Steve Richards is starting planning for a YRC Alpine meet in 2025. Read on if you are interested – at this stage early indications of interest will help so please respond accordingly.
 
Dates: Core dates 26 July – 9 August 2025. Arriving before or extending beyond these dates is possible – please indicate when responding if you can.
 
Where: Ailefroide, Ecrins National Parc, France
 
Accommodation: Camping (other options will be available for those who cannot camp).
 
Ailefroide is a small hamlet in the Vallouise/Pelvoux Valley, overlooked by Mt Pelvoux. Close by is the more populous spread of Vallouise/Pelvoux. The campsite at Ailefroide is large, popular and receives good reviews. Limited gites/chalets etc are available in the hamlet or further down the valley in Vallouise/Pelvoux, but the intent is to stay sociable and camp/motorhome/campervan if possible for all. Ailefroide village has limited facilities – a couple of restaurants and shops. 
 
The area is stunning, with rock climbing from the campsite, trails to mountain refuges or other mountain routes and scenery, plus some fine alpine peaks with routes at all grades. There are refuges for 2 day/1 night alpine climbs etc. Peaks for the ambitious are Mt Pelvoux (3946m), Le Barre des Ecrins (4102m – the only 4000m peak in France outside the Mont Blanc massif) and L’Ailefroide (3954m).

 
I am looking to buy up-to-date guide books to provide further information, though there is plenty online if you are interested. With significant glacial retreat, even relatively recent guidebooks can be unreliable, so I’m searching for the best data available.
 
Subject to enough interest, I will investigate the feasibility of an instructional course from Ailefroide. There may be the opportunity for the Club to subsidise some of this – eg pay for an instructor for a day or two, or help reduce overall costs etc, to allow the Club to benefit from the experience gained by its members. Something for the Committee to consider if we get to that stage.
 
Some links for interest:
 
Google Maps

Camping Ailefroide
 
Local Info – worth exploring this site

Local Via Ferrata

Digital Rockfax guide – if you subscribe:

 
What information do I need now?
Early indication of intent to attend, so that I can judge numbers and interest etc.
Names and numbers likely to attend.
What dates you would attend ie all or part of the period?
Are you interested in a day (possibly 2) of alpine/glacier instruction?
Will you camp or motorhome/campervan?
Would you rather stay in a chalet, subject to price/availability (I will research if sufficient interest)?
Please respond by the end of September 2024 if possible.

Please fill in the form below as soon as you can. There is no obligation but advice of any change of plans would be appreciated.
 
This is a chance to visit a slightly less crowded corner of the French Alps and enjoy some mountain scenery – at whatever level you wish from pleasant walks through to full alpinism. Looking forward to a good meet!

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