Mountaineering
MountaineeringVertical realm
Mountaineering is a way of living in the mountains, entering into a roped fraternity, and discovering a world where time stretches to the rhythm of the heights.
Pioneers
from the heights
Up here, mountaineering history has been written for over a century and a half. From the pioneers of the XIXᵉ century like Edward Whymper, the first to climb the Barre des Écrins, or Coolidge William Auguste Brevoort, who helped map the Écrins massif, to the great contemporary figures, each generation has found in these mountains a school for surpassing oneself. The Pelvoux, the Barre des Écrins, the Meije: these summits have become myths, shaping an alpine culture where audacity and humility are intertwined. To embark on these routes is to follow in the footsteps of those who paved the way, with the same passion and vertigo.
Cabanes
on the way to heaven
Suspended on mountainsides or nestled in valleys, the refuges of the Hautes-Alpes are beacons in the night, fraternal halts where you can share a meal, a smile, a watch before the big climb. These stone and wood huts are more than just shelters: they and their wardens embody the soul of mountaineering, that blend of effort and human warmth, where strangers become companions for an evening.
Ropes of trust
In the Hautes-Alpes, guides and mountain leaders are the gatekeepers. They know every crevice of the glacier, every stone in the path, and above all, the right balance between daring and safety. Guide companies perpetuate an ancestral know-how, based on rigor, passion and attention. Going with them is much more than climbing a summit: it’s learning to look at the mountain differently, to read in it a wisdom that goes beyond mere summits.
Mountaineering villages
des Écrins
La Grave, La Chapelle-en-Valgaudemar, Vallouise, Le Casset… all names that sound like promises of departure. These villages are more than just stopping-off points: they are gateways to the infinite, places where links are forged between the valley and the summits. Here you’ll meet guides and mountaineers from all over the world, and families in search of fresh air and excitement. Their alleyways are alive with the anticipation of dawn departures and the joy of returns, when the story of a race is shared over a drink.
the summits offer a unique adventure
Mountaineering highlights
Pays des Ecrins
Events in the Ecrins mountaineering villages
Every summer, the Villages d’Alpinisme des Écrins become a festive and curious base camp. Between the stone lanes and suspended paths, you’ll find yourself sharing a film under the stars, listening to the guides’ stories, or putting on your crampons for a glacier hike.
These get-togethers bring the soul of the Écrins to everyday life: film screenings, themed walks to discover the fauna and heritage, friendly get-togethers over a drink. All this in a human-scale atmosphere, where people meet, exchange ideas and leave with their heads full of images.
Gap
Rencontres de la Cinémathèque de montagne
Every year, the Cinémathèque de Montagne transforms Gap into a crossroads of summits and stories. Mountaineers, filmmakers, nature enthusiasts and the simply curious come together to share the same vertigo: images from above. Featuring rare documentaries, previews and encounters with those who live and breathe the mountains, the event celebrates a fragile and inspiring heritage. We come to thrill to the exploits, to smile at the slices of Alpine life, but above all to feel the heart of the Hautes-Alpes beating in a darkened cinema. It’s a warm, popular event that’s always a little dizzying, like a step on the edge.
Hautes-Alpes
Guide festivals
Every summer, the valleys of the Hautes-Alpes resound with song, laughter and the clanking of carabiners. The Fêtes de Guides is a gathering where mountain tradition meets local conviviality.
On the program: open-air ceremonies, rope blessings, climbing demonstrations, as well as concerts, refreshment stands and blueberry tarts shared in village squares. A suspended moment, where locals and visitors come together to celebrate the spirit of rope climbing and the beauty of the summits.
Practical notebook
- Prêts pour la haute voltige ?
- Sécurité et bonnes manières
- École de verticalité
- Pourquoi un guide ?
