traversee de chartreuse en raquettes

Les Estables
Cross-country skiing with guide
High plains of Mézenc, intermediate level
single-centre with guide holiday
8 days / 7 nights stay – 5 and a half days of skiing.
Follow your hosts on the Nordic skiing area of Les Estables on cross-country skis. At the heart of the Mézenc
massif, you will be surprised by the vast expanses of land and the wilderness of the high plains and surrounding
peaks. 5 days and a half of cross-country skiing. For intermediate skiers.
You return to the hotel for lunch, except on one day when you have lunch at an inn.
You will go on a tour of the high plateaux of Mézenc and Ardèche. You will discover the "sucs", characteristic
volcanoes of our region; you will also appreciate the numerous superb views of the surrounding mountain
ranges: the Alps of course, but also the Cantal and Sancy ranges, Mont Lozère, Massif du Pilat and Forez, that
is to say, nearly all the Massif Central.
At the end of the afternoon, back at the hotel, you can relax in the sauna or in the jacuzzi (novelty winter 2016),
bathe in the indoor heated swimming pool, have a drink on the terrace, play billiards or table tennis, etc...
We handle all the transfers by minibus to the point of departure of the trekking circuits.
PROGRAM
Day 1 :
Check-in from 16.00 to 18.00 on the day of arrival (with a welcoming drink at 18.30).
Days 2 to 7 :
We will cover the 50 km of the Estables ski pistes. During the hike, you will be able to do exercises to improve
or perfect your technique. Snow cover permitting, we will also do the pistes at Chaudeyrac and the sources of
the Loire. From time to time, we may also go off piste.
Wednesday afternoon is free.
Day 8 :
Check-out after breakfast on the last day.
N.B. : The above program is only an example; your host chooses the circuits on a daily basis, depending on the
group, on weather conditions, on snow cover and on traffic conditions.
PRATICAL INFORMATION
WELCOME
Stays start on Saturday in the late afternoon and end on the following Saturday after breakfast. Check-in from
4.00 PM to 6.00 PM on the day of arrival (with an information meeting at 6.30 PM followed by a welcoming
drink).
CHECK-OUT
Check-out after breakfast on the last day.
DIFFICULTY
INTERMEDIATE group : for those who can brake, turn and climb in alternative skiing. The distance is adapted
to the group (roughly 15 to 20 km a day).
On the five days when lunch is taken at the hotel, you have the option of skiing only half the day. One day
towards the end of the week, you will have lunch at an inn, and you will need to ski all day long.
ACCOMMODATION
You will stay at Hotel La Découverte, in a double or single room.
A stone's throw from the village, built to blend into the landscape with its wood-faced façades, La Découverte
des Estables, a 3-star hotel, offers quality accommodation specially designed for ramblers and hill-walkers. Its
20 rooms all have the save conveniences (bathroom with a roomy shower, separate toilet, direct phone line) and
nearly all face south onto the valley. An indoor heated swimming pool, a spa (novelty 2016 – see below), a tennis
table room, a billiards table, a lounge with fireplace and free Internet station, a self-service bar, a restaurant with
panoramic view, a garden, a terrace and a private car park are among the facilities at your disposal for a quality
stay. Near the hotel, 50 metres away there is also a tennis court. Wifi connection in the hotel.
Meals (breakfast and dinners) are served in the hotel at a communal table.
In March 2015, the hotel becomes a partner of the Regional Natural Park of Ardeche.
Hotel Spa – novelty 2016
From december 2015, discover our new spa for a relaxing break and a delightful moment, to forget the stresses
and strains of daily life ! Thanks to the large windows, you will benefit from the landscape and the view of the
high plains. You will find in the new redesigned spa :
 an indoor heated swimming pool open in summer and in winter, already existing : water temperature
between 80° and 82°F (27° and 28°C), size 31ft x 12 ft (9m50 x 3m80), depth 4.6 ft (1m40) ;
 a sauna with hot stones oven (already in place in the hotel, it was moved to a lighter room) ;
 a multi-jet shower ;
Code : SRA
2/5
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New : a jacuzzi with 5 seats and 1 lounge seat, with jets ;
New : a massage room (massage performed for non-therapeutic purposes).
To use these accommodations, several solutions :
 Free access all the day to the pool and the multi-jet shower.
 Access to the sauna and jacuzzi by session (€ 8.50 /pers) or unlimited access for the week (€ 45 /pers).
