Winter Walking around the French Alps

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 malcolm.harris 24 Nov 2014

I am looking for some advice planning a 2 week holiday in February. Living in Birmingham, I had originally thought 'Great, a chance to get back up to Scotland and do be around proper mountains in winter conditions'.

However, the thought of squandering my only time off due to poor weather is too much to bear, so I'm considering driving to France where weather can be more extreme but more reliable too. At least then if I get snowed off the mountains I can turn it into a cultural visit...

I really don't know where to start- I'm not usually bothered about getting on top of the mountians (don't have ice axes & crampons), but do things like the lairig ghru in cairngorms (a high mountain pass) & love to camp in snow. If the truth is, in February in France conditions will make anything into a bit of an expedition then I'll probably stick to what I know!

However, if anyone knows of an area/ a guidebook which is great for relatively easy going walks equivalent to walking around cairngorms in winter I would really like to hear about it! I basically want to drive somewhere new in my van and go for a walk, in February. Any Advice?

I'm also open to any criticism of my general approach in thinking about this!

Cheers

Malcolm
Post edited at 11:05
 chris bedford 24 Nov 2014
In reply to malcolm.harris:

Snowshoes will be very useful, especially if you are wanting to get (moderately) high.
Get this and have a browse for some great ideas....
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Snowshoeing-Western-Techniques-Cicerone-Mountaineer...

Opened up a whole world of adventure when we'd previously thought that the alps in winter was for hard core only.
In reply to chris bedford:

bought it! thanks a lot.

yes had thought snowshoes would come into it- getting me to spend money on gear is like blood from a stone but looks like its going to happen! Crampons and ice axe might be taking it a bit far, or have you found that crampons at least are a base requirement?



 Doug 24 Nov 2014
In reply to malcolm.harris:
You'll need snowshoes or skis to do any thing much more than wander around villages or along roads. If you're driving consider going to somewhere like the Vosges or Jura as they are closer. Wherever you go, there are guidebooks easily available, although maybe only in French. And if snowshoeing an IGN (= OS) map is probably all you need. In many areas there are waymarked trails for snow shoers, even if there are not, keep away from the XC ski trails or you will be unpopular.
In reply to Doug:

good info, thanks. would be nice if IGN maps will were enough, so yes may stick to waymarked trails etc. although I have bought the cicerone guide in case I get adventurous.

probably would have headed straight for the XC trails so thanks for the warning!
 chris bedford 24 Nov 2014
In reply to malcolm.harris:

> Crampons and ice axe might be taking it a bit far, or have you found that crampons at least are a base requirement?

Depends on the route - crampons certainly useful if all that's stopping you bagging the summit of your dreams is 10m of hard snow..... would take them more often than not. Ice axe possibly (probably??) less crucial IMHO, crampons and ski/walking poles could get you up an otherwise insurmountable step. Hilary's book will give really good advice.

 Toerag 24 Nov 2014
In reply to malcolm.harris:

+1 for snowshoes - we used them in Austria on a holiday a couple of years ago at NYE. At 1000m the snow was thigh deep on the paths, but with snowshoes or XC skis you could go across it quite happily. The main advantage was that you could go along summer walking trails that were impassable to anyone else, and get into magical virgin snow and conifers territory. So, get a ski-lift up then contour yourself away from the crowds. Modern snowshoes have front points built into them and steel spikes or blades on the circumference so you can go up ice patches.
 Gael Force 27 Nov 2014
In reply to malcolm.harris: .

I wouldn't advise this, with your experience you would be better somewhere with no snow. The avalanche potential coming low down into the valleys is pretty high in the French mountains.
I would go somewhere sunny, like Greece or Spain.
 steelbru 27 Nov 2014
In reply to chris bedford:

I'd be very wary of going anywhere that crampons might be needed without an axe ( and knowing how to self arrest ). If you slip, stumble, fall on the hard ice and start sliding down the hill then you can't stop yourself without an axe. Could be very messy if boulders or crags in your fall line..............
In reply to Gael Force:

Cheers. Are you saying avalanche risk is greater further down? I would probably have gone for woodland walks etc in order to avoid some of these risks, or is that a UK-applicable only assumption? I hadn't planned to go as high as skiing areas etc as will be camping in my van!

Ie I'm looking for ANY snowshoeing routes which do not require prior knowledge & equipment of mountaineering as such, but 'winter walking'
In reply to steelbru:

Good points re safety. This is why I was originally thinking of less committing day trips (in terms of risk, experience & equipment). I am a very experienced hillwalker, and if the mantra 'if' u can walk u can snowshoe' is true its just about finding the right areas!
 deepstar 29 Nov 2014
In reply to deepstar:

Exactly what I'm looking for! Much appreciated.
 Bruce Hooker 29 Nov 2014
 phizz4 29 Nov 2014
In reply to malcolm.harris:

Second vote for the Jura. We are heading out that way for the third time this year, cross country skiing. There is lots of snow shoe potential and you can hire the kit fairly cheaply in Les Rousses, the main centre in the western Jura of France. Two years ago we skied and backpacked, using the forest huts to sleep in. These sometimes have sleeping platforms in the roof and wood burners, but finding dry wood can be a problem. It got down to minus 10 on a couple of nights so we interspersed with hotels for a warm up and a shower. Pretty low avalanche risk but you can get up to over 1600 metres along the southern crest (the Cretes).
 phizz4 29 Nov 2014
In reply to malcolm.harris:

Forgot to say that the information centre in Les Rousses has maps of snow shoeing trails. Plenty of people put their camper vans on the ski centre car parks (eg at Sere) and there is an Aire for camper vans in Les Rousses itself.
 Oscar 02 Dec 2014
In reply to malcolm.harris:
Does the snowshoeing book mentioned above cover the area around Les Rousses, thanks
 Doug 02 Dec 2014
In reply to Oscar:

if you mean Les Rousses in the Jura, I can't see why you wwould want a guide book, buy an IGN map & visit the tourist info centre in the town for some ideas
 Oscar 02 Dec 2014
In reply to Doug
thanks Doug. I'm looking for somewhere for a couple of days snowshoeing that's reasonible close yo the UK. I don't know the area but it sounds straight forward enough. Thanks again.

 wbo 02 Dec 2014
In reply to malcolm.harris:
Rather than snowshoeing mightn't this be an opportunity to try Xc- skiing?

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