Let Loose with Adventure

Snowshoeing Holidays....                                       10% discount - if you book before the 1st October!

This is probably the fastest growing sport in Europe but not well known in the UK. Think of good quality snow and sunny blue skies; spectacular mountain scenery, and the ability to go walking just about anywhere - you can see why it is so popular with our European cousins. As with skiing, it's a great aerobic exercise in the outdoors, that brings on all the enjoyment that a winter holiday can provide. The difference is that snowshoeing is a lot cheaper!
             


Here's an expression on one our holidays last year.
"We spent a week snowshoeing in the Pyrenees with Let Loose with Adventure. The level of customer service was exceptional - we learned so much and had a thoroughly relaxing time. Our guide was a real expert but came across as down to earth and personable. Each day was completely different and tailored to our needs. The accommodation was extremely comfortable and welcoming with superb food to keep us going each day. All in all, a fantastic experience". Alan Kinder.

 Your accommodation...

Option 1.

This year we have teamed up with Ron and Carole McGregor, and their luxurious accommodation in St Beat at  Le Chalet Chapeau Bleu.  They can accommodate up to 13 guests in their comfortable rooms, with a mixture of singles, doubles and triple rooms. A hearty breakfast is included; you'll be supplied with a filling packed lunch, and dinner is a four-course affair with aperitif, wine and coffee, and believe me, Ron's cooking is to die for!


Prices start from £570 per person based on two people sharing. We say prices start from, as there is a high season between 4th February and 12th March; there are rooms ensuite and bathroom sharing; kids eat cheaper. Seven breakfasts will be included, five packed lunches for those guided days, and six evening meals, leaving you free to try one of the restaurants in town. All the prices are quoted on Le Chalet Chapeau Bleu website, so there are no hidden extras. Also included in the price will be the five guided snowshoe days, hire of snowshoes and walking poles and other safety equipment, local transportation.

Option 2.

We can offer accommodation with our family, my wife Karen and our five-year-old son, Nathan. We have three guest rooms, a double and two twins with shared bathrooms. We'll offer you 7 nights bed and breakfast accommodation, six evening meals with wine and five packed lunches for the walking days. Five days guided snowshoeing with equipment hire, and local transportation. We have plenty of space to relax in, and we are not far from Ron and Carole's. Prices are £499 per person for the week, (discount for under 12 year olds).

              

What's Not Covered?
What is not covered on either option is your transportation from/to the UK, and holiday insurance, which needs to cover rescue from the mountain. If you need advice on these things, feel free to ask. We can pick you up from the airport or train station in Toulouse/Pau, and return you there at the end of the holiday, (€60 per person for the return trip).

We aim to remain completely flexible with our holidays. Ideally you'll come for seven nights, and we'll provide you with an itinerary for the five days guided walking. This also leaves you with a free day to do another activity, if you wish. There's plenty to do in the area with downhill and cross-country skiing, parapenting, dog sledging and of course those relaxing thermal baths that this area is renowned. 

We can cater for shorter holidays, and day walks if you are already in the area. A day's snowshoeing with equipment hire, local transport, and a packed lunch is €35 per person.
Email or telephone/text on  00 33 (0)6 06 415 815.

Is this for me?

This is a common question when looking for a holiday. Let us help provide some answers. Firstly, walking with a guide brings many benefits. You'll be well looked after, and won't have to worry about where to go and what to see. All levels of fitness will be catered for, and we tailor the day's itinerary according to ambitions of the group. Your snowshoes and walking poles will be provided as will all safety equipment but if there's anything you need to buy we can provide you with 15% discount in the outdoor retailers Cotswold Outdoors Ltd
You'll meet new people; there'll be plenty of fun and laughter, and you'll probably go home wondering why you hadn't thought of doing a snowshoeing holiday before.

                                              
Your guide, Kevin Albin, is a fully qualified International Mountain Leader. He holds the legal papers to operate in France; full liability insurance, and is first aid trained. He speaks French. He knows the area well and will be carrying all the necessary safety equipment. "Taking people out snowshoeing, and into the mountains is something special to me; it's your holiday time and your experience, and I'll do everything I can to make it special for you."


I'm convinced, what do I do now?

Excellent, we look forward to meeting you!

The next thing to do is contact us through the Contact Us page and check the availability. We are running trips, Saturdays to Saturdays, from the 8th January 2011 until the snow goes in April. If Saturday departure isn't convenient for you, just let us know. We'll confirm availability, send you a booking form, and ask you for a deposit of £150 per person. This deposit secures the accommodation and local transport, and is only refundable should we not be able to reallocate your place. We will also send you more details about the holiday, what to bring, and some general information on health and insurance matters. The balance for the holiday will need to be paid in Euros, so that we can pay the local providers, and we'll ask for that on the first night at the accommodation. It's as simple as that.   



