Alpine Wolf tracking holiday, France
Description of Alpine Wolf tracking holiday, France
Enjoy an utterly thrilling wolf tracking holiday in France, where your visit encourages the conservation of these misunderstood animals in communities that have an uneasy relationship with a cunning and feared predator.
In the company of an experienced and highly knowledgeable mountain guide from the local area, join a small group of likeminded wildlife enthusiasts on a true wilderness adventure. Walking ‘off-piste’ through pristine landscapes in the Southern Alps, you’ll learn how to track wolves through their footprints and droppings.
The chances of actually seeing wolves is rare, though there are thought to be two packs and one solitary wolf in the area, but at night your heart will race as you hear their howling off in the distance. Your guide will teach you how to imitate their howls, and to get a response is an incredible feeling. Learn how to distinguish a wolf’s paw print from that of a dog, how to tell if it’s running or walking, and how the wolf has made a return to the French Alps after being driven to extinction here by the early 20th century,
Although wolves wisely keep their distance from humans as much as possible, you can be confident of seeing a fabulous range of wildlife as you walk through the undergrowth, across uneven, sometimes steep ground (walking poles and snowshoes can be provided). Golden eagles fly here, and there are chamois, deer, and wild boar. If you’re amazingly lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of an even rarer predator than the wolf – lynx are known to frequent this part of the Alps.
As you’ll be exploring a remote area, your accommodation will be comfortable, but basic. You’ll stay in a renovated old church, in an abandoned village – a more characterful or exclusive accommodation you would struggle to find. There is no electricity, and the dry toilet is outside. You’ll ‘camp out’ in sleeping bags, cook over a gas stove (all meals are included), and in the evenings you’ll play cards, read, or get to know the rest of the group by lamplight.
This is one of the most memorable wildlife tracking holidays in Europe, but it is much more than that. Historically, people in remote alpine communities where livestock farming is common have understandably treated the wolf with fear and suspicion. By demonstrating there is an appetite for wolf tourism, responsible holidays such as this help convince communities to protect their wolf population, rather than hunt them.
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Reviews
2 Reviews of Alpine Wolf tracking holiday, France
Reviewed on 06 Apr 2022 by Ali Mc Sorley
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Difficult to pick only one ! The location, an old previously abandoned church was bliss. Peaceful and stunning location. The enthusiasm and knowledge of Bernard and Sally ( even if you arrived without much knowledge base if would be impossible to not be inspired and impressed with Bernards skill and talent in tracking and local knowledge and experience ) From the first day when we saw golden eagles, wolf poo and tracks to the 3rd day when the wolves howled back was awe inspiring
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Dress warm for the night time and expect to be pretty smell near the end
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes local food and meeting of local farmers/sheperds who ( in combination with Bernard ) gave us a more balanced approach to the impact the wolves had on
the local community provided a more balanced opinion.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent
Reviewed on 30 Mar 2022 by Anna Denise Bolks
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
There were so many memorable parts to this holiday, living together as a small
group without electricity and warm water, hearing a pack of wolves howl, walking through an amazing geological reserve, learning about the wolves habitat with an expert guide and plenty wildlife around, the visit to a local sheep farmer, learning about her challenges with wolves and the simple but overflowing meals at the refuge.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Three nights sounds short, don't let it stop you, it feels like a week :-)
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, I appreciated the attention given to the need for both wildlife and people to
live and share the same space. We also enjoyed tasting a variety of local food on
our table and many products were organic. It was well done!
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
I waited two years for this holiday, it was totally worth it!
Responsible Travel
Planet
Wolves were officially hunted out of France at the beginning of the 20th century. However, there has always been a population in Italy. Gradually over the years, the Italian wolves have migrated back into the French Alps. The first official sightings were in 1992 and 1993 in the Alpes Maritimes.The wolves have continued to spread west and north looking for new territories and the Southern Alps, with its wild and unspoilt mountains rich in chamois, mouflon, wild boar, deer and other prey is a perfect habitat. It is estimated that there is at least one large pack and several solitary wolves living here.
The lynx's story is similar. Again it was officially wiped out of France in the 1930s but has always had a presence in eastern Europe. Gradually, like the wolves it has migrated in search of new territories and has sought out the Southern Alps for it's rich habitat. Very solitary and discreet, it's presence is only confirmed by rare sightings and animal attacks.
This trip provides a good education and insight into the fragile equilibre of the natural environment by seeing first hand the effects of the wolves on the local habitat. During the tracking care is taken not to disrupt this natural balance and we keep the exact known location of wolves and lynx secret to protect them.
Our office policy is to be as paperless as possible, to use recycled paper where necessary and re-use envelopes and jiffy bags where possible.
People
The local economy of the Alps in winter is predominantly supported by the ski industry, which other than providing an income for local people is not the most responsible holiday for the environment! However it is often the only way local people can earn a living. Our wolf tracking holiday provide an alternative means of making a living for the local people so they aren’t only reliant on the ski resorts. For example, the high mountain guide and wildlife expert is also a ski instructor and he has reduced his contract with the ski school in order to have more time to invest in the wolf tracking trips and other more environmentally friendly holidays which we are very pleased about! We always use local guides and instructors and rather than bringing over foreign guides. We use local accommodation rather than large chains to support the local economy.Popular similar holidays
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