Example itinerary
On the summit of Les Rouies
Get away from the crowds and explore the peaks of the Southern French Alps!
This is a progressive itinerary taking in three stunning summits: L'Obiou 2789m or Le Piolit 2464m, dramatic trekking summits with some exposed and technical sections, Les Rouies 3589m, a beautiful glacier crossing and short scramble, and either the Sirac 3444m, a glacier crossing and climbing / scrambling or L'Olan 3564m, a glacier crossing with climbing / scrambling.
Where possible we will stick to this itinerary as it is progressive and is a great introduction to real mountaineering off the tourist track!
However, it is the mountains and although we do have the best sun record in the Alps, we may have to alter the itinerary during the week to take account of the weather and conditions.
We also like to remain flexible and are open to suggestions and ideas from you if you have a particular skill you want to learn or a summit you want to do.
dining area at Emiles Farm
We'll arrange a suitable time to come and collect you from Gap train station and take you up to Emile's farm where we will have a welcome drink and go through the week.
Then you can settle down to a hearty evening meal, prepared by Dominique before a good night's sleep in preparation for tomorrow!
View back down the ridge from the Piolit
Tackling the first ridge up to Piolit
Pretty much any high mountain in the Alps involves a bit of climbing or scrambling to get to the top and often in exposed and committing conditions! It is rare to find an easy path all the way up - otherwise everyone would be there!
Keeping safe is every mountaineer's priority and the purpose of today is to go through and practice the essential safety techniques used for mountaineering. You will learn how to move together on a rope, how to place protection, recognise hazards and look after yourself and fellow mountaineers whilst climbing.
Mountaineering is also strenuous involving long days with lots of ascent and descent so pacing and stamina are crucial.
We don't want to exhaust you on your first day but we'll be aiming for a challenging walk / scramble so you can acclimatise and feel the importance of good pacing!
There are a couple of choices of mountains we can use that lend themselves perfectly to our objectives for today and we'll decide nearer the time based on local conditions.
One possibility is the Obiou 2789m, which is the highest mountain of the Devoluy massif and is a spectacular and dramatic trekking peak.
At the start of the walk you get your first taste of the 'airy' ambiance of this mountain with a little exposed section.
After that there are two choices of itineraries, which the guide will explain to you on the day. Either you can follow the GR route which contours around to the right or you can go straight up through the rocks - this is better for practicing your mountaineering techniques. Finish off with a chimney climb to reach the summit!
Enjoy spectacular views over the Ecrins National Park, the Champsaur, Valgaudemar and Devoluy valleys and see if you can spot your next objectives for the week!
The other possibility is the Piolit 2464m via the west Aguille ridge. This is a beautiful mountain with a characteristic pointy top.
A stunning ridge walk with some climbing and scrambling. Perfect territory for practicing mountaineering skills with spectacular views over the Gapencais valley, the Ecrins and the Lac de Serre Poncon.
Lac du lauzon on way up to Pigeonnier
This is a beautiful and easy walk up to the refuge where you will spend the night before attacking the summit of Les Rouies tomorrow.
You can walk up directly in about 2 1/2 hours or you can take in the Lac du Lauzon on your way which is a pretty alpine lake with a stunning mountain backdrop.
Once you get to the refuge you can either relax and enjoy the ambiance or go for a little scramble up in the rocks above the refuge. Your guide will meet you up there and will be up for a bit of rope work practice, wildlife spotting or anything else you fancy doing.
The area is a great spot for ibex and other wild mountain animals so it is worth making the most of the local knowledge of your guide and getting some good wildlife shots to take home with you!!
Thierry, the guardian who runs the refuge is a great character and will definitely make you welcome. It is one of the best refuges in the area! Just remember you have to get up at 4 in the morning before you get too carried away having a good time though!
Setting off for Les Rouies
the start of the glacier traverse
Les Rouies is one of the easiest of the big summits of the dramatic Ecrins massif but is not to be underestimated!
It is a long day with a traverse over a glacier and a steep little scramble at the end. If you have never walked on a glacier before this is an excellent introduction.
