Alpe d'Huez Activity Review: 28th July 2009
The winds have been whipping the southern alps mercilessly and erratically since last Thursday. Bad weather severely hampered last week’s mountain bike event in Les Deux Alpes, the Mountain of Hell, but this week we’ve certainly felt the worst of it.
On Wednesday and Thursday the lift system in Les Deux Alpes was closed due to high winds which reached 100km/hour today on the glacier. The only lifts open were on the lower, north-facing slopes. Over in Alpe d’Huez today, it’s been humid and sticky, even in the hot, southern wind. Temperatures in both resorts have remained above 20°C and finally this afternoon the clouds started to clear.
When the weather forces lift closures, it’s hard to find activities to while away the hours. With today’s winds, beach volleyball, tennis and football were out of the question and horse riding wouldn’t have been much fun. It’s often good to jump into the car and head off to see what’s available in the local area.
Venosc’s Adventure Park was inundated with tourists, seeing 475 visitors – a week’s worth! – in the last two days. The thermal baths at Monetiers Les Bains were also busy so we headed to the nearby resort of La Grave to make the most of the weekend’s rainfall by riding the Romanche River.
The Romanche is 78km long and runs through the local Ecrins National Park. At La Grave, you can white-water raft at the Rafting No-Limit centre. It’s also possible to go white-water rafting in Venosc, but the river in La Grave has a steeper gradient and runs faster, with Grade Four rapids to tackle. Suitable for beginners, it’s a great introduction to the challenges of rafting and a very different way to see the local area.
There was a large group of us rafting to celebrate the birthdays of Warren, Mark and ScottyDave – happy birthday boys! We took three boats and three guides, dividing the groups by experience and guts. The initial safety talk is essential as the river can be very dangerous, flowing fast and cold as snow melts on the glacier of La Meije.
Once in the boat, most fears are pushed aside as you battle to obey the commands of the guide, sometimes translating from French into English for the benefit of your fellow sailors. It’s pretty rare to have any problems and I should have known that as soon as I tried to reassure the first-timers that it’s “perfectly safe”, we’d hit trouble...
The course takes around 45 minutes and you pass through calm waters, shallow areas filled with rocks and finally the rapids. Somehow we managed to hit the largest rapid side-on and three of our seven crew were ejected into the river. Rosie, Georgie and I were rushed 50m downstream for what seemed like an age, struggling to remember the guides’ safety advice to stay calm in the freezing water.
Lying on our backs, feet first, we plummeted towards the calmer water. Ever ready for just such a mishap, one of the guides had already leapt ashore and was there to catch us as the river slowed and we climbed onto the banks. While it was a slightly surreal experience, I wasn’t really scared and it certainly wouldn’t put me off rafting. The hardest thing to process is the lack of control and the sheer force of the water. In my opinion, the adrenaline, teamwork and stunning views outweigh the few seconds of cold water and wondering just how far you’re going to be towed along the river. However, I don’t think everyone would agree with me!
Once you reach the end of the course, the minibus arrives and takes you back to No-Limit’s office. Wetsuits, lifejackets, helmets and protective tops are supplied, but you’ll need to take your own trainers and be prepared to get them wet. We usually wear bikinis/board shorts under the wetsuits, take towels and dry clothes and a few euros to buy the photographs on disc. There’s also a cool little bar that does a small but great lunch menu, with hammocks and an adult-sized paddling pool. A fantastic way to recover from an eventful afternoon!
