Fall in the French Alps
Mid-October and the leaves finally start to turn in the Alps. Come enjoy this strange season, when the mountains turn from green to red, gold, and orange, all while visiting the Venice of the Alps in Annecy, the site of the first winter Olympic games in Albertville, one of the best kept secrets of the Alps in La Clusaz, and the ever majestic Chamonix, sitting at the foot of the great Mont Blanc.
Learn from a passionate professional
Our photographers are both passionate and knowledgeable about photography and the area. We take you to all the good spots and let you enjoy the journey along the way. We capture as many sunrises and sunsets as weather and the small group will allow, and after shooting, we return to the hotel for a couple post-editing tutorials.
Group size & Options
Not everyone runs at the same pace, and our tours are built to accommodate everyone. We keep group sizes small, so everyone will have some one on one time with the pro. We also will offer different options for everyone. Perhaps someone wants to work on astrophotography late at night, maybe someone else really wants sunrises. We try to be as flexible as possible, so you don't feel like you have to do everything, but you can still get as most out of the experience as you want.
Tour Price $3,000/person
Join us for a single supplement for $400. A single supplement is one full day of activities meeting in the town we will be in. It does not include room or board, but does include any transport during the day after your arrival in the town. We can help arrange your transport to the town for an additional price
Tour Dates
Oct 10-16, 2017
Day 1
The first day you arrive in Geneva around noon and we pick you up and take you to your hotel in Annecy. Our first day is spent around the beautiful lake of Annecy, wandering through the canaled streets and taking a boat tour on the lake.
Day 2
The second day kicks off as we head to the south side of the lake to Albertville to enter the beautiful medieval city flanked by the colored Alps. You won't want to miss Albertville's charm, and we'll hopefully catch a nice sunset here.
Day 3
We leave the valleys and head into the mountains to La Clusaz. Packed high in the Alps, you'll love this charming city and its fantastic alpine countryside. This is prime cheese making country, and we'll be sure to stop by farms for authentic and homemade cheese. The first day in the area, will be spent mainly at the base of La Clusaz and heading up to the Lac des Confins for a short or long hike, depending on what the group is up for. This is prime territory for cows and cowbells, and the hills really are alive. It's also one of the few real areas with a good chance to see Chamois. Chamonix has them, but you're much more likely to see Ibex, Chamois are much rarer, and this region is one of their last remaining homes.
Day 4
The next day, we'll head up to the Col des Aravis, the great mountain range that looks down on Mt. Blanc. We'll do an easy but gorgeous hike and once again we'll have a chance to spot some Chamois. The rest of the day will be spent relaxing and enjoying the lazy atmosphere of fall in the Alps. We'll also do a post-processing session.
Day 5
We wake up and say goodbye to La Clusaz and begin our journey to Chamonix, passing through the ever beautiful Megeve. We'll check into our hotels and get tickets to the top of Europe. We'll go to the awesome top of Aguille du Midi by one of the highest cable cars in Europe, where you'll get an awesome view of the top of Europe, Mont Blanc! We'll spend most of our day here, eating lunch and taking pictures, and return back to the hotel in Chamonix for a post-processing workshop.
Day 6
This day will depend on the weather. If we get lucky, we might be able to hike to Lac Blanc, but if we already have snowy conditions, we will instead hike to the start of a glacier. Unfortunately, the Mer de Glace will be closed at this time, but it also means we have the very unique opportunity of having the glacier almost entirely to ourselves!
Day 7
We check out of our hotels and take you back to the train station or airport in Geneva.
Additional Info
All of the hikes on the journey are relatively easy walks, with well groomed trails, hikes under 4 miles, and elevation gains of less than 1,000 ft at a time. Our guides are also aspirant mountain guides in the Alps (it's a thing) and can help pack photography materials when needed, but please let us know beforehand if you there is anything we should be aware of like a heart condition, etc.
Arrival
You will arrive in Switzerland in either Geneva. From there, we will pick you up and take you to your hotel in Annecy.
Departure
After checkout from the hotel in Chamonix, we will provide you with transport back to Geneva to either the train station or airport.
Accommodations
We will stay at three and four star hotels in Annecy, Albertville, La Clusaz, and Chamonix.
Meals
Meals will be provided for you and will consist of breakfast lunch and dinner. If you have any health concerns or diet restrictions please let us know beforehand, so we can accommodate you the best that we can.
Included
6 nights in hotel rooms
Transport during the trip
Meals
Annecy Boat tour
Lift tickets at Chamonix
Not included
Visas (if you need them)
Tickets into and out of Switzerland
Insurance
Overview
Travel Plan
What's included
Gallery
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