Snowshoeing & New Year's Eve trip in the Vercors - 100% women
In summary
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Sports
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Duration4 days
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LevelConfirmed
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DestinationDrome / Vercors Massif
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AgeFrom 18 - 90 years
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CO₂-Emissions30.02 kg CO2
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Type of stayIn a group
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Languages
French
English
In a few words
Experience a 100% women's New Year's Eve in the heart of a wild and unspoiled winter wonderland . During 4 days of snowshoeing , you will traverse snow-covered forests , vast plateaus, and immense panoramic ridges .
Your adventure will begin with a total immersion experience: a night in an unguarded mountain hut at 1,350 meters altitude, heated by a wood-burning stove —perfect for sharing a cozy dinner. Led by a certified guide , you will then set off to explore the Ambel plateau , the Tête de la Dame , Font d'Urle , and the Puy de la Gagère . There, you will learn how to read the terrain , observe animal tracks , and manage the cold in the mountains.
The highlight of the stay will take place on the evening of December 31st at the gîte, featuring an authentic homemade vercouline and local specialties . A convivial and rejuvenating interlude to celebrate the New Year among women, surrounded by nature.
The highlights
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A 100% women's trip to explore the Vercors region on snowshoes
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A New Year's Eve celebration in an unguarded cabin, in the heart of the snow-covered Vercors mountains
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4 days of snowshoeing through forests, across vast plateaus and panoramic ridges
Photos
Sport
Level
Snowshoeing
The expert's opinion
This trip is for you if:
- Effort & Elevation Gain: You can walk 5 to 8 hours per day in snowshoes (breaks included), with 300m to 700m of positive elevation gain depending on the stages.
- Terrain & Altitude: you are comfortable on varied snowy terrain (valleys, moderate slopes, exposed ridges, plateaus) up to 1,650 m altitude , without technical passage.
- Carrying & Living in a community: you can carry a light bag for the day or for an overnight stay, and you appreciate living in a collective dormitory (gîte or unguarded cabin).
- Mountain spirit: you embrace the authentic comfort of a rustic cabin (wood stove, group living and shared management of the cabin).
In figures
Snowshoes
- Average distance/day: 8 km
- Average daily elevation gain: 300 m
- Average daily descent: 200 m
Management
French
English
I'm Christelle, a passionate explorer of the mountains and human connection! A mountain guide, anthropologist, and science and social mediator, I love moving from group to group, exchanging ideas, learning, and sharing experiences. Nothing excites me more than guiding you through majestic peaks and hidden corners of paradise. Together, we'll discover the local wildlife, flora, culture, and history with curiosity and wonder. So, are you ready for an adventure?
Program
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Day 1
- Activity Snowshoes
- Distance 6 km
- Positive elevation gain 250 m
- Accommodation Cabin
- Breakfast not included
- Lunch not included
- Dinner included
We meet at 10:30 am in the hamlet of Bouvante to get acquainted with the group and our guide. After lunch and a briefing on the coming days, we pack our bags, taking only the essentials for an overnight stay in the mountains. The rest of our belongings remain at the gîte.
We then head towards the higher ground, through the woods and clearings of the Vercors. The ascent is gradual, with already some beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. At the end of the day, we reach an unguarded cabin located at an altitude of 1,350 meters.
Here, everyone participates in camp life: gathering firewood, setting up sleeping arrangements, and preparing meals with guidance from our guide. After dinner, weather permitting, we enjoy the tranquility of the mountains, observing the stars before spending the night in our sleeping bags.
Day 1 -
Day 2
- Activity Snowshoes
- Distance 12 km
- Positive elevation gain 500 m
- Negative elevation 500 m
- Accommodation Cottage
- Breakfast included
- Lunch included
- Dinner included
After a warm breakfast by the stove, we tidy up the cabin before resuming our snowshoeing route. This day takes us to the Ambel plateau, a vast wilderness where we trek through the snow-covered landscapes of the Vercors.
