Auberge Edelweiss

SUMMER ESCAPES

Gourmet Mountain Biking 

Mountainbiking is a perfect way to discover the high mountain area around La Grave. The two wheels will traverse the country paths with the splendid views of the massif of La Meije and its astonishing glaciers. 

The qualified Mountainbike guides will take you biking on great single tracks, as gentle or sportive as you like, taking time to explain the flora and fauna. They will make sure you will also enjoy the great food during the day at some of our favourite high altitude mountain huts and one of the days you can relax your muscles at the hot springs. 

Day 1 : The first day is a small tour to get accustomed to the terrain. From Villar ‘d Arene, we travere the village of Pied du Col. We take a delicious lunch break at the lake. After reaching the l’Aiguillon summit we continue downhill passing through typical alpine villages to La Grave. Before hitting La Grave, we stop at a local cheese farm where we taste the locally made cheese accompanied with a matching wine. (Distance 14 km, altitude difference +690 m and -820 m)

Day 2 : Today we will traverse the Plateau d’Emparis, passing through  alpine villages and past traditional farm houses. We have a well deserved lunch break at one of our favourite mountain huts, and savour local meals while taking in the beautiful scenary. Return to La Grave via a long descent through the rolling farm fields. (Distance 24 km, altitude difference +1200 m and -1400 m)

                                                     

Day 3 : Today we take the off-road descent from the Col du Galibier and reach the “Chemin Royal”, a single trail with great views on the Combenoyt massif. Lunch break is at a great altitude mountain hut at the heart of L’Alpe du Lauzet where we will try some local specialities. We continue on single trails with view of the Ecrins mountain range, followed by a downhill to the village of Monetier-les-Bains. After a refreshing beer we relax the muscles at the hotsprings and will be back in time at the hotel for a great farewell dinner with wine tasting. (Distance 24 km, altitude difference +890 m and -2050 m)  

Practical “D” information

Difficulty: The rides are for cyclists of all levels, we adapt the hight and the pace, but you should be able to cycle 4 to 6 hours per day with altitude difference between 600 to 1200 meters. You will carry your own backpack with your personal items for the day.

Dates: Every thursday (arrival day at the hotel) till sunday from June till end of september. Other departure dates and shorter breaks are possible on request.

Dosh: Tarifs depend on number of people, number of days and time of year. Please contact us for more information at info@hotel-edelweiss.com

 

Hiking & Hotsprings

Katarina and her team will take you to the wild corners off the beaten paths. Observe wild animals, alpine flowers, visit the local traditional farmers and taste their products, learn about the history and heritage of the villages... The International Mountain Leaders will make sure you will also enjoy the great food during the day at some of our favourite high altitude mountain huts, that you taste some nice wines and that you can relax your muscles at the hot springs. 

Day 1 : After a big breakfast at the hotel we leave for the first hike. This steady warm-up walk will take us to the Plateau d’Emparis. We enjoy a delicious pique-nique at the lake with an exceptional view of the La Meije mountain range and its astonishing glaciers. After a small traverse of the plateau we get down to the alpine village of Chazelet where we discover its typical mountain architecture. The peaks of the La Meije mountain will “follow” us all the way down to La Grave.

 Day 2 : Today will be a sporty hike within the Ecrins National Parc. From the Col du Lautaret we continue on a small path giving us a different angle of the breathtaking mountain range of La Meije and the Grand Galibier. We traverse the mountain pastures with marmots crossing the fields and there is a big chance we will spot chamois. We have a pique-nique at the lake of the glacier and descend down to the village of Casset. A cold beer and a small snack wait for us at a local restaurant. We end the day at the hotsprings of Monetier-les-Bains.  

                                       

Day 3 : After an sportive hike uphill into the beautiful wild forest, passing the alpine zone with colourful beds of wild flowers, we stop for lunch in a typical mountain hut with a great lake view. The owners of the hut will tell us incredible stories while we indulge the delicious local specialities, accompagnied with a nice glass of wine. After a short traverse we have the choice to go down to La Grave on foot or we can take the téléphérique lift down to the village. A great farewell dinner with more nice wines will wait for us at the hotel.

 

Practical “D” information

Difficulty: The hikes are for hikers of all levels, we adapt the hight and the pace, but you should be able to walk 4 to 6 hours per day with altitude difference between 400 to 1600 meters. You will carry your bown ackpack with your personal items for the day.

Dates: Every thursday (arrival day at the hotel) till sunday from June till September. Other departure dates and shorter breaks are possible on request.

Dosh: Tarifs depend on number of people, number of days and time of year. Please contact us for more information at info@hotel-edelweiss.com