French Alps 2023

[Kial Wright]

Initial details of the forth coming Alps trip.

It would be great to get as many members there as possible, it’s not just a climbers meet. There is something on offer to everyone, here is just a small snippet of what’s on offer:

Bathed in sun 300 days a year thanks to it’s Mediterranean climate, Ailefroide is situated right in the heart of the Ecrins massif, at the top of the superb Vallouise valley.
Lying on the border of the Ecrins National Park you can make the most out of the activities on offer : hiking, climbing, mountaineering for beginners or experienced mountaineers (Barre des Ecrins 4102m, Dôme des Ecrins 4000m, Pelvoux 3946m, etc…) or just stroll and visit some of the surrounding points of interest :

• Briançon, highest town in Europe, town of art and history.
• Serre Ponçon lake, the largest artificial lake in Europe.
• Boscodon Abbey, Argentière Silver Mines and its museum,
• The Alpine Garden at the Lautaret pass.

Getting there

Driving:

Me & Gemma will be driving, taking Dover to Calais ferry on Saturday morning 8th July and we will arrive at the campsite on the evening of Sunday 9th July. Travelling back on Friday 21st July to catch late afternoon ferry on Saturday 22nd July.

Flying:

To either Geneva, Grenoble or Lyon. Various forms of train, shuttle, bus and taxi’s from airports to Ailefroide see https://www.rome2rio.com/s/London/Ailefroide for public transport options. Or you could hire a vehicle at one of the 3 airports.

Campsite:

https://ailefroide.fr/camping/

Currently closed and re-opens on 18th May. The online booking system is now back operational so we can start and get booked in. It costs 7.90 euros per person per day. That is for a tent pitch plus car, caravan & car or campervan.

The campsite doesn’t have many electrical hook-ups and they cannot be reserved. If one is free you can take that spot, otherwise just pitch up anywhere within the 17 hectares site.

As such, I suggest everyone books there own campsite stay, we can group up once we arrive. I also expect people will come early or leave later so it will be much simpler to sort you own reservation.

I’m sure we won’t all be able to make these exact dates, some may want to arrive early or stay on for longer. So to keep everyone in the loop and make the trip more worth while for anyone that can’t make these exact dates could you fill in your name and expected arrival and departure dates at the campsite on the linked excel sheet.

https://1drv.ms/x/s!AnSL2hjjpdV9hCAgDbXZu6oJFGi6

It means if you want to come for 2 weeks but can’t for example get there until the 16th July then it would be great to see others are also still going to be present after the 22nd.

I’d suggest a social get together a bit closer to the time to discuss objectives while there (I have guide books, not sure if the club does, David?) and decide if we need to book any mountain huts, what stuff to take etc.
For instance, as well as climbing gear myself and Gemma will be taking road bikes.

Cheers
Kial

[Linda McLeish]

We are looking forward to this. We have been in the past, and in addition to the above there are lots of multi pitch rock routes within a few minutes walk of the campsite. Also the whole of the Briancon valley has a wide ranging array of crags and rock types. Cheers Linda and David.

[Pete McGlynn]

Just booked the camp site for 7-23 July. Spreadsheet filled in too. I am also flexible about how long to stay. If others fancy staying longer or perhaps relocating somewhere else then let me know.

I visited the Ecrins in 1998, mainly the La Berarde side but I did three routes from Ailefroide.

I have:
Jean Michel Chambon, Oisans Moderne, Oisans Sauvage. Cragging and mountain routes, up to date in ’98.
The 4000m Peaks of the Alps, Martin Moran 2007
The Alpine 4000 Peaks by the Classic Routes, Richard Goedeke 1991
Le Massif des Ecrins, Gaston Rebuffat. Coffee table book published 1974. Pretty pictures but taking your life in your own hands using the descriptions as a guide nowadays.

I bought the Chambon guide at the campsite so I suspect recent guides will again be for sale there.

[Geoff Nichols]

I’l be there, with a mate, Phill, from 8th or 9th.
We will be there ’till about 25th.
I’ll leave a note at the campsite office saying what pitch we are on.
Geoff

[Kial Wright]

Only a couple more weeks to go until Ailefroide.
So far I have confirmed as attending:

Kial & Gemma
Lorna & Simon
Pete McGlynn
Mark & Adele
David & Linda
Geoff & his mate Phil

Can you let me know and/or add your name and dates to the spreadsheet if you are coming along.
I’m creating a WhatsApp group for the trip, let me know if you want to be added.

