Alpine Activity List
We have a diverse range of activities to choose from and of course they are not all the same price!! So to make it easy for you we have divided the activities into four categories,
Green, Blue,
Red and
Black.
Each colour is worth a number of points:
Green Activities are worth
1 point
Blue Activities are worth
2 points
Red Activities are worth
3 points
Black Activities are worth
4 points
You can choose a mixture of activities from each colour to make up your allocated activity points. Please note that a couple of the activities fall between categories and require an extra 1/2 a point. You can choose 2 of the same activity - eg 2 days mountain bike hire.
Green Activities - 1 point
Kayaking - a half a day (3hrs) hire of sit on top kayaks for a beautiful self guided trip across either the Lac du Sautet - a deep blue lake with a stunning mountain backdrop, or the Lac du Serre Poncon, the largest artificial lake in western Europe - there aren't many better places to paddle. Age limit 5 (must be able to swim)
Horse Riding, - a 2 hour ride through the alpine forests and meadows - a great way to experience the Alps! Rides suitable for beginners through to experienced riders. You will need to specify your level of riding when booking..
Please note this activity uses an extra 1/2 point. Min age 8.
High Ropes Adventure - zip down a tyrolean zip wire, climb up a spider net, negotiate the wobbly log staircase, tip toe across the tightrope wire.... High Ropes Adventure Courses are designed to challenge you vertically, horizontally and personally! A variety of courses for all abilities - lasting approx 1/2 a day. Min age 5.
Mountain Bike Hire - a full day self-guided mountain biking off road on cross country tracks. There is a huge network of waymarked and graded mountain bike routes from green to black routes so there is something for everyone. We can even arrange for child seats and towbars for younger riders. Bikes (Model is
Scott Aspect or equivalent), helmets and repair kit delivered to your accommodation. Maps and route guidance included.
Windsurfing 2 hour windsurf hire. Head out for a blast on the water on the lake at Serre Ponηon one of the largest artificial lakes in Western Europe! You will be asked to specify your windsurfing experience when booking.
Please note this activity uses an extra ½ point.
Windsurfing Lesson A 2 hour windsurfing group lesson on the emerald waters of the lake at Serre Ponηon. Whether youre a complete novice looking to learn the basics or an experienced windsurfer looking to improve technical skills and learn tricks, our fully-qualified instructors are here to help! You will be asked to specify your windsurfing experience when booking. .
Please note this activity uses an extra ½ point. You can also upgrade this to a private 1 hour lesson for another ½ point (2 pers. Min.)
Blue Activities - 2 points
Horse Riding, - a 1/2 day ride through the alpine forests and meadows - a great way to experience the Alps! Rides suitable for intermediate through to experienced riders. You will be asked to specify your riding experience when booking. Min age 10.
White Water Descent - hurtle down the rapids of the Severaisse or the Drac in either a raft or one or two person inflatable canoe... but beware the smaller the boat the bigger the rapids will feel! Approx 1/2 a day activity with 1 - 2 hours on the water. Min age 6.
Via Ferrata - if you like a vertical challenge and unusual situations, you'll love via ferratas! Climb across exposed rock faces and through narrow gorges, traverse precarious rope bridges... safe in the knowledge that you are securely attached! 1/2 a day activity. Min age 9. (we have other via ferratas for younger children within an hour's drive so please ask)
Rock Climbing - a morning or afternoon at a sunny crag, climbing, bouldering and generally enjoying the warm rock, beautiful views and challenging yourself! Suitable for all levels. Min age 5.
Tree climbing, - explore that cool, peaceful, leafy canopy of a tree, swing from a branch, or just sit up high and yell madly at your mates down below! 1/2 a day activity. It is also possible to upgrade this activity for an extra point and spend the night in the trees sleeping in special hammocks. Min age 4.
Giant Tyrolean Zip Wire Travel at speeds of up to 140km per hour head first through the Alps. An extreme adrenalin buzz on the largest tyrolean zip wire in Europe! Min age 10.
Caving - 1/2 a day taster session exploring the underground labyrinth of the limestone Devoluy Massif.
Please note this activity uses an extra 1/2 point. Min age 8.
Guided Mountain Biking - 1/2 a day guided mountain biking off road on cross country tracks adapted to group's ability. Min age 8.
