mountain guide services
Mountain Guide Services
Your High Mountain Guide in Nice : THIBAUT TOURNIER
To succeed in all your mountaineering projects in the Southern Alpes.
I am your High Mountain Guide, specialist in the Mercantour Massif, the Alpes Maritimes and the Argentera Massif.
You will discover the wild spaces of the Southern Alps, far from the crowd in Chamonix.
The Southern Alps it’s the Mercantour and the mountains of the Riviera, the delightful contrast between the Côte d’Azur coastline and the Mercantour National Park, a mild climate which allows us to go in mountain in summer and winter alike.
My offer is to set out to conquer the summits of the Alps overhanging above the mediterranean, either skiing, hiking or climbing the most aerial routes of our mountains.
Together we will discover the most popular and the most covert places of the Mercantour. I have a deep knowledge of the Southern Alps and of the weather in the area which will help when we will plan something together according to your level and wishes. You have the guarantee of a memorable experience.
Please feel free to contact me for more information or to book :
E-mail or phone 0033 6 73 38 10 29
Click to discover all activites
Summer Activities |
Winter Activities |
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Trad climbing
South-east France is the area with the biggest number of nature cliff in the country. In these reserves, climbing routes are kept rather wild.
Trad (traditional) climbing will enable you to go back to the roots of climbing which made is a popular sport: route selection, anticipation, commitment, freedom...
High-tech mountain gear and modern climbing technics made trad climbing possible and easier. Cliffs around Nice represent many opportunities on all kind of rock: granite, limestone, sandstone...
For deper details: read an article on trad climbing.
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Multi pitch trad climbing : There are lots of nice climbing routes in the Alpes Maritimes, in the Verdon and in the Calanques.
Annot's sandstone : New spot, perfect to climb gorgeous routes made of sheer cracks.
Trad climbing lessons : You will learn all what there is to know about the use of climbing gear, from nuts to slings. This course will also help you to grasp the specific technics related to this practice.
Summer Mountaineering
During the summer, the preserved area of the Mercantour National Park is a perfect ground for the most various climbing routes. The high-peaks of the crystalline Mercantour Massif soar skywards. Every last one of these peaks, made of gneiss and granite (which is commonly called "The Caïres" in the area), is a challenge for the climber who lies in you.
Who never dreamed of climbing a summit from which you have a breathtaking view over the lakes of the Mercantour?
The Argentera Massif and the Ubaye Massif also are pretty close to the French Riviera (Côte d'Azur). They represent an alternative if you want to diversify the climbing grounds after a couple of days.
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- Ridge routes : You will experience a tightrope walker's thrills on a ridge which straddles two
hillsides.
- Climbing in mountains : The Mercantour is scattered with beautiful rock faces. The most reknown ones are the Caïres of the Erp, the Madonne de Fenestre, the Cougourde and the Corno Stella.
- Long mountaineering routes : The southern end of the Alpine range also hide some long routes which sometimes require a pre-climbing walk on snow or ice.
Cliff Climbing
Exhilarating flying feeling, a wish to go beyond yourself, the will to climb an unreachable summit: they're all good reasons to practice CLIMBING which will develop your physical and mental strength.
The county of the Alpes Maritimes is the archetypal CLIMBING SPOT : it has got everything, from climbing schools to multipitch routes.
Every year, many new climbing sites are created. The country has the biggest number of routes in France.
The coastline of the Riviera also has an abundance of cliffs rising from the sea, offering a stunning view on the Mediterannean, from the Calanques to Final Ligure in Italy.
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Multi pitch route : A travel all over a cliff, looking for a way to get to the top. A big day of climbing in sight!
Climbing trip : In France or abroad, climbing and cliffs are a good excuse for discovering an area in a new light. Your guide will take you to the destination which matches the most with your expectations.
Climbing lessons : One or several days can be devoted to acquire technical climbing skills. A good knowledge of the basic safety rules, knots, abselling, belays and an appropriate use of your climbing gear will lead you towards independent climbing.
Ski touring
This is the most suitable mean to travel through the mountain during the winter. Nowadays, people are used to ride ski-lifts in ski resorts. Ski touring is a softer and a more eco-friendly way of discovering the nature which is weakened by the winter. Your skis and your seal skins will be your only tools to get to the top of the mountain.
On the way up the hills, you will enjoy the scenery and the delicate ecosystems which are, each winter, turned into our playground.
On the way down the hills, you will discover the pleasure of skiing on untouched snow; far from the groomed slopes of ski resorts. You will leave your unique skimarks behind you on the mantle of snow, powdery or transformed by the southern sunshine.
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All the alternatives are possible :
- Initiation: for advanced skiers on slopes only. Experience in off-pistes skiing recommended.
- One-day ski touring: a trek adapted to the level of te group and to the weather conditions.
- Several days ski-touring: return to base camp everynight. The base camp can be in a hostel, in a B&B or from home in the valley.
- Multi days ski tour: everynight is spent in a different place (usually in refuge). Total immersion in the winter atmosphere guaranted. Perfect to have a break in your life.
5 skiers maximum per group for ski touring.
I can lend you individual safety gear : avanlanche transceivers, probes, shovels...
Mountaineering ski
Off-piste skiing
For advanced skiers:
Groups of 5 people maximum.
I can lend you individual safety gear: avalanche transceivers, probes, shovels...
To read : an article about off-piste skiing in Limone.
Ice climbing
When the ice looks like crystal, when it adorns bluish shimmers, when sunbeams make it sparkle, the climbing of an ice fall turns into an enchanted trip!
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Initiation : 4 people maximum
Hiring of the guide for a day-climb: 2 people maximum for an ice fall, depending on the level of the participants and the weather/ice conditions.
I can lend you technical gear: crampons, ice-axes
This activity is possible from January to early March near Nice.
Winter mountaineering
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There are many possiblilities in mountaineering:
Snow routes : The slopes and couloirs of snow will enable you to put finishing touches to your stapling technique to reach sublime
summits.
Ice routes : The gully of the Mercantour and the Argentera massifs are a good ways to directly reach the summits.
Mixed routes : During the winter, the Mercantour is a combination of snow and rock which creates an favourable ground for various treks!
Ridge routes : A journey on a tapered ridge is a trip full of thrills where we have the feeling of walking in the sky.
General terms and conditions
Price for the day including the collective climbing gear. You will have to add the different costs according to the activity: renting of personal equipment, transportation, ski lifts, accomodation...
The cost is to share between the participants.
The guide reserves the right to modify the programme at any time in order to adapt it to the weather conditions of the day, or to cancel it if no alternative can be found.
Insurance:
It is up to you to take out a third party insurance and a rescue assistance covering the activity planned. Either with your insurance agent or with the FFCAM.