Trail preparation course in Savoie - Vanoise - Mont Blanc

Trip

Comfort Trail between Vanoise & Mont Blanc

With your Trail Guide, you will leave the classic routes to discover some of the most beautiful landscapes in front of the Mont Blanc Massif. It is a Trail to start in the mountains and we will take paths to make you improve little by little during the week, you have to bare dizziness but passages are not difficult.
It is a Trail where we share good times, we run at our own pace and it is not a competition, your guide sets the pace and gives you instructions to manage safety and everyone's improvement, the goal is that over the week you gain autonomy.

Program

TRAIL PROGRAM

DAY 0 - SUNDAY:

Check-in possible from 2:00 pm.
Meeting with your trekking guide at 6:00 pm for the week briefing and backpack check.
You will still have time to go for last minute shopping before dinner, in case you forgot something.

DAY 1 - MONDAY
ROSUEL - COL D'ENTREPORTE - REFUGE MONT POURRI - ROSUEL

Running time and breaks: 6 to 7 hours depending on the shape of the group
Vertical drop and kilometer:: + 1100 m and -1100 m Approximately 15 Km

Night: Hotel ** in Bourg Saint Maurice or Seez.

DAY 2 - TUESDAY
COL du PETIT SAINT BERNARD - COL de BASSA SERRA - LACS de TORMETAZ

Running time and breaks: 6 to 8 hours you will want to enjoy the landscapes, one of our favorite days to do and do it again!
Vertical drop and kilometer: + 1000 m and -1000 m About 20 Km

Night: Hotel ** in Bourg Saint Maurice or Seez.

Trail facing Mont Blanc: today the goal is the Col Bassa Serra and the view of the south side of Mont Blanc, but before that we will cross small valleys passing by the Tomertaz Lakes. It is one of the most beautiful days of trail that you can do in the Alps, a wild valley that you will remember in one of your best dreams. The south face of Mont Blanc is great with its 3000m height, you would think that we left for the Himalayas ....
On the way back we can stop for a nice Italian chocolate at the Petit Saint Bernard Pass, to then take the bus back to Bourg Saint Maurice.

Back to the hotel, we will have a stretching session and a video explanation of trail running techniques and EAD (trail running techniques).

DAY 3 - WEDNESDAY
BOURG SAINT MAURICE - LES 5 LACS - VALEE DES SAPIEUX

Running time and breaks: About 6 to 7 hours
Vertical drop and kilometer: + 1600 m and -1300 m About 17 Km

Night: Hotel ** in Bourg Saint Maurice or Seez.

Today we will be running on the trail of the Dukes of Savoy (TDS): departure from Bourg Saint Maurice towards the Five Lakes, a wonderful place where we can swim depending on the temperature. Descent into the Sapieux Valley.
Pick up in the village of Les Echines Dessus and return by bus to the hotel.

DAY 4 - WEDNESDAY
SASSIERE NATURAL RESERVE - ROCHER de LA DAVIE / GRANDE SASSIERE

Running time and breaks: 5 to 8 hours depending on the route
Vertical drop and kilometer: + 1500m and - 1500 m About 14 Km

Night: Hotel ** in Bourg Saint Maurice or Seez.

Departure by bus towards the Sassière Natural Reserve.
Trail to the Rocher de la Davie (3157 m) or to the Grande Sassière (3747m) if conditions allow it (weather, technically skilled group, path without snow - in August perhaps). The Grande Sassière is  Europe highest peak accessible by trail without walking on glacier, the path goes aside the glacier and then above it.
Alternatevely the Rocher de la Davie is a great satellite of the Grande Sassière at 3157 mt. And the path is easier.
The guide will freely decide the itinerary deending on the group technical level and on the weather conditions, in order to allow every participant to enjoy the day.

Return to the hotel for a stretching session and a video feedback on your technical progression...

DAY 5 - FRIDAY
SAINTE FOY - LAC NOIR - LAC D'ARGENTIERE - LAC VERDET - LAC du CLOU - COL de AIGUILLE - SAINTE FOY

Running time and breaks: 6 to 8 hours
Vertical drop and kilometer: + 1700 m and -1700 m About 19 Km

Night: Hotel ** in Bourg Saint Maurice or Seez.

Bus to Sainte Foy Station: we will start walking towards the magical village of Le Monal facing the great glacier of La Sache.
The path will then lead us to the Sassière Plateau and its Alpage. Then off we go for the Lakes Day: we will go off the regular trail to reach the Lac Noir - Lac d´Argentière - Lac Verdet and then Lac du Clou. A magnificent route under the Archeboc and its 3280 meters.
We will finish with a final climb to Col de l'Aiguille then a quick descent to Sainte Foy Station. You're ready to run with the Chamois now ...

