What you'll need  Insurance  Precautions  Activity Grades Package Basics  F.A.Q.'s

Getting there

Unless otherwise stated, all our packages are land only.

All "Hotel Based" trips include transfers, which means pick up and drop off from/to Nice airport and transfers during the tour. Details will be given in your holiday dossier.

Low cost flights are available from: Heathrow, Birmingham and Manchester with British Airways. Book on line with www.ba.com Luton, Gatwick, Stansted, Liverpool, Bristol and Newcastle (Summer) with Easyjet. Book on line at www.easyjet.com. East Midlands with bmi. Book on line with www.bmibaby.com.

Guests who may have to travel from other destinations, or who choose to travel outside of the pick up/drop off times specified in the holiday dossier will be required to find their own way to their accommodation site. We are happy to supply local bus times and a rough guide to taxi fares should you need them.

If you're using car hire or driving direct to the area, we'll send directions of how to find us in good time before you leave. By car direct to the area, we would recommend taking two days out for the journey each way, and enjoy the drive over the Mercantour Park from Grenoble.

What you'll need.

Despite being very close to the French Riviera, evenings can be cool even in mid summer, and the area is subject to the typical changes one would expect of a mountain area.

Clothing and equipment should therefore include at least:

Walking. Summer, Spring and Autumn:

Day sack with plastic liner.
Lightweight water-proofs.
Walking pants and shorts.
Base layer and fleece.
Hat and gloves.
Walking boots and spare inner socks.
Water carrier.
Flask for hot drink.
Sun block.
Lipsalve.

In addition for Winter Walking/Snow shoeing:

A slightly larger day sack - 30 litres is adequate.
Trekking poles, with snow baskets.
Three season boots.
A one or two season sleeping bag - if your holiday includes a hut stay.
Torch or Head torch.
Sunglasses.

Canyoning:

Old training shoes.
Swimming costume.
T shirt.

Horse trips:

Stout shoes, preferably with slight heel.
Other equipment will be provided.

Other activities:

The individual package pages will detail what we provide, and we will tell you in your dossier what you will need to bring for particular activities. Most technical gear is provided.





Use your "back" button on your browser to return to your previous page, or Return to top

Insurance.

Please read our terms and conditions on the reverse side of the booking form. Even if you're not partaking in any activities and purely booking our gite for accommodation, we recommend that you take out adequate travel insurance that includes medical expenses, loss or damage of personal property, injury, death, repatriation, cancellation and curtailment.

You should be aware that medical and emergency services are financed and organised differently to that in the UK.
European citizens travelling within the EEA are entitled to a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which simplifies the procedure when receiving medical assistance during their stay in a member state.

The EHIC entitles the holder to the same treatment at the same cost as a national of that country, and presentation of the EHIC guarantees reimbursement of the medical costs on the spot. or soon after returning home. In the event of treatment being required, present the card at the earliest opportunity. The card is only valid for state provided services, not for private hospital and treatments.

The EHIC card replaces forms E111, E111B, E110 and E128.

Other services such as mountain rescue are not covered by the EHIC, and are not free. Therefore it is a prerequisite of all our activity holidays that each guest takes out a travel insurance policy for the entire duration of the tour.

This must include at least medical expenses, loss or damage of personal property, rescue, injury, death, repatriation, cancellation and curtailment. You must ensure that there are no exclusion clauses which limit your cover for the type of activities included in your tour.

We can require you to show proof of this cover as part of the booking procedure and/or when you arrive, and reserve the right to limit some activities if we feel that your cover is inadequate.

The BMC offer a number of insurance products, which are tailored specifically for members partaking in outdoor activities. Visit their website at www.thebmc.co.uk.

Use your "back" button on your browser to return to your previous page, or Return to top

Precautions.

Activity Holidays.

By their very nature, activity holidays, hold an element of danger. The mountain environment can at times be unpredictable. We endeavour to take all reasonable precautions to ensure your safety and enjoyment in the mountains. However, no matter how professional or experienced our guides may be, they cannot predict unavoidable events, which may present hitherto unforseeing elements of risk.

You should not partake in any of the activities that we offer if you feel at all uncomfortable about them.

Group Activities.

For your enjoyment, we deliberately keep the groups small, with an experienced leader. Should you choose to leave the group at any time we will not be able to provide an alternative leader's services free of charge.

Medical.

