2024 LCC Alpine Paddling Holiday Day 15 Friday 3rd August: The Journey Home Many of us had wandered home at various stages. Some chose to explore little villages staying overnight at hotels and hostels to break up the journey. Others drove home overnight, sharing the driving and grabbing sleep where they could. The French motorway laybys allow overnight stays and have facilities, unlike UK service stations that often only allow… Read More »2024 LCC Alpine Paddling Holiday Day 15 Friday 3rd August: The Journey Home

2024 LCC Alpine Paddling Holiday Day 14 Friday 2nd August: The Isere by Mike Fletcher Well, there was water in the river and it was supposed to be 30 Cumecs. After shuttling the car and van to the bottom, 3 of us put in near the barrage for a run of the top section where would meet up with the other 3 paddlers at raft get-on at the bottom of… Read More »2024 LCC Alpine Paddling Holiday Day 14 Friday 2nd August: The Isere by Mike Fletcher

2024 LCC Alpine Paddling Holiday Day 13 Thursday 1st August: The Gyronde and the campsite move to the Isere by Nick C Five intrepid LCC paddlers decided to have a final run of the Gyronde before we left Argentiere. We had a relatively early start and there was still a trace of mist rising off the river. This part of the Gyronde is fairly narrow and fast flowing so we… Read More »2024 LCC Alpine Paddling Holiday Day 13 Thursday 1st August: The Gyronde and the campsite move to the Isere by Nick C

2024 LCC Alpine Paddling Holiday Day 12 Wednesday afternoon 31st July: Lower Durance During the lunch break at the rafting centre, two vehicles were dropped at the municipal raft get-out at Embrun. Our 4th section of river today was to be a big one. 19 km of grade 3, “big and bouncy” water. One or two paddlers opted to go to the lake at La Roche-de-Rame and play on the… Read More »2024 LCC Alpine Paddling Holiday – Day 12 Wednesday afternoon 31st July: Lower Durance

2024 LCC Alpine Paddling Holiday Day 12 Wednesday morning 31st July: Lower Guil to St Clement`s by Clara Clews

2024 LCC Alpine Paddling Holiday Day 12 Wednesday morning 31st July: Middle Guil by Cameron Fletcher Soon after the first run, the same 4 drove downstream to the middle Guil, a continuous grade 4 section, stretching over 6km and containing various drops, rocks and holes. We had a relatively smooth run, with no major dramas on the way down, and had a well-earned and much-needed rest at the get-out.

2024 LCC Alpine Paddling Holiday Day 12 Wednesday morning 31st July: Château-Queyras by Cameron Fletcher This morning, 4 of us set out from the campsite early to run Château-Queyras, a run around 40 minutes away from the campsite. It was a narrow run, only 2m wide in places, which ran through the bottom of a gorge, with vertical cliffs on both sides. It was described as being like ‘flushed down… Read More »2024 LCC Alpine Paddling Holiday Day 12 Wednesday morning 31st July: Château-Queyras by Cameron Fletcher

2024 LCC Alpine Paddling Holiday Day 11 Tuesday afternoon 30th July: Upper Guisanne The third river of the day was only for those with enough energy left and a little bit of nerve to paddle the grade 4, “S-bends” rapid, unsighted. It had given the team a little bit of bother in the previous week. We did stop on the way up to scout it but as it is run… Read More »2024 LCC Alpine Paddling Holiday Day 11 Tuesday afternoon 30th July: Upper Guisanne

2024 LCC Alpine Paddling Holiday Day 11 Tuesday afternoon 30th July: Upper Durance by Mark Benson The Upper Durance offers a varied, mainly grade II run, to keep our mixed experience group entertained all the way down. Our second visit of 2024 found the river at a slightly lower level but still with a good flow. Putting on again from the lay-by opposite the Briançon commercial centre, we progressed through… Read More »2024 LCC Alpine Paddling Holiday Day 11 Tuesday afternoon 30th July: Upper Durance by Mark Benson

2024 LCC Alpine Paddling Holiday Day 11 Tuesday morning 30th July: Lower Guil to St Clement`s by Clara Clews The Lower Guil was still running at a good level, so we headed off to Clara`s favourite river. We carried down to the river under the footbridge and set off as one group. The clear water produces some excellent waves and is set within a beautiful valley below the Mont-Dauphin fort… Read More »2024 LCC Alpine Paddling Holiday Day 11 Tuesday morning 30th July: Lower Guil to St Clement`s by Clara Clews