France Walking Tour

I was very pleased with the accommodations and service provided. I had a wonderful experience on the Via Podiensis. Thank you!

First the negative - there is a heat wave in Chamonix Valley and unfortunately the accommodations were not air conditioned, and there is no cross ventilation, so after a day of hiking and sweating in the heat there was no place to cool off. Additionally, though the food was good, the options were a little limited at the hotel (last trip in Portugal we visited 8 different restaurants). Second the positive - if there was not a heat wave this itinerary would have been perfect. Varied trails, nice views, good length, etc. but unfortunately there were long stretches without any shade. Also enjoyed cramming in the bus with other trekkers to get to the trailhead (some will complain about that). The guide was fabulous. He knew where he was going and what to expect. He made sure the slower hikers were okay and controlled the speed appropriately (61 year gap in ages from youngest to oldest). He made appropriate rest stops, and the picnic lunches were great. He kept us informed and he made sure to speak to everyone on the trip. Lasly, I should mention that there were differences in the hike descriptions and the actual hikes, but that did not matter to me.

The quality of the walks/hikes is really good, including the distance covered, duration, terrain, etc. and the grade advertised is correct and what I’ve expected and experienced The guides on each of my 4 explore trips, have been professional and knowledgeable, and have on 2 of the 4 trips (Madeira and Highlights of Mont Blanc) gone well beyond.. I if one improvement could be made, it would be the accommodation ensuring tea making facilities and hair dryer are essential.s.

Excellent choice for a moderately rugged hiking vacation. Trails were well picked and Alphonso's recommendation for our off day was excellent! Hotel was adequate for a hiking vacation. Food was average. I would make 2 recommendations. Please hire private transport to the hiking locations and back to the hotel. Using the bus or train is really inconvenient and takes away a bit of the fun. Also, because of weather, Alphonso switched Tuesday and Friday hikes. turns out the weather was not a factor but it was a great idea to do that. So, move Friday to Tuesday and Tuesday to Friday. lastly because we had an early scheduled flight from Geneva going home, we had to pay 403 Euro for two of us. That is just not right! You need to find a less expensive ride to the airport from Les Houches. Overall, this was a great trip. All my friends love the photos I show them. Thank you. John

A fabulous week exploring the Chamonix valleys, mountains and settlements, further enhanced by blue skies, sunshine and the occasional dramatic electric storms rolling in over Mont Blanc! An amazing location. Great choice of daily routes of similar lengths over rocky mountain terrain, following refreshing riverside trails and through much- welcomed shady woodland. The group was a fantastic friendly company of walkers with considerable hiking experience, very friendly, full of personalities and with a great sense of humour. Our hotel room overlooked the Mont Blanc range which was an amazing surprise, staff were friendly and very helpful. Our Leader / Guide Kris was excellent - confident, knowlegeable and experienced, with a genuine affection for the local environment, and with a very approachable and relaxed manner. He had sorted train and bus passes for the duration of the week, which meant that there were no logistical nightmares when travelling around, and organised bookings at a local restaraunt for evenings when the group wasn't eating at the hotel. Many Thanks for everything Kris :). A thoroughly enjoyable week not just for the physical rewards of excercise, but also for the lively company and opportunity to learn about local history, culture and the natural environment. Highly Recommended

The overall experience was fantastic. The guide Maxime was brilliant. Stayed patient with us all. It was an early season trip so there was a lot of snow and some places offering delicacies on the mountain were closed, but on the plus side there were few other walkers and a lot of wildlife around.