You may have medical conditions, which may not inhibit your activities in the hills, or indeed hamper your general level of aerobic fitness. E.g. mild forms of diabetes. The decision to partake in one of our trips must be yours alone. If you have any doubts pleased consult your doctor. We should also be made aware of any such conditions upon arrival. Please see our Booking form and conditions.

Use your "back" button on your browser to return to your previous page, or Return to top

Walking & Activity Grades .

All of Spacebetween’s holidays are ranked to give guests the best opportunity to select the right level of activity.

All holidays carry an

ibex ranking from 1-3.

	Between 3-4 hours a day's activity and if walking, an average ascent/descent of 300-600m.
	Between 5-6 hours a day's activity, and if walking, an average ascent/descent of 600-800m.
	Between 7-8 hours a day's activity, and if walking an average ascent/descent of 800-1100m.

Walking in the high Mercantour and Italy covers Alpine type terrain which can involve narrow paths and steep gradients, with the occasional need to cross scree and boulder fields. Scrambling sections which require the use of hands and feet will only be encountered on "3 ibex" trips.

In Provence and the lower areas of the Mercantour, the terrain is softer, and walking routes follow well defined paths with little or no requirement to negotiate screes, boulder fields or sections requiring scrambling.

Furthermore, to help you get the most out of your holiday, we categorise each trip from 1-3, based on the following attributes. For example :

Where an attribute is left blank, this indicates that no previous experience is needed.

If you want to opt for one of our “tailor made” solutions, then we'll talk to you about your requirements to ensure that any actvities that you choose are within your expectations.

Use your "back" button on your browser to return to your previous page, or Return to top

Basics.

Minimum numbers.

Unless otherwise stated, we stipulate minimum numbers on all our standard and "go as you please" packages. These are : Hotel based, half board with packed lunch and hotel or chambre d'hôte based bed and breakfast - minimum 5 persons. Gîte based at La Zourciere - minimum 4 persons.

Single supplements.

Hotel based holidays are based on twin rooms sharing. Where a single room is requested, then a single supplement will apply.

This will be dependant on the accommodation and package, and will be quoted on a case by case basis. In this instance, the supplement will not be part of the deposit, and will not be payable until the balance is due.

Where there are odd numbers in a group, then the extra bedroom will be allocated on the basic package price. In this instance, we cannot pre-allocate, this will depend on the mix of persons within the group. Should you have booked and paid your deposit, and we do not obtain the minimum number for the package, the terms and conditions on the back of your booking form explain the options that we can offer you. We try our best to accommodate bookings, even for numbers that are less than the minimum, but on some packages, this may not be financially feasable.

We operate a policy of small groups, and our maximum numbers are normally between 7 and 10.

What's included.

The individual package page will stipulate what's included over and above the accommodation elements explained below :

Unless otherwise stated, all prices quoted are on a per person basis and for the duration explained in the individual package itinerary.

Hotel Based B&B : Number of nights stipulated on the package page, with breakfast every day, including the day of departure. Transfer to and from Nice airport, local transport to and from venues during your stay, except any free days stipulated.

Chambre d'Hôte : As above, Hotel Based B&B.

Hotel Based Full Board : Number of nights stipulated on the package page, evening meal on the first night of arrival, breakfast every day, packed lunch on all days except last day of departure. Transfer to and from Nice airport, local transport to and from venues during your stay, except any free days stipulated.

Gîte Based : Unless otherwise stipulated, this refers to La Zourcière - see "accommodation". The gîte is self catering and fully self contained. This option does not include transfer to and from Nice airport. The gîte is situated about 5km from the nearest shops and restaurants, and a hire car is recommended to give you maximum flexibility. The package price reflects this. Directions to your accommodation will be sent to you well in advance of your departure. The provision of local transport to and from venues depends on the number of persons booked onto the package on a "Hotel" basis.

Where a package includes a mountain hut or gîte d'etape stay, then this will include evening meal, breakfast and packed lunch. This applies to all packages.

If customers are not able to meet the pick up time, we will endeavour to make alternative arrangements, but we cannot guarantee the first night's evening meal.

Arriving by air.

All of our packages are land based, and unless otherwise stipulated, our pick up point is at Nice airport, terminal 2. We can drop off at the end of your stay at both terminal 1 and 2.

Normal pick up time is 05:00 p.m., and we drop off at the end of the stay at 11:00 a.m. Therefore, we ask customers to arrange their flights accordingly.

