We've wanted to offer a real Mercantour to Med trip for some time - offering guests the chance to go from 3000m to -30m in the course of the week.

No need to hum and haw about what to do for kicks in 2009 - this package offers you the lot! Mountaineering, horse riding, canyoning, abseiling, pool jumping and scuba diving - it is a week of wet and wild adventurous activity.

Guests arrive in Nice for an action packed week, transfer to the excellent Grand Chalet in Valdeblore takes just an hour - its only downside being a need to burn off the calories from Christine's 5 course dinners and ample breakfasts!

The first day of activity takes you to the heart of the Mercantour, on the Italian border, to summit the imposing Cime Guilié at a tad below 3000m – 2999m in fact. From the top, weather permitting, there is a magnificent view down to Cuneo in the Piedmont plain, and down to the French Riviera.

On the following day master one of the finest Via Ferrata (VF) in the area at Baus de la Frema. Erected by mountain guides for sport climbing, the VF gives you all the challenge of free climbing but with a fraction of the fear!

And so it goes on to four legged transport rather than two. With Denis Longfellow's fine horses watching their own feet there is the chance of enjoying the scenery to the max, as well as enjoying the thrill of a bit of speed.

The next and sadly last day in the Mercantour, consider yourself baptised - the idea of water sports, with a mountain twist. A little bit of water, with a little bit of rock is on the agenda. Canyoning, following river courses downstream, is great fun and involves getting pretty wet - abseiling, jumping into pools; as wild as you like.

Guests are then "delivered" to the charming Belle Epoque Hotel Alexandra in the glamorous Juan-les-Pins. Accommodation here is on a bed and breakfast basis. The hotel does have a very good restaurant offering local specialities, and also there is no shortage of restaurants within walking distance.

As the next day dawns, guests are in the competent hands of Alex Diamond, to enjoy two dives in the crystal clear (and warm) waters of Golfe Juan and Cap D'Antibes.

It is a pleasure to discover that marine life is alive and kicking in the Med. Visibility is often more than twenty metres and a wealth of marine life including barracuda, anemones, octopi, cuttle fish, moray and conger eels, colourful sponges and gorgonian fans, schooling sea bream and pelagic snapper can be seen. Much more of the same is on the cards for le lendemain - there's a huge amount of choice of dives, depending on experience.

On the final day - rest at last!! A calm day site seeing, shopping and lunching in Nice is proposed. There's always plenty happening in the town.

Please note, other activity combinations are also possible, including speciality diving courses or try dives for beginners. Paragliding may be taken as an option on the morning of Day 5 (at own cost).

Season

June toSeptember

Departures to date

2010 : Jun 26; Aug 28

Pricing

Standard week package : from £855.

Mix of full board and B& B
(see accommodation below)

For non-standard periods and programmes, contact us to discuss the options. Read about our flexible way of working.

How to book...

Grades

grade

Your Accommodation - On all our Mercantour based trips you will either stay in our gîte at La Zourcière, or if you choose our B&B or half board options we are very pleased to work with local hotels or chambres d'hôte in the area.

Gîte

Enjoy the beautifully secluded situation of La Zourcière in the small hamlet of Berthemont les Bains in the Vésubie valley. The gîte sits on the ground floor of the house and is fully self contained. There are shops about 10 minutes drive from the hamlet, and an organic farm just 200m down the road from the house. Follow this link for more details.

Hotel or Chambre d'Hôte

Le Grand Chalet is a homely chambre d'hôte run by Christine and Luc and is situated overlooking the small village of St Dalmas Valdeblore. A good week of outdoor activity is well fuelled by Christine's great cooking, crafted from home made (mainly organic and local) ingredients. Vegetarians are welcomed. The basis here for this holiday is half board plus a packed lunch.
Hotel Saint Sébastien is situated in just outside the small town of Roquebilliere. Again, family run, with large airy rooms, and has a restaurant and outdoor pool.
The Hotel Alexandra is locally owned – a rare find in the glitz of JLP! - run by Rachel and family. The basis here for this holiday is B&B, but their courtyard restaurant offers traditionally cooked meals with from a reasonably priced menu.

What's included

Itinerary

• Day 1 Arrive Nice - transfer to Grand Chalet - Valdeblore.
• Day 2 Summit Cime Guilié – 2999m!
• Day 3 Via Ferrata.Spend the day with Pierrot on one of the best VF’s in the district on Baus de la Frema.
• Day 4 Horse riding.
• Day 5 Canyoning – morning – with option of paragliding at extra cost. Transfer to Alexandra Hotel in Juan-les-Pins.
• Day 6 Diving* - two dives.
• Day 7 Diving* - two dives.
• Day 8 Day at leisure in Nice etc - fly out in evening (24 hours after diving).

* Suitable for qualified divers or trainee divers wishing to complete their PADI Open Water course (further to theory and confined water completion in UK.)

Suitable for

Adults and young persons over 18 years.

Your welfare & protection

As a small enterprise, it's very important to us that our guests are professionally looked after during their stay with us.
Your protection : our operational base is in France, and our company in France is registered as a tour operator (habilitation touristique) and holds business failure cover and public liability cover.
Your welfare : all our activities are led by fully qualified local Mountain Guides and International Mountain Leaders (Accompagnateurs), thus ensuring that you receive not only top professional care, but that you will also benefit from their in-depth local knowledge of the regions that we operate in.