The rock is metamorphic gneiss rock and has a very different look, feel and vegetation to L'Obiou or Piolit.
It is situated on the end of a chain of peaks forming the cirque which bars the end of the Valgaudemar valley (the cirque from north to south: Les Rouies, Mont Gioberney, Les Bans, Pic Jocelme, Pic de Bonvoisin, Pointe Verdonne and le Sirac).
Have a look at our
Les Rouies photo album on flickr.
Starting altitude: 2423m
Summit altitude: 3589m
Ascent: 1166m
Average walking time: 8 - 9 hours (5 - 6 hours up and 3 - 4 hours down)
Thierry will wake you up at 4 am where you will experience the classic french mountain refuge breakfast (bread - usually a bit stale, jam or honey and hot chocolate!). It is advisable to bring some snacks with you as it's a long time from now until your lunch at 13:00!
It is at this point as you are preparing your sacks in the dark, that you will have a 'what on earth am I doing here?' moment! Don't worry it's worth it!
After a rocky traverse in the dark you will arrive at the edge of the glacier - usually just as the sun comes up so you can see what you are doing to put your crampons on!
After an explanation of how to use the equipment you will begin the climb up through the couloir to the top of the glacier, which is pretty spectacular in itself.
Once you arrive on top you will be rewarded with amazing views and will start to feel the heat of the sun - truly beautiful! Here you will rope up to traverse the glacier which takes you up to the summit.
The last climb is pretty steep and mixed snow and rock but is is worth the effort to get to the top, where you will really feel on top of the world.
From the summit you get an excellent view of the interior of the Ecrins massif including the Barre des Ecrins and La Meije and of the summit of L'Olan just next door - possibly your next challenge!
Then you come down the way you came up - although it goes much quicker and the going down technique and views are very different from the going up ones so you don't feel like you are retracing your steps.
At the refuge Thierry will greet you with a well deserved hot meal before you make your way down to the car park and back to your accommodation.
This is your opportunity to relax and refuel after your exertions in the mountains, before tackling your biggest challenge of L'Olan or Sirac tomorrow.
From Emile's Farm there are some lovely walks you can do straight from your door or you can just relax in the pretty gardens and save your energy for tomorrow!
If you want to do something more sportif, just let us know. We can arrange a via ferrata, canyoning, rafting, high ropes adventure... Or we can arrange another day with your guide to try a multi pitch climbing route or a day practicing rope work and alpinsm skills somewhere pretty!
Please note any organised activity or transport including the day with the guide arranged for this day are not included in the price.
way up to Vallonpierre refuge
Evening views from L'Olan
There are two choices of summits for today and tomorrow; the Olan or Sirac, equally spectacular and dramatic.
There are then several routes up either with varying grades of climbing. However, we are looking at the classic routes for this trip. They are both 'peu difficile' in grade which means there is some technical climbing and more complicated glaciers so slightly more difficult than Les Rouies. It is really a personal choice and the guide will be able to give you more information about the routes and current conditions to help you decide which peak to do.
The Sirac
The walk in to the Sirac is up to the refuge Vallonpierre at 2271m from the Gioberney at 1642m. This is a newly refurbished club alpine francais refuge situated in a little hanging valley with a small lake.
There are two main ways to walk in - one direct route which is about 3 - 4 hours walking and quite steep or a traverse around under the glacier with the possibility to stop off for a drink at La Chabourneo refuge. This is slightly longer and you cut off half of the steep direct ascent so is slightly easier walking.
Both routes take you up a real classic Alpine valley with the summit of La Sirac dramatically outlined above you.
Again your guide will be with you so if you want to do some rope work or scrambling on your way up or at the refuge, that's no problem. The Vallonpierre refuge is a good place for chamois so again make the most of your guide's local knowledge and find out where they are hiding!
L'Olan
The walk into L'Olan is straight up from la Chapelle at 1101m to the Refuge de l'Olan at 2344m.
It is a long, steep and wild walk in through alpine meadows, rocky outcrops and slabs. The path is easy to follow and there are lots of wildlife spotting opportunities along the way.