However, there may be times when we have to change these, and we will send you final details of pick up and drop off times well in advance of your departure. For those arriving early, we recommend that you leave your luggage at the "left luggage" in terminal 1 or 2 of the airport, and take a bus into Nice, where you can take a look around this very pleasant city, and take in some lunch. Bus transfers to and from the airport are frequent. We will send you details well in advance of your departure.

Use your "back" button on your browser to return to your previous page, or Return to top

FAQ's.

If the Mercantour is so great - why haven't I heard of it?

The region appears to have missed out on mass tourism as tourists have flooded to the "honeypots" of the Riviera and to the more northerly Alpine massif - and if 800 square miles of unspoilt National Park - with peaks up to 3.3K metres appeals - you'll enjoy it here.

What maps should I buy before I come over?

We would recommend that you buy 3741 OT - VALLEE DE LA VESUBIE - Institut Geographic National - www.ign.fr . Cordee have a great selection of maps and guide books - www.cordee.co.uk

I live in the Riviera already - what can you do for me??

You are welcome to join in the programmes of course and we will also be offering out weekend trips - through Angloinfo/Network Riviera - just contact us for more information.

Where is the nearest airport?

Nice is just an hour away - and very accessible from UK airports.

How fit do I need to be?

The area is mountainous, and the strenuousness of the walking can vary. An indication of the average daily ascents and overall difficulty of the walking is given in the holiday details. Also, all of the actvities require a degree of fitness. To enjoy your holiday we would recommend that you have a reasonable level of fitness and are used to regular exercise. Any concerns - just talk to us.

Which car rental company would you recommend?

Most of the big agencies are similarly priced. However with Europcar being Easyjet's partner - we have found that there are long queues for pick ups and returns in the summer. We would therefore recommend a smaller agency like say Sixt, who are based at the airport, or ADA. who will pick you up and take you to their office in Cagnes sur Mer. See our useful links page.

How do we find you in the Vésubie valley?

Coming out of the airport, pick up the D6202 (fomerly the N202) to Digne/Grenoble. Travel up the D6202 until Plan du Var. After Plan du Var take a right into the Vésubie valley. Continue up the valley until Old Roquebillière - remaining on the right hand side of the river, carry on through Old Roquebillière, and turn right to Berthemont les Bains. Take4 hairpin bends, c 600 metres. La Zourcière is the second house on the left after a blue bottle bank.

How many people can you accommodate in the gîte?

The gîte is an apartment, with its own access, on the ground floor of La Zourcière - the living space is 70m2 - with a living room/bedroom (1 double bed) and sofa bed, fully equipped kitchen, plus a further bedroom with 1 double bed and 1 single bed. The shower room is off the living room/bedroom. For 2007 we will also have another double room with en suite - with a separate entrance - so the gite can take up to 7 people - or for those not wanting to share a bathroom - 2 couples could share the gite. There's also a private, covered terrace with a BarBQ, drying room, and 6 acres to camp/romp in.

What do we need to bring with us for the gîte?

Bedding, towels, CD player, TV are provided. We suggest you bring some CDs. The kitchen has all the facilities you require, plus some basic foodstuffs.

Where can I get provisions?

As we are c 5 kilometres from the nearest shops, it is useful to stock up with French goodies at the Carrefour coming north up the D6202. Also, there are a number of small supermarkets in Roquebilliere and St Martin Vesubie.

Are you able to hire out gear?

We have snowshoes and VTT bikes for hire from La Zourcière - other items can be hired locally.

How's the weather?

We are blessed with about 320 days of sunshine. July and August can be hot, May, June, September and October are generally very good for all activities. During the winter snow only lies occasionaly at our gite, but above about 1200 metres snow lies form mid December to mid March. Winter days are generally clear and crisp. Of course, being in the mountains - the weather can change very quickly.

I really fancy the Wolf week but it doesn't fit with my holiday dates - can you help?

We have found that a high percentage of guests have required tailor made holidays that we are more than happy to to cater for. Please just contact us and we can propose an itinerary to suit you.

I'd love to come but my partner isn't very sporty?

We have had small groups where the men folk have come to the mountains and the ladies have stayed on the coast, or vice versa. There is a lot to do on the Riviera - such as companies which offering painting courses, French lessons and so forth.

Return to top