Night in a Refuge self guided walk (route info and map included) in and out of refuge with evening meal and breakfast provided. - there is a whole network of mountain refuges scattered over the Alps to provide food and refuge to walkers and mountaineers as they journey in the mountains away from the luxuries of civilisation! You don't need to walk for hours to get to one and experience the 'mountain refuge' ambiance! No min age (cots are available in the refuge and the closest one is a 11/2 hour walk).
Red Activities - 3 points
Via Ferrata with Tyrolean Descent Situated in la Motte du Caire (about an hours drive from the Champsaur valley) is one of the biggest via ferratas in the Southern French Alps. This via ferrata has several routes that you can choose from but expect a good half day out and prepare yourself for a challenge!! To get back down there are 3 tyroleans including one of 220 meters long over a big drop! Perfect for adrenalin seekers! Min age 11.
Downhill Mountain Bike Hire and Lift Pass - collect your bike and pass in the resort of Orcieres and then head out up on the lift for a session of serious downhill biking there are green, blue and red routes to choose from and a bike park so you can perfect your skills! You can also use the lifts to get up to the top of the mountain and follow one of the tracks down to the valley floor (1800m of descent). Bike is a full suspension enduro bike suitable for beginners to intermediate riders. Standard helmet and protection included. It is possible to upgrade to full face helmet and a more advanced downhill bike for experienced riders for an extra point. Min age 10.
1/2 day Guided Downhill Mountain Biking - 1/2 a day guided downhill mountain biking in the resort of Orcieres. With an instructor to help you improve your technique and teach you new tricks, this is a great way to make the most of the downhill biking in Orcieres. Enduro Bike and lift pass included. Min age 12.
Horse Riding, - a full day ride through the alpine forests and meadows - a great way to experience the Alps! Rides suitable for intermediate through to experienced riders. You will be asked to specify your riding experience when booking. Min age 12.
Canyoning - run or slide down wet slabs of rock, jump off blind escarpments, scramble up rocks, splash around in pools and abseil down drops. We have several canyons to choose from and will choose the most suitable for the conditions when you are here. Min age 10. A half day activity. Please note there is a canyon suitable for younger children about an hour away from the Champsaur valley.
Hydrospeed - this is like a type of white water surf board that you lie on and 'surf' down the river. It's excellent fun and if you want to get close to the water - this is the way to do it! Please note it is an hour's drive from the Champsaur valley to this activity. Min age 13.
Caving - A 4 - 5 hour caving trip exploring the underground labyrinth of the limestone Devoluy Massif. There are several routes available - Devoluy isn't generally a 'pretty' caving system but a sporty one so expect lots of SRT! This is a physical 4 -5 hours and only suitable for people with a reasonable level of fitness. Min age 12.
Black Activities - 4 points
Canyoning and Via Ferrata for younger children - this is a day trip as it is about an hours drive from the Champsaur valley. However, it is well worth the trip. Both the via ferrata and the canyon are perfectly adapted for younger children with lower cable and holds on the via ferrata and a smaller scale canyon. A great opportunity for a fun family day out! Mums and Dads be warned you will have to be brave in front of the kids! Min age 7 (ideal for 7 - 10 year olds)
Paragliding - a really exhilarating experience in the air. You will be strapped to your instructor and he will fly and land the paraglider for you - allowing you to get over the fact that you have just run off the side of a mountain! The exposure of being so high up and flying with the birds, the magnificent views and slight roller coaster sensations all together make this a very memorable experience! It takes about an hour / hour and a half and youll be in the air for 10 15 minutes. It is possible to upgrade for a 'sensation' flight or a have a longer fly but it is more expensive and for a first time this length is perfect. Min age 8.
Caving - A full day caving exploring the underground labyrinth of the limestone Devoluy Massif. There are several routes available - Devoluy isn't generally a 'pretty' caving system but a sporty one so expect lots of SRT! This is a physical day out and only suitable for people with some caving experience and a good level of fitness. Min age 14.
Off the Scale!!
We can also arrange private UIAGM high mountain guides for full day multi pitch climbing routes (guide ratio 1:2) or a
mountaineering trip to do one of the nearby alpine summits. If you are interested in a more climbing and mountaineering oriented holiday, please have a look at our
mountain adventure holidays or our
Introductory Mountaineering Trip or tell us your ideas when you make your
enquiry and we can put together some suggestions for you..