I’ve got myself a few guides for the area:
GR54 tour of the Ecrin guide
Classic routes in the Ecrins mountaineering guide by Editions Constant
Classic snow, rock & mixed climbs by Vertebrate Publishing
Briancon Climbs the French & English selected rock climbing guide
David is also taking along a few from the club library.

Activities people are planning:
Walking – long or multiday
Climbing
Mountaineering
Bikes?

Hope to see you there
Kial & Gemma

[Kial Wright]

14 members embarked on Ailefroide in the Ercins National Park in the southern French Alp, spread over a 3 week period.
The early arrivers managed to secure a big enough area on the campsite to house us all in.
The main activity was the multi-pitch sport climbing crags which littered the area within walking distance. This was mainly on granite slabs so a few of us decided on the single-pitch crag first to get used to the rock (and the heat!). Luckily there’s enough for everyone in terms of grades and if you wanted to top up your tan or stay in the shade.
Other activities people got involved in were the local via ferrata 3 miles away and another at Vallouise which was a Grade 3 and up up up, rather than in the gorge.
E-mountain bikes were hired by Lorna and Simon for the day to test out and although they weren’t a fan of the bikes, the tracks and trails were all a must.
The local walk took you to the Alpine meadow on the way to Clapouse, this was less than 2 hours walk from the campsite and had stunning views, a small snow field, beautiful meadows and the usual chamois. Gemma ran back down the mountain but later confessed she got overtaken by 2 kids!
More adventurous hikes took you on a loop to Lac d’Euchauda which involved a bit of scrambling.
A couple of mountain huts were stayed in including the Refuge du Glacier Blanc, Refuge de Pelvoux and the Refuge du Ecrins. Different parties took on different expeditions from the huts although the overall outcome was the ground was loose and melting. The guides and hut guardians told us that many weren’t going to the summits due to the conditions being harder now due to warmer temperatures. And even those that had visited the area 15-20years ago noticed that the glaciers had receded dramatically.
All those that took part in the expeditions made it back to the campsite in one piece although it was only Gemma that took to the cold-water therapy of late afternoon dips in the glacial melt water stream that ran through the campsite.
All in all, a brilliant venue for sport climbing for all abilities as well as access to the mountains of the Ecrins. No doubt the club will be visiting again in the future (before all the snow goes?!).
We should start and have an annual summer abroad trip for mountaineering and climbing so all get your thinking caps on for a 2024 venue….

[vanda boyd]

Sounds like you had a great time.
We have had several CMC Alps trips in the past to a variety of locations, Kippell being memorable for several reasons.
Should be a trip whenever possible given enough participants.

[Mark Procter]

It should also be noted on the Ailefroide Meet Report that club members accomplished many successful summits – Montagne des Agnaeux, 3664m (Geoff, Pete and Phil), Mont Pelvoux, 3946m (Kial, Adele, Mark, Geoff, Pete and Phil), Roche Fario, 3730m (David, Pete and Kial) as well as numerous multi pitch rock routes above the campsite. Phil, a friend of Geoff’s aged 70+, was a lovely guest on the meet who showed that age is no barrier to achievement and good humour. If we get the weather we deserve, then we surely did. My apologies for missing the other peak the intrepid Geoff, Pete and Phil did, within barely 24 hours of arriving at camp, as I don’t recall it’s name! Thank you Kial for organising such a truly successful alpine meet 😁

[Mark Procter]

It should also be noted on the Ailefroide Meet Report that club members accomplished many successful summits – Montagne des Agnaeux, 3664m (Geoff, Pete and Phil), Mont Pelvoux, 3946m (Kial, Adele, Mark, Geoff, Pete and Phil), Roche Fario, 3730m (David, Pete and Kial) as well as numerous multi pitch rock routes above the campsite. Phil, a friend of Geoff’s aged 70+, was a lovely guest on the meet who showed that age is no barrier to achievement and good humour. If we get the weather we deserve, then we surely did. My apologies for missing the other peak the intrepid Geoff, Pete and Phil did, within barely 24 hours of arriving at camp, as I don’t recall it’s name! Thank you Kial for organising such a truly successful alpine meet 😁

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