Multi-activity holiday in the French Alps
How this holiday makes a difference
Environment
We take special care to choose activities that have a minimal impact on the environment and only use local guides and instructors to ensure the local economy is supported by our activity. Our list of activities only include those which have a minimum impact on the environment, such as walking, rafting, etc.
We respect and support local conservation / erosion projects by following guidelines issued by the Ecrins National Park and ensuring our clients are made aware of any specific guidelines that may affect them. E.g. carrying rubbish down from refuges / high mountain walks. All accommodation suppliers are vetted according to their professionalism and their approach to responsible tourism (using local produce, respect for the environment and promoting the culture of the region). Several of the gites have strong environmental criteria with regard to recycling and reducing their environmental impact. We are about to make a deal with Gite de France to use their eco certified gite suppliers. We don’t promote motorised sports.
All our guides are fully trained in environmental sustainability as a part of their diplomas and they educate our clients about the mountain habitat during the activities. We don’t print brochures and keep paper use to a minimum in the office preferring electronic distribution as our main means of communication with clients. We provide detailed information on how to behave within the park such as carrying out all litter, no free camping and adhering to the rules of the park.
Tree climbing is an example where you will get a unique insight into the local mountain flora and fauna. We also promote it because of it’s environmental ethos. Unlike high ropes adventure courses, where elaborate rope bridges and obstacles are fixed in the trees, tree climbing leaves no impact on the forest. The guides set up their ropes in the trees just for the activity. After you have gone the ropes are removed and it’s as if you were never there. During the activity you will really get to know the trees and particularly the difference between the various species that grow in the Alps, as some are typically a lot more technical to climb than others. You’ll perhaps meet some of the animals that depend on the trees and forest habitat and will certainly leave with a better understanding of how it fits into our ecosystem!
Community
Every activity has it’s own charm and insight into the local mountain habitat and culture. For example, you could walk up to a mountain refuge accompanying the donkeys taking up supplies, helping to pay for the journey (otherwise done as a favour to the refuge guardian).
By eating in the refuge you will be supporting the guardians who live there for the season and make their living just on the food they sell to tourists. The price for staying the night is for the club alpine francais (CAF) for CAF refuges and doesn’t go to the guardian. The guardian is also the local expert on flora and fauna and will show you where the local marmots, chamois or Ibex are hiding out.
We work closely with the Tourist Office and support their projects for sustainable tourism and in particular the impact of tourism on local agriculture (the traditional way of life in the area). We include local events that support and promote farming traditions, food production and markets in our itineraries and advice for things to do for our clients to help support the farming community and raise awareness of their culture.
We are committed to promoting the culture of the region and ensuring that tourism has a positive impact. Through supporting the refuges and giving clients detailed information about how to behave when in the national park we try to ensure that people behave with respect for the environment and local people. This information includes warnings against free camping, ensuring that people eat in the refuges, carry out their litter and adhere to the rules of the park.
We are committed to promoting the food of the region and advise people on local delicacies and where they can be purchased. We promote a local organic juice supplier who make Argousier (a local wild berry) and give all clients a bottle when they arrive with information about the berry.
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