The refuge itself is a real classic alpine refuge from the 60s - basic but clean and situated on a pretty alpine plateau surrounded by slabs and rock.
As the refuge is slightly off the beaten track and only really used by climbers and mountaineers, rather than families and ramblers, it has a real mountaineer alpinist atmosphere! As it should really with one of the prestigious summits of the Southern French Alps just behind it!
With nothing else in the way of civilisation anywhere near you and the old style refuge ambiance it is easy to imagine what it was like for the pioneers of Alpinism as they explored these mountains.
Your guide will be with you so if you fancy a bit of local scrambling, climbing or wild life spotting to while away the afternoon at the refuge, go for it!
Sirac
The Sirac is the other end of the cirque of mountains heading up the valley of Valgaudemar from Les Rouies.
It is a magnificent mountain to look at with it's corrugated ridge and is equally magnificent to climb.
Starting altitude: 2271m
Summit altitude: 3440m
Ascent: 1169m
Average walking time: 7 - 8 hours (5 - 6 hours up and 3 - 4 hours down)
Alpinism Grade:PD - peu difficile
Another early morning alpine start from the refuge Vallonpierre.
As you are stumbling over the rocks in the dark on your way towards the start of the route and wondering how on earth the guide knows which way to go, you may again experience that 'what on earth am I doing here' feeling but this time you'll know it is going to be worth it. The start of another adventure in the mountains!
The traverse over rough terrain finally ends at a wall of solid rock! This is where your climb really starts. The first part is a scramble up a pretty cliff - a pleasure to climb. The cliff then gives way to a section of large blocks separated by short scrambles and climbs.
Then you arrive at a reasonably steep but small glacier which you cross to gain access to the next part of the route. Sometimes the bergschrund between the glacier and the main face can be quite difficult to negotiate but your guide will give you good advice and protect you.
The route is varied and interesting - a mix between scrambling and climbing (grade 4a - 4b) over short sections. It is made particularly interesting in big boots but the rock is good and there are big foot and hand holds.
The last section is a dramatic, very exposed and airy ridge which you follow up to the summit. This gives you absolutely splendid views but you are better off concentrating on your scrambling before getting too carried away in that high mountain bliss. Wait til you get to the summit before you really relax and drink in the ambiance in relative safety!!
Again the way down is the same but feels totally different coming down than it felt going up!
A hot lunch will be waiting for you at the Vallonpierre before you finish your journey back down to the valley.
The Olan
The Olan is one of the most prestigious mountains of the Oisans and the Ecrins thanks to its famous north face, over 1200m of pure cliff face with some of the most difficult climbing routes in the Alps
We are taking the south facing which is slightly less intimidating but still 6 - 700 metres of climbing and scrambling over excellent gneiss (metamorphic) rock in a real high mountain atmosphere with a very exposed ridge scramble / climb at the end - a joy to climb.
Starting altitude: 2344m
Summit altitude: 3564m
Ascent: 1220m
Average walking time: 8 - 9 hours (5 - 6 hours up and 3 - 4 hours down)
Alpinism Grade: PD - peu difficile
Another alpine start at 4 in the morning and traverse in the dark over mixed terrain until you reach the glacier.
The glacier is not too technical at the start, however becomes quite steep at the end and there are some crevasses so care is needed.
You leave the glacier by a 40 m long climbing pitch (grade 3) which brings you up to a nice little terrace which you use to traverse the face. This brings you to the bottom of a couloir which you climb up to get to the east ridge.
This is the scariest part of the route - it is an extremely exposed ridge which peaks and troughs along to the summit - some scrambling and some climbing (grade 3). The final part gives you some respite from the exposure with a chimney to work your way up and then on to a nice slab to the north summit! After this significant mental and technical challenge, the breathtaking views are even more magical!
There are a few choices for coming back down - you can either come back down the way you came or take the col between the north summit and the central summit which leads you down a snowy couloir (about 150m). When this becomes steep you go east along a little path until you rejoin the voie normale that you came up on.
This is the sad day where we say goodbye. Hopefully you will leave with some fantastic memories of your adventures in the Southern French Alps and will be back to try some more challenges in the future.