 Massage sessions : several durations (on reservation) : 30 minutes, 45 minutes or 1 hour.
 Collective relaxation sessions of 45 minutes.
 Spa package for the week at € 95/pers : included the unlimited access to the sauna and jacuzzi, a
collective relaxation session of 45 minutes and a 30 minutes re-energising masssage.
The village of Les Estables
At the boundary of the Haute-Loire and Ardèche départements, at the foot of mount Mézenc (the giant of the
Cévennes rising to 1753 m), the village of Les Estables is the highest commune in the Massif Central, 1340
metres above sea level. From December to March, the snow covers the high plains of Mezenc and Les Estables
ski station : you can practise snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, nordic skiing, downhill skiing and snowboarding
(thanks to the 8 tracks of Les Estables), dog sledding, snowkiting, igloo building…
From May to October, many activities in addition to trekking are on offer : mountain biking, tree-climbing, cycling
tours, electrically assisted cycling, hang gliding, orienteering, climbing, fishing. Horse-riding, via ferrata and
swimming are also on offer nearby… Since 2014, the village of Les Estables is in the Regional Nature Park of
Ardeche.
Your hosts
Brigitte, Philippe and Alexandre will reserve you a warm welcome ; they will help you discover this region and
fall under the spell of these immense landscapes.
Christophe, cook chef in the hotel since more than 15 years, prepare meals from many local products. Most of
the meals are homemade and you will enjoy traditional dishes. Our meals, in form of a unique menu, are
diversified, balanced and adapted to the walkers efforts.
If you celebrate your birthday during the week, inform us. Philippe, trained as a pastry, will be happy to make a
cake !
TRANSPORT
A minibus service is available for guests travelling by train, from Puy en Velay station, only subject to booking
and on a fixed timetable :
 from Le Puy en Velay to Les Estables: day 1 for the train arriving at 17.20,
 from Les Estables Le Puy en Velay: day 8 for the train departing at 10.40.
To book this service, please call +33 4 71 08 30 08 at least one week in advance. Limited number of places.
Please enquire for train timetables and numbers.
During your stay, we organize transport by minibus to the starting points of the trekking circuits we offer.
LUGGAGE PORTAGE
No luggage to carry. You only need to carry your personal belongings during the half day or the day.
GROUP
One group until 15 people about.
GUIDE
French Ski School instructor or your host.
EQUIPMENT PROVIDED
« Fish scales » classic skis. Ski poles and « Salomon » ski boots.
Code : SRA
3/5
EQUIPMENT YOU NEED TO BRING
Clothing
Warm clothes, comfortable trousers but not too thick (or tights + over-trousers ), polar jacket, mountain jacket
(waterproof windbreaker), cap or hood, warm gloves and/or mitts (be prepared for bad weather), scarf, warm
socks, leggings (useful in deep snow), a change of clothes for the evening, a swimming costume/trunks for the
hotel's swimming pool and a pair of shoes for the evening ; if there’s not enough snow, a pair of over-ankle
hiking boots (NOT "snow boots" or low-sided shoes) will be usefull for walking.
Miscellaneous
Sunglasses, sun cream, a rucksack (20 to 30-litre capacity), a flask of at least 1.5 litres (possibly a vacuum
one), personal first aid kit* (double thickness sticking plasters for blisters, disinfectant, dressings, etc.), survival
blanket, needle and thread (just in case), camera, binoculars, etc…
* Many products or drugs are only available on prescription (Doliprane, Bétadine, etc.). Your guide will therefore
not be able to give you them, unless so instructed by the SAMU (ambulance and emergency service) in an
emergency. So you are advised to bring your own.
DATES AND RATES
Each week from January 9th to March 12th, 2016, from Saturday to Saturday
From 645 euros in 2016. The single rate is obligatory for singles.
Two-week stay : discount 5% for the two weeks. Not available for the e-booking, contact us directly.
Children over 12 staying in the parents' room: 20% of.
Group prices: please enquire.
THE PRICE INCLUDES
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The full board, from Saturday evening to following Saturday morning,
the access to the indoor pool and to the multi-jet shower,
the loan of the cross-country skiing equipment (XC skis, poles and boots),
the lunch at the inn,
guides on the cross-country skiing trails,
transport during your stay for the organized activities.
