Introduction to alpinism in the Ecrins

We meet at 9am in Vallouise, where our guide Olivier will introduce us to the tour over a welcome coffee.

After a brief introduction, we head off in the direction of our objective for the day: the Mountain hut des Écrins. Perched at an altitude of 3170 metres, the Mountain hut offers breathtaking views of the highest peak in the massif: the Barre des Écrins (4102 m).

Once we've arrived at the Mountain hut and settled in, we'll concentrate on learning the basics of snow and glacier climbing. We'll be going over cramponing, roping up, ice axe use and crevasse exercises.

We finish the day with a delicious tartiflette to enjoy the warm atmosphere of the Mountain hut.

After our first night in the mountains, we pack our rucksacks and set off at daybreak for our first ascent: the summit of Roche Faurio (3730m).

At the summit, we enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view of the majestic surrounding mountain ranges, including the Vanoise, Mont Blanc and the entire Alpine Arc.

After this first experience on a glacier, we return to the Ailefroide valley in the afternoon, where we spend our second night in a warm, family-run gîte.

After breakfast, we pack our rucksacks and set off for the Mountain hut du Sélé (2511m): Mountain hut at the top of the rocky ridge that closes off the Sélé valley.

Once at the Mountain hut, we enjoy a panoramic view of the glacier, the east face of the Ailefroide and the tip of Celse Nière from the terrace.

After settling in, we take the afternoon to brush up on our mountaineering skills and, more specifically, learn the basics of crevasse rescue.

After the effort, the comfort: we spend the evening and the night at the Mountain hut and enjoy a good mountain meal before going to bed.

We wake up at dawn and enjoy breakfast before getting ready to set off. Equipped with our headlamps, we begin the ascent to the Col du Sélé (3283m).

Roped up and equipped with crampons, we cross the Sélé glacier, offering a privileged view of an exceptional panorama, characterised in particular by the presence of numerous glaciers. As we progress, the sun will illuminate the impressive walls of the Ailefroides and Pelvoux.

This climb will be an opportunity to put into practice the mountaineering techniques we learnt the day before.

After the climb, we'll head back down to the Sélé Mountain hut for a rest after the day's exploits.

It's under a starry sky that we begin this final day of our expedition. Our objective today is to climb the eastern summit of the Ailefroide (3848m), a veritable fortress of stone and ice.

Once we reach the summit, we'll have the chance to take in the breathtaking scenery, with views of the Barre des Ecrins, La Meije, Le Râteau, Les Agneaux...

After a few days climbing and immersing ourselves in the high mountains, we return to the Vallouise valley in the late afternoon for a drink to round off this wonderful expedition.