This French Alps freeride snowboarding holiday in La Grave & La Meije provides a week of off piste & glacier skiing in the French a freeriders paradise!
Duration
PriceFrench Alps freeride snowboarding holiday in La Grave & La Meije summary:
This is a guided high altitude, freeride, off piste ski or snowboard trip where we will take you to the best powder in the Southern French Alps! The main ski domain, La Grave and La Meije glacier will be accessed using the famous La Grave cable car with some skinning (max 400m) for getting to particular descents. You will snowboard with a group of other skiers or snowboarders (grouped by ski experience) and our guides will tailor make a continually evolving programme of spectacular freeride descents making the most of the local conditions and the level of your group.
About La Grave / La Meije:
This ski area is served by one historic cable car and lift extension that takes you up to the glaciers of La Meije massif at 3600m. There are no pisted or way marked routes to follow down, just pure off-piste skiing. There are a two classic ski descents that are a must do on the trip, the Vallons de la Meije and the Vallons de Chancel but in addition to that there are over 15 couloirs of varying difficulties to ski and plenty of other off piste ski routes and itineraries to explore. It really is an experienced skiers paradise.
The cable car has an iconic history in the region built originally in 1976, it has resisted being bought out by large global lift companies and has maintained its charm and authenticity without compromising its safety.
Safety:
You will be snowboarding over glaciers and in a high mountain, un-managed terrain, which is a potentially dangerous environment with real risk of avalanche and rock fall.
Safety is our utmost priority and you be equipped with an avalanche safety pack (avalanche transceiver, probe and shovel) with all our trips. If you wish to bring your own avalanche air bags or other avalanche safety equipment this is possible.
Our guides are all fully qualified UIAGM high mountain guides, which is the highest qualification possible in the mountains and we have a maximum of 5 people per guide in our groups at all times and often less. Our guides monitor the weather and conditions on a daily basis and choose their routes with great care and attention both to the conditions but also to your level and with safety as their priority. If conditions are poor in La Grave they also have the possibility of going to other ski areas like Serre Chevalier or Montgenevre where there are lots of amazing off piste and free-ride descents to be had.
French Alps freeride snowboarding holiday in La Grave & La Meije highlights:
– Small groups of maximum 5 per guide
– Fully qualified and experienced high mountain guides and ski instructors specialising in free ride skiing, off piste skiing and ski touring with unbeatable local knowledge of the domain
– Safety our top priority
– Ski in the legendary La Grave and la Meije free rider ski domain
– Flexibility to adapt to different abilities and conditions to maximise your experience and find the best snow
– High altitude (3550m) = high chance of powder puff!
– Ethical skiing – supporting a small mountain community dependent on this one historic cable car
Who will love this off-piste snowboarding trip?
You need to be a competent snowboarder to enjoy this French Alps freeride snowboarding holiday in La Grave & La Meije with some experience snowboarding off piste in different snow conditions. You should find black pistes in resorts comfortable and have played around in the powder and off piste snow in and around the pistes. You don’t need to be an expert snowboarder or free rider but need a good technical base to progress from. There are different groups with different levels going out each day so we will try and match you with a group of your level. You will also need a high level of fitness as this is a physically demanding off-piste snowboarding trip.
Accommodation
Your accommodation base is the wonderful Faranchin hotel which is situated in the village of Vilar D’Arene next to the village of La Grave. The exceptional quality of customer service, great food and general all round comfort are the reasons we chose this hotel. Sabrina and David will look after you like royals which is just what you need after a hard day freeride snowboarding.
A week of pure free-ride fun on this French Alps freeride snowboarding holiday in La Grave & La Meije! If there is powder our guides will find it and if there is not you'll have fun anyway!
We will ask you for your snowboarding experience before you arrive and on your first day we will join you up with a group where we think you will have the most fun! We have four or five different groups departing each day so can easily change your group if it is not quite suitable for your level.
Our guides are very skilled at spotting ways to improve your technique and with a few pertinent tips can revolutionise your experience! You will undoubtedly progress over the week and do things you never thought possible!
For the majority of the time you will use the cable cars for uplift, but occasionally some uphill skinning will be required to access some of the best powder. In general don't expect more than 400m of ascent per day unless the group has specifically requested a full day ski touring. The emphasis for this La Grave freeride snowboarding holiday is on the descent !!
During your stay, you have one free day to relax, perhaps visit the spa and baths at Monetier Les Bains or just read a book in your hotel! We can decide what day you prefer this to be when you are here. For example if there is a bad weather day, this is the day to stay indoors!
Snowboard The Best of The Powder
Our team of passionate and UIAGM certified guides know this area like their back garden. In the high mountains the snow and weather conditions can change very quickly and each evening our team of guides review the conditions and weather forecast and discuss the following day's possibilities to choose the best options for the groups and conditions so that you maximise your potential and ski or snowboard the best of what's available safely and within your capabilities. It is possible that the guides decide change ski domain if the conditions are more favourable in a nearby resort such as Serre Chevalier for example.
This unique flexible approach means that you get to go where the best powder and conditions are and where it is safest with spectacular descents giving you memories for life!
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