Back to the hotel, small drink to beautifully end this great week!
Dinner and night at the hotel.

DAY 6 - SATURDAY

END OF THE TRIP: see you next time for a new adventure!

The Budget

Budget for the Trail week:

The price includes

• Supervision by a state-certified mountain guide from our team;
• Accommodation in a Hotel **, half-board as described in the program (4 days of supervision and 5 nights);
• Picnics, each day of the program;
• Mandatory transport on the program.
• Night before the trip and last night after the activity

We have chosen to include in the stay a night before and after the end of the trek in order to allow you to better organize your transport and to rest properly, while facilitating your trip without having to take care of extra nights.

Precise information about the hotel and how to reach it will be given to you at the time of booking.

The price does not include

• Cancellation / interruption of stay / loss of luggage insurance and mountain rescue and search assistance;
• Drinks and personal expenses;
• Additional nights outside the program;
• Anything not indicated in the "Price includes" section.

Your expenses on site

• The drinks;
• Visits and transfers outside the program;
• Tips.

Equipment

The backpack for the day

Consider a backpack of 15/20 leters for the day and space enough to bring your packed lunch and energy bars.

• a warm fleece or thin down to withstand negative temperatures;
• a warm tight;
• light gloves and a buff/neckwarmer;
• a goretex jacket or similar, windproof and waterproof;
• a running belt for water bottle – 1,5 litres min. to refill during the day;

• a sun hat;
• suncream protection fact. min 30;
• sunglasses, protection factor 3;
• telescopic running poles, light (aluminium) and foldable, less expensive and more resistant;

• a small pharmacy with your personal medicines, in case you have a treatment to follow;
• a survival blanket

• your phone ans documents
• money for the bier at the end of the day or for little shopping.

Head-to-toe material for the week:

• 1 cap or hat for the sun
• 1 Hat for the cold
• 1 headband or neck-warmer, very pleasant in bad weather as well
• 1 Jacket Type Gore Tex or similar windproof and waterproof
• 1 pair of gloves, waterproof if possible
• 1 warm fleece or thin down to withstand negative temperatures
• 4 sweaters: a light one and a warmer one x 2
• Technical T-shirts
• underwears and running socks
• a warm running tight and a light one to adapt to weather conditions and to the daily altitude (at 3000 meters there can be 10 to 20 degree less that at 0 altitude, whithout considering wind...) 
• 2 or 3 running shorts
• a waterproof hood for your backpack
• trail running shoes with (if you have to buy new shoes or if you need to change them, we advise you the Altra shoes: you need shoes with good crampons, a good quality shock absorber sole but with a very light drop (max 5 to 0).

Indispensable  :

• Sunscreen factor 30 to 50
• a pair of sunglasses category 3
• one front lamp
• cash money for huts and your documents

All necessary for your own Toiletries.

Pharmacy & others:

• Your Usual or Personal Treatments
• A Light Survival Blanket
• A nail clipper
• What to make small dressings
• Some compresses and tape (Strappal)

Your guide will have a more complete pharmacy in the event of a bigger accident.

For relaxing time: A small book or Card game…

Necessary for meals, in order to avoid to make garbage – we try to go towards a “green stay”:

• 1 TuperWare large enough to contain a nice salad for lunch or other
• 1 light knife: Opinel type
• 1 Fork and 1 Spoon
• a nice specialty to share with the rest of the Team, liquid or solid
   

Infos & Hotel

Useful information to organise your mountain trip

Insurance

Cancellation and repatriation insurance is advised as well as other insurance guaranteeing search and mountain rescue (10,000 Euros guarantee approximately).

How to reach Bourg Saint Maurice, 73700

• By train, access by TGV to Bourg Saint Maurice station - the hotel will be reachable by shuttle;
• By car from Albertville, access by expressway to Moutiers - Bourg Saint Maurice is 2.5 hours from Lyon.

Night before the trip and last night after the activity

We have chosen to include in the price the night before the trek beginning and the night after the end of the trek, in order to allow you to better organize your transports and to avoid to rush, as well as making your trip easier without having to worry about additional nights.

You will be given specific information about the hotel and how to reach it at the time of booking.

Arrival

Shuttle buses available from Bourg Saint Maurice to Seez at 11:30 am and 5:30 pm (2€ one way).

Check-in possible from 2:00 pm.

Meeting with your trekking guide at 6:00 pm for the week briefing and backpack check.

Accommodation throughout the stay

You will be staying at the Auberge du Val Joli.
Given the situation after Covid 19, in order to guarantee you a better standard, we have decided to offer you a stay with accommodation in a nice and comfortable 2-star hotel, where you will be accommodated in double / triple / quadruple rooms or in a group suite, with the members of your group.