it is not uncommon for there to be 5 – 6 weeks of pure continuous sunshine! On top of that, the area is quieter in July than August, allowing you to make the most of the seclusion and take in some amazing walks and wildlife that this region offers. It is also one of the most beautiful times to visit as the summer flowers are blooming in the alpine meadows with butterflies galore - all waiting for you to explore! Should you decide to do any watersports when out here, particularly Whitewater, Hydrospeed or Canyoning the river levels will still be good with the spring melt well under way, providing a fun and exhilarating experience. Admittedly, my poor description really doesn’t do it justice, so here are a couple of photos for you!
Taken in June! Click to see the whole set on Flickr......
Believe it or not, this is from a different set to the one above! Click to see it on Flickr!
You will also find lots more photos on our Flickr page to get you excited. If you would like to experience this fantastic region at any time of the year either click the enquire now button below, or drop me an email – adrian@undiscoveredalps.com
Another reason to holiday in France……..
May 4th, 2011Ever needed any more reasons to holiday in France this year?! Thanks to oil price hikes and increase in duty on flying, long haul prices have increased on average by over £100 in less than two years!
In for the longhaul?
According to tour operator ‘Trailfinders’, a return flight to Australasia will now cost you £178 more now, than it did in November 2009. If you fancy holidaying in South-East Asia, your return flights will cost you £104 more, and £89 more should you plan on a return flight to USA. Why is it so much more expensive now than before?
There really has never been a better reason to holiday in Europe, particularly France! You can travel to France by plane, train orautomobile, all of which will work out significantly cheaper than flying long haul. So why not come and see us in the Southern French Alps! To put things into perspective, you can hop on the Eurostar on the Friday night in London, be in Paris for quarter past 9 in the evening, jump on the night train and be in Gap (our nearest big city) for 7 in the morning of the Saturday, ready to start your activityholiday with Undiscovered Alps! With us you can enjoy the most sun out of the whole of the Alps, some fantastic summer activities, gorgeous welcoming accommodation and experience a traditional side of France that you otherwise might never have seen without breaking your bank balance!
Just one of the many amazing experiences with Undiscovered Alps!
SOURCE: Trailfinders via The Telegraph