We're aiming for the Tête de la Dame, which rises to 1,500 m and offers a superb panorama of the Quint valley, the Trois Becs and the surrounding mountains. Once at the summit, we'll take a break for lunch and to recharge.
Throughout the hike, our guide shares some useful tips for managing the cold and staying safe in the winter mountains. We then continue along the ridges, observing the terrain and any signs of wildlife. At the end of the day, we return to the comfort of our gîte for two nights and share a dinner featuring local flavors.
Day 2 -
Day 3
- Activity Snowshoes
- Distance 8 km
- Positive elevation gain 300 m
- Negative elevation 300 m
- Accommodation Cottage
- Breakfast included
- Lunch included
- Dinner included
We change scenery for this third day with a snowshoe hike starting from the Font d'Urle plateau. Our route takes us to the Puy de la Gagère, at 1,650 m altitude, through a vast and open landscape that sometimes recalls the great Nordic spaces.
From the heights, the panoramas extend widely over the eastern barrier of the Vercors, the Dévoluy and the Diois. On a clear day, the peaks of the Écrins also appear on the horizon.
After a day in the mountains, we return to the gîte for an evening of conviviality and ringing in the New Year! Together, we prepare a vercouline, a local specialty made with ravioli, before sharing some local products and drinks. For those who wish, a short night walk offers the chance to rediscover the silence of the mountains and gaze at the stars before our last night at the gîte.
Day 3 -
Day 4
- Activity Snowshoes
- Distance 5 km
- Positive elevation gain 150 m
- Breakfast included
- Lunch included
- Dinner not included
After a leisurely wake-up and a final breakfast at the gîte, we set off for one last snowshoeing excursion. This time, we headed towards the Karst trail for a gentler hike that allowed us to enjoy the landscapes of the southern Vercors ridges one last time.
This walk is a chance to gradually end our stay, without any pressure to perform, while enjoying the winter environment one last time. Back at the gîte in the late morning, we collect our belongings, help tidy up, and share a final meal together.
Then it will be time to say goodbye, with some beautiful memories of the snowy Vercors and, perhaps, the desire to quickly set off again for a new adventure.
Day 4
Accommodation
You will spend your first night in an unguarded cabin: an experience in the heart of nature!
Located in Font d'Urle, at an altitude of 1,500 meters, the Gîte Au Bout du Monde (At the End of the World) lives up to its name! Nestled in the heart of the unspoiled Vercors region, it offers an ideal setting to extend your mountain immersion after a day spent snowshoeing. Here, there's no need to search for a change of scenery: it begins the moment you step through the door of the gîte.
Access
We'll meet at 10:30 at Font d'Urle.
Go to the starting point
Here are the correspondences:
- Departure station > Valence TGV
- Valence TGV > Font d'Urle (bus - 1 hour journey)
It is possible to come by car and leave it in a parking lot at the meeting point.
Price details
The price includes
- The trip will be led by a qualified and passionate guide.
- Accommodation in an unguarded cabin for the first night and a gîte for the following nights
- All meals from dinner on Day 1 to the picnic on Day 4
- Loan of snowshoes & poles
- Our surprise touch for the New Year!
The price does not include
- Round-trip transportation to the meeting point
- Any personal expenses
- Day 1 picnic
- Anything not listed under "Price includes"
Options
- Flex fare and insurance
Practical information
Specific formalities
Specifics
Before your departure, check with the embassy or consulate regarding the entry and stay requirements for your destination country. You can also find this information on the France Diplomatie website ( https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/dossiers-pays/ ).
In the case of flights with stopovers operated by different airlines, also check the entry requirements of the countries you are transiting through.
It is your responsibility to ensure you are in compliance, particularly regarding the validity of your identity documents (for example, some countries require your passport to be valid for at least six months after your return) , visa requirements, necessary vaccinations, and health recommendations. And don't forget to consider any customs restrictions and other potential requirements of your destination or transit country.
ℹ️ Information may change up to the departure date, remember to regularly check official websites.
