Running French Mountains: Why Would You?

What's so great about running in the Alps? Our coach, Andy Mouncey, gets to the heart of the matter ...


"Now I freely admit to not having the most objective of perspectives on this – I am Coach In Charge for the week, after all – but I figure, put my hands up to this from the outset, get it out of the way, and we can get onto the reasons why running the French Alps is an experience you shouldn't miss out on.


"This year will be my third August in France with Alpine-Oasis. On my first outing I arrived at night and woke to one of the most jaw-dropping views from the apartment balcony I’ve ever seen: I mean, I’d seen the pictures but the real thing literally took my breath away. Peering south towards the high point of the Ultra Trail Mont Blanc route at 2500meters it all looked so staggeringly huge that I remember thinking, 'how on earth do you run through that lot?'
Part of the answer was to give myself the first couple of days adjusting to the scale of the landscape, being completely cool with walking for long stretches, and simply being inspired by my surroundings.


"Overnighting in a high mountain refuge is an uniquely alpine experience. It's a bit like a UK youth hostel, a bit like a B&B – but it’s not really the same as either. I remember the four-hour pull, up from our base in the valley at 1000 meters to the refuge 2500 meters. A majestic sunset across the alpine ranges. The communal meal with music performed by the refuge staff. Watching a new day emerging and ibex grazing the slopes, whilst we sipped steaming coffee from a bowl. The two-hour glorious plummet back to base, and then submersing my lower limbs blissfully into the glacial-fed river.

"And then there’s THE RACE. Now I’ve seen some big races in my time, but there is nothing, I repeat NOTHING like Chamonix at UTMB time (see my blog at bigandscaryrunning.com, for a report on watching the 2010 race unfold). Our week in residence coincides with pre-UTMB race week and that means we experience the build up; we go see the start in a packed and busy Chamonix; then we put the pedal to the metal to race up the valley to catch the runners at the 30km point in Les Contamines. And EVERYBODY is out and gets caught up in the race. Ultra running a minority sport? Not here, not ever. It moved me so much that the following