THE PRICE DOESN’T INCLUDE
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Optional insurance : the cancellation and interrupted occupancy : 3,5 % of the total amount of the stay,
the station to hotel shuttle service (20 € per people return),
the access to the sauna and jacuzzi, the massages and relaxation sessions,
drinks at the hotel bar and during meals, extras,
Ski pass : € 39.60 for the week in 2016
visitor's tax (adults): €0.80 per person per day in 2015.
Hotel details
Hôtel la Découverte
Route des Boutières - 43150 Les Estables - FRANCE
Tel : +33 4 71 08 30 08 – Fax : +33 4 71 08 30 41
E-mail : [email protected] – web site : www.decouverte-estables.com
Member of Les Hôteliers Randonneurs - www.randonnee-hotels.com
Code : SRA
4/5
Accès à l’hôtel
En voiture :
Conseil pour l'utilisation du GPS : pour la
destination, saisir "LES Estables" (chez nous) et
non "Estables" (en Lozère)…
Coordonnées GPS des Estables :
Lattitude (décimal): 44.904907
Longitude (décimal): 4.161065
Lattitude (sexagésimal): N 44°54'17.67"
Longitude (sexagésimal): E 4°9'39.84"
En hiver, éviter les raccourcis ou tenir compte des
informations sur l’état des routes.
Etat des routes :
Massif Central : www.inforoute-massif-central.fr
Haute-Loire : 0 811 651 897- www.inforoute43.fr
Loire : 04 77 34 46 06 – www.inforoute42.fr
Ardèche : 04 75 65 52 52
Accès depuis Lyon :
 prendre l’A7 direction Valence, puis l’A47 direction Saint-Etienne.
 Avant Saint-Etienne, suivre la N88 direction Le Puy en Velay
 Avant Le Puy en Velay, prendre la sortie Saint-Germain-Laprade / Brives Charensac. Au rond-point,
suivre la D150 direction Le Monastier-sur-Gazeille. Au lieu-dit Les Pandraux, suivre la D28 direction
Lantriac, puis la D36 direction Laussonne, puis les Estables.
 Route recommandée en hiver : avant Le Puy en Velay, prendre la sortie Saint-Germain-Laprade /
Brives Charensac. Au rond-point, suivre la direction Malescot puis Brives-Charensac, puis la direction
Le Monastier-sur-Gazeille par la D535. Traverser Le Monastier et rester sur la D535 direction Les
Estables. Terminer sur la D631.
Accès depuis Clermont-Ferrand :
 Prendre l’A75 direction Millau. Prendre la sortie 20 et suivre la N102 direction Le Puy en Velay.
 Avant d’arriver au Puy en Velay, passer le village de Borne puis, plus loin, vers Polignac, suivre la
D136 direction Saint-Etienne. Après avoir franchi la Loire, suivre la D374, direction Brives-Charensac.
 Dans Brives-Charensac, suivre la direction Le Monastier-sur-Gazeille par la D535. Traverser Le
Monastier et rester sur la D535 direction Les Estables. Terminer sur la D631.
Accès depuis Montpellier – Béziers :
 Suivre l’A75 direction Clermont-Ferrand. Après la sortie 39.2, suivre la N88 jusque Mende. Puis suivre
la N88 jusqu’au Puy en Velay.
 Dans la ville du Puy, suivre la direction Saint-Etienne. Au rond-point d’Auchan, suivre la D988A
direction Le Monastier – Brives-Charensac.
 Après avoir traversé la Loire à Brives-Charensac, suivre la direction Le Monastier-sur-Gazeille par la
D535. Traverser Le Monastier et rester sur la D535 direction Les Estables. Terminer sur la D631.
Accès depuis Montélimar (autoroute A7):
 Prendre la N102 direction Le Puy en Velay, en passant par Aubenas.
 Dans la ville du Puy, suivre la direction Saint-Etienne. Au rond-point d’Auchan, suivre la D988A
direction Le Monastier – Brives-Charensac.
 Après avoir traversé la Loire à Brives-Charensac, suivre la direction Le Monastier-sur-Gazeille par la
D535. Traverser Le Monastier et rester sur la D535 direction Les Estables. Terminer sur la D631.
Dans les Estables, suivre la direction Mont Mézenc, Borée. A la sortie du village, après deux grands
virages, vous trouverez l’hôtel sur le côté droit.
Code : SRA
5/5