Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

Can't decide but possibly it was the pedalo on Annecy Lake chiiling out , resting muscles  in over 30C with ipod and superb views. Also the  last days descent to Chaminox which was breathtaking in more ways than one!  The food, the walks ..all of them so different ...Too many good bits to mention really!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Oliver was exellent source of local knowledge, had everything perfectly planned and was very mindful of everyone in the group without being pushy. Good company and what about those jokes....again for me...and the film never to be missed.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Not really except walks are challenging but certainly achievable and a flask if gets a wee bit cold on top. I said this in february but thought being the summer wouldn't need it but would have been nice to have. A walking pole also useful.

Suggestions

Brilliant week and just what we needed away from work and home with new people and great scenery.  Elaine and Oliver make a great team and am not surprised people go back..like me!

Most Inspirational Moment

Best sights for me were at Lac Blanc, where I would recommend you hike to the far side of the lake for photos, plus on the descent from the Brevent, especially the sights back into Chamonix on the short balcony walk before reaching the midpoint refuge. Oh, and the Billberry tart.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Oliver knows how to run the group well. Very knowledgable and experienced guy, a sheer pleasure to be with. The first two hours on Day 1 seem a little slow, but then you realise that while he is hiking, he is also checking out the group, judging the pace and expertly finding a speed suitable for all. By Day 5, when your legs no longer work, you will realise that a) He is still in front of you and b) He will be doing all this again next week while you recover ! Have to also mention that if Elaine serves the ginger/honey cake for packed lunch, steal/bribe/beg for as much as you can get.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The meeting point for this trip is at Geneva Airport at about 10:30 am on Saturday morning. The Exodus group flight for this trip is the BA flight out of London City airport. This in my mind is quite hard to get to from most places in the UK for say, a 7 am check in.  It is also an expensive flight, plus if you want to drive to the airport, the car parking charges are huge.I flew out on the Friday night instead, Easyjet flight from Gatwick and stayed in the Holiday Inn near the airport. Flight was £105 return, hotel booked on Expedia was about £65 and the next morning my travel consisted of a five minute courtesy bus trip to the airport.  

Suggestions

One tip - even though you are flying in and out of Geneva, you don't really need Swiss Francs (unless you stay extra days). Most of the shopping and food places visited are in France with a couple in Italy, so Euros only are required.  Loads of camping /hiking stores in Chamonix if you need the odd piece of kit. The Wednesday is a planned day off. Plenty of side trips, shopping, cable car rides etc etc , or....have a lie in and then grab a late breakfast in town and let your feet recover for 24 hours. The Hottub is calling, so take your trunks or cossie. 

Most Inspirational Moment

Suddenly seeing a colony of goldfinches flitting about the conifers...Waking up to the rugged snow capped peaks outside the chalet window with snow and sunlight sparkling on them.Lying in the hot tub after a long walk. 

Thoughts on Group Leader

A classic!Very funny, a master of puns, and a truly warm and sociable character. Lots of laughs all week, and some loud groans too. (We hope the nuns enjoy the Spencer Tracey moments). Elaine's cakes are legendary, and there were generous slices in the mega packed lunches. We were all sad to say goodbye to Oliver and Elaine

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure you have all the gear, weather can be changeable from cold to v.hot or simply pouring! The walks are great though, so don't be put off.Lose weight before you go, they feed you well and you will GAIN weight despite all the exercise. 

Suggestions

If you like walking, mountains and scenery, not too far from home, this is definitely it.

