Snow and cheese fondue in the French Alps

We meet at 10am in the hamlet of Fouillouse, our base camp for the next four days. As soon as you set off, you'll be immersed in the atmosphere of the Southern Alps: wooden chalets, the silence of the mountains and the crisp winter air.

We then set off together along the Chemin du Mézin. All the way up, you'll discover Alpine flora and fauna in winter conditions. Your guide will help you recognise them and understand how these species adapt to the cold.

Around midday, we stop in the mountain pastures to share a picnic lunch overlooking the snow-covered peaks. In the afternoon, we continue to the summit of Aiguillon: a lookout point offering panoramic views of Chambeyron, Ubaye and Queyras.

At the end of the day, we return down to Fouillouse. Here you can relax in a cosy gîte and enjoy a good meal.

Note: For this first day, remember to bring your own picnic!

Today we're off on a wilder walk, with views of the surrounding ridges.

We'll head up the Vallonnet valley, a natural corridor that guides us towards the Italian border. Once up there, you'll discover the military remains that recall the history of this strategic area, perched between two countries. From this vantage point, you can also see the Oronaye valley, dominated by its lake and high rock faces.

After a well-deserved break to enjoy the scenery, we continue our descent towards Fouillouse.

The evening ends back at the gîte, with a good meal and a convivial moment.

It's time for the big adventure! After a hearty breakfast, we climb to the Chambeyron mountain hut, perched at almost 2600m. Only manned in summer, it opens its doors in winter in a more rustic atmosphere.

The climb takes us into a high-altitude setting, where snow carves the landscape and vegetation gives way to scree and rock faces. Once we arrive at the Mountain hut, we take our time to settle in and enjoy the surroundings.

In the evening, your guide prepares a fondue, perfect for regaining your strength and sharing a moment together. If the sky is clear, we'll be able to admire the stars.

After a night at altitude and waking up to the Chambeyron peaks, we visit the Chambeyron valley.

We then continue our hike towards the Pas de la Couletta, a high-level pass that allows us to switch to another side of the valley. From here, the view widens, offering panoramic views of the French and Italian valleys. The descent takes us back to the valley we discovered on the second day.

We return to the gîte at the end of our stay, with the feeling that we have immersed ourselves in the winter world of the Chambeyron massif.