Snowshoeing in Chamonix Valleyvacation, self guided

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION

This self-guided, center-based snowshoeing tour in Chamonix Valley is based in Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, with guests snowshoeing between 5-15km per day. It is, by its very nature, slow and sustainable, taking guests through winter landscapes, pine forests, alpine trails and panoramic routes facing Mont Blanc.

With all of our tours, we encourage our guests to travel to and around France using buses and trains whenever possible. This itinerary is accessible by rail, and guests use local trains, buses and cable cars to reach several of the snowshoeing routes. As guests stay in one center-based accommodation throughout the trip, this also reduces the number of accommodation moves during the vacation.


ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE

This snowshoeing tour takes guests through winter landscapes in and around Chamonix Valley, including Vallorcine Valley, Mont d’Arbois, Plateau du Truc and balcony trails facing Mont Blanc and Mer de Glace. Routes pass through larch meadows, pine forests, snowy mountain trails and alpine viewpoints.
We remind guests to practise Leave No Trace throughout their trip, especially when snowshoeing through forests, mountain trails and winter landscapes.
With regards to drinking water, we ask guests to bring refillable water bottles as well as a reusable shopping bag to avoid single-use plastic during their trip. We also ask guests to take any packaging away with them and be mindful of not dropping litter.
We have an in-house responsible tourism expert, who shares tips and advice with our guests in trip notes, blogs and newsletters. For example, on how to reduce their impact on the environment and wildlife, support responsible travel practices and respect the places and communities they pass through.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY

Accommodation on this center-based tour is in a three-star hotel in Saint-Gervais-les-Bains. It has been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including its location, warm hospitality, good local food and connection to the area.
As guests are based in Saint-Gervais-les-Bains throughout the trip, their spending can directly support local businesses over several days. Only breakfast is included, and so guests are encouraged to buy lunches and snacks in local shops, pre-order packed lunches from some hotels where needed, and dine in restaurants in the local area.
Optional activities such as a sunset snowshoe hike and dinner at a yurt or igloo also help connect guests with local winter experiences.

EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY

All of our partners in France are locally employed and play an important role in contributing to the local economy. At home, we have a strict policy to pay all our own employees and team members a living wage and fair wage, with vacation entitlement. In the hiring process, we prioritise experience, qualifications and passion, emphasising that race, gender, sexual orientation, or nationality are not factors of consideration. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace based on skills and expertise. We also endeavour to support any guests with visible and non-visible disabilities or any special requirements, when possible.