Day 10, Monday Glacier Blanc by Keith The 4 of us got up early to miss the extreme heat of the day during the climb. Terry drove us up past Ailefroide climbing centre and parked at Refuge du Pré de Madame Carle. In the car park, we saw three chamois (mountain deer) and 4 marmots. The sunny conditions were actually cloudy with very light rain. We set off up the… Read More »2025 LCC Alpine Paddling Holiday Day 10: Monday Glacier Blanc

7 adventurers visit the Small Isles (well, half of them) All the weather forecasts we checked were consistent and showed low wind (less than 10mph) for the next 6 days for plan A, a trip to the Small Isles. We were confident we had a weather window for this trip, which involves several open crossings and has the potential to be exposed to Atlantic swell. Day 1 Tigh-na-mara to Camas… Read More »2025 The Small Isles Sea Kayaking Trip Day 1 by Ella

A Team: Keith, Martin, Nikki, Terry, Sarah, JohnB Team: Stuart, Kurt, Roy, Jackie, Dom, Stephen  Swim Tally = 9 (no names shall be mentioned) As we were staying at our usual base camp in L’argentière la Bessèe, we had an early morning to set off to my favourite alpine river in the next region over. The Ubaye Racecourse! We dropped a few of the group off at Du Lac near… Read More »2025 LCC Alpine Paddling Holiday Day 9: Sunday The Ubaye Racecourse by Kurt T

2025 LCC Alpine Paddling Holiday Day 8 Saturday: Upper Durance by Dom In the afternoon, we loaded up and headed up the valley towards Briancon and put in at the third layby opposite the helicopter landing pad. The river was still high from the day’s sunshine and glacier melt further up the valley. We paddled as two largeish groups and headed down, breaking in and out. We journeyed past a… Read More »2025 LCC Alpine Paddling Holiday Day 8 Saturday: Upper Durance by Dom

2025 LCC Alpine Paddling Holiday Day 8 Saturday: Durance to Lac de Serre-Ponçon by Terry Smith What a memorable day paddling with peers in the French Alps. We launched our kayaks onto a gentle, grade one stretch where the Durance river joins the lake. The water glided smoothly beneath our paddles. The Alpine air was fresh and exhilarating as we set a relaxed pace, the one-mile journey was perfect for… Read More »2025 LCC Alpine Paddling Holiday Day 8 Saturday: Durance to Lac de Serre-Ponçon by Terry Smith

2025 LCC Alpine Paddling Holiday Day 8 Saturday: Slalom Site by Sarah G In the afternoon, some of us went to play on the Slalom course next to the campsite. This year, it has changed after the floods, with a much wider channel and the top hole now being a large V-shaped tongue. This is an ideal place to play and practise eddying skills.

2025 LCC Alpine Paddling Holiday Day 7 Friday: Lower Durance by Oscar K There was an old man from the MerseyWhose name was Dominic FaheyHe paddled with might, and to his delightThe Rab Wave showed him some mercy

2025 LCC Alpine Paddling Holiday Day 7 Friday: Lower Gyronde by Oscar K There was a little river called GyrondeWhich fed a mighty great pondChris came a cropper, but it wasn’t a stopperSo fortunately, he didn’t abscond

Day 06 Thursday Upper Durance by Chris Murphy The previous two days had seen the group complete one paddle a day, so I suggested that we tackle the Upper Durance in the afternoon as it was on our way back to the campsite. “Good idea, Chris”, said Keith, “You can do the write-up!” 12 of us got on in two groups of six, at the lay-by by the side of… Read More »2025 LCC Alpine Paddling Holiday Day 6 Thursday: Upper Durance by Chris Murphy

2025 LCC Alpine Paddling Holiday Day 6 Thursday: “Insane Guisane” by Nick Coughlin Today’s morning river was my favourite Alpine run, the Guisane. A group set off from the campsite at 9 am. Some waited halfway up, and eleven of us went up to the top. We had looked at  S bends on the way up, so we split into groups to do the river before that. The top of… Read More »2025 LCC Alpine Paddling Holiday Day 6 Thursday: “Insane Guisane” by Nick Coughlin