Do have a look at some of our photos of previous year's holidays Click here

 What will I be doing?

Here's an example of the itinerary...

Day 1. Arrival day; where you'll be settled into your accommodation, meet the other guests and your guide, Kevin Albin. Dinner and time to relax.

Day 2. Kevin will give an introductory talk on the week, and hand out your snowshoes, walking poles and some other equipment. We'll look at what everyone wants to get from the holiday, and talk about routes, weather, and great places to go. We'll then have a fine day out, perhaps in La Vallee du Larboust, where you'll see characteristic villages tucked into the hillside. We also stand a chance of seeing izards, kites and griffon vultures.
            Click on photo to enlarge.
It won't be too energetic, allowing everyone to get used to the sport, and to get to know each other. We shall also be near Luchon if anyone has something they need to buy.

Day 3. Today we'll have a look at avalanche transceivers and other safety equipment, and look at how to evaluate the snow conditions. This will be on the way to the Sommet d'Antenac at 1990m, where we should have excellent views into three different valleys. We shall zigzag up through a forest of Scots Pine, and then onto the wide ridge to the summit. 
                                      

Day 4. A day of two countries today as we set of from the mountain village of Artique and walk along the GR10 to the Plan de Montmajou. Here will have one foot in France and one in Spain. Depending on time and energy, we might take in Pic de Bacanere at 2193m and a view down into Spain. We should get some great views of Aneto, the highest in the Pyrenees. Perhaps a well-earned vin chaud at the bar on the way down.
Click to enlarge

Day 5. Free Day. This is a chance to try another activity such as parapenting, downhill or cross-country skiing or just to relax in the thermal baths with a bit of pampering. Spain is only 7kms from your accommodation so you could always lunch there. Tonight we invite you to eat out and try one of the local restaurants.
                                                Click to enlarge  

Day 6. We might start in Spain with a drive up to the Col du Portillon and a walk through the forest. This is a great area for having a close look at nature with some animal tracking, and what about those bears! Lunch at a mountain refuge and there will be time to take in the summit Pic d'Aubas if we want to.
   Click on photo to enlarge

Day 7. A grand day out with the northerly ridge from the Col de Peyresourde taking in seven tops. This will give views into the Valleys of Oo and Louron, the ski resort at Peyragudes and the surrounding area. We shall drop down off the tops into beech and conifer forests with a good chance of seeing deer, mountain hare and fox, and make our way to Portet du Luchon in time for a celebratory drink in an auberge.

Day 8. Departure day. Breakfast and transfers to the airport.


What will I need to bring?

Clothing wise, it's about the same as walking in the UK perhaps with a spare fleece in your rucksack. As you can see in the photos, I have on a thermal top, lightweight trousers and a waterproof jacket. Boots need to have good ankle support and gaiters will keep the snow out of them. Hat and gloves help me to regulate my temperature, and sunglasses keep down the glare from the snow. I day sack is sufficient, just large enough to carry some water, lunch and some spare clothing. Camera essential for those all important action shots.

I'll supply the snowshoes, one size fits all more or less, and walking poles, which help with balance and rhythm. It takes no time at all to learn a few simple techniques on snowshoes, and how to use them efficiently.

  How to get there...

By Air...  You can fly to either Toulouse or Pau airports. Easyjet fly from Gatwick and Bristol: bmibaby from Manchester: Britsih Airways from Heathrow: Air France from Heathrow and London City, and Birmingham. Ryanair fly from Stansted and Bristol to Pau.      

This ebookers search facility will give you the cheapest fares and allow you to book.



















Getting from Toulouse airport...
We can collect you or arrange to have you collected from the airport. You will need to book in advance and pay in Euros, €60 per person return trip. Just let us know att he time of booking.

  You might want to book your own transfer, in which case you could look at . This link will give you a price and allow you to book.

If you want to have your own transport in the resort, you could book a hire car through this link to Hertz.


Or you can take the train with SNCF. Tickets can be bought on the day. There's a bus shuttle from Toulouse airport to the train station €4 and €6 return, or taxi €20. The train takes you to Montréjeau and then the SNCF bus to Luchon. It's all on the same ticket, and the bus journey is very scenic as you enter the mountains.

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By Train...
You could let the train take you all the way. Rail Europe have trains running from the UK to Toulouse and then SNCF go to Luchon using the TGV and local SNCF bus. You can book your Rail Europe tickets here.
  

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By Road...
You can drive. It's about ten hours once you get into France. It's worth thinking about winter tyres, and you may need snowchaims in the resort.