Most Inspirational Moment

The walk on the second day to Lac Blanc was probably the best and the weather was at its kindest then.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Oliver did work hard considering that he met us from the airport, did all the driving, helped with evening meals and did the guiding of walks.  We were unlucky with weather.  I did find the pace too slow, particularly on the wet days, although I accept that on group holidays you need to adapt your pace to that of the group. Oliver made good recommendations about activities for the day off and for eating places. In particular Hotel Eden was a great place for dinner on the night off.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The walking is very leisurely, which would be fine in good weather.  On the whole the mountain refuges were good about us eating our packed lunches out of the rain in their premises and just buying a coffee. The Chalet Savoy is best described as adequate. Rooms are small and bathrooms tiny. The dining room is cramped.  Breakfast was disappointing with only a choice of 2 over sweet cereals and hard boiled eggs every day.  I would have liked the option of porridge or at least a sugar free museli and an alternetive to the hard boiled eggs such as cheese and continental meats.  The picnic lunches were good and the daily cakes were wonderful.  Evening meals were hearty rather than exciting, though the tarteflette on the last night was best I have tasted.  So food a bit mixed.  Considering our poor weather and need for hot showers, we never ran out of hot water (that has happened to me in the past)  Also the drying room was excellent.

Suggestions

Alcohol was avilable at very reasonable rate in the chalet.  Avoid the hot tub, unless you want to pick up folliculitis under newly shaved arms.Good group who coped admirably with awful weather!

Most Inspirational Moment

Every time we reached a new high point and stopped to take in the view and the cable car trip up L'Aiguille Du Midi when the clouds cleared for a view of the Chamonix valley

Thoughts on Group Leader

Oliver was very knowledgeable about the whole area and added a lot to the walks with his snippets of local history, wildflowers and animals and his truly dreadful jokes, the sort you want to groan at but find yourself laughing anyway

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure you take a swimming costume - the hot tub in the garden with the view of the mountains at sunset should not be missed

Most Inspirational Moment

On our first walk, out of a cloudy Switzerland onto the Col de Balme, when the cloud lifted and we had our first views of the Mont Blanc Massif and the Chamonix Valley. Thereafter, apart from one cloudy day, the chance to see the mountains, glaciers and valleys on all the walks was inspirational. The flower meadows were pretty spectacular as well.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Oliver was an excellent guide and companion. He is very knowledgable and a fund of absolutely awful, but very funny, puns and jokes.

Advice for Potential Travellers

As Exodus warn, be prepared for all weathers in the hills. We had everything from 5 degrees in sleet to 28 degrees in bright sunshine, and used all our various layers on several occasions. If you are used to hotel accommodation, the chalet rooms are a little smaller - clean and comfortable, but smaller. We had previously done the walks on Classic Dolomites and White Villages of the Sierra Nevada, and this provided a similar degree of challenge, perhaps a little more challenging on the one day when the  temperature was 28 degrees - enough for us.

Suggestions

We thoroughly enjoyed the trip to Annecy on our rest day and would recommend it.

Most Inspirational Moment

The last day when the weather finally cleared and we saw the summit of Mont Blanc for our climb up Le Brevant. Topped off by seeing a golden eagle soaring over us as we approached the top of our walk.I also loved our walk in the Ferret Valley with stunning views and beautiful alpine flowers.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Oliver is a charming, polite, gentle, patient leader with fabulous local knowledge.His jokes have already been mentioned in previous reviews, so I won't dwell on them.

Advice for Potential Travellers

I found walking poles very useful! I wore my wet trousers and fleece and rain jacket everyday for the first 4 days, so make sure you have the right kit and that it is comfortable. Having said that- the rain did not spoil the walk or my enjoyment on any day.

Most Inspirational Moment

Views of Mont Blanc after a cable car ride & fairly steep walk.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent. Obviously V experienced & made the whole thing stress free. Vast local knowledge. 

Advice for Potential Travellers

A real variety of walks, plenty of stops, many in "refuges" with coffee & tarts! Comfortable accommodation with lovely home cooked food.

Most Inspirational Moment

Our final day finally revealed Mont Blanc in all its magnificence after hiding shyly behind a veil of cloud all week.The ibex appeared as if by magic at the most photogenic of moments.Fantastic profusion of wild flowers

Thoughts on Group Leader

A real character with a whacky sense of humour.  Very competent and insightful leader in the mountains.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Very achievable- just go for it.

Suggestions

An excellent week- walking, scenery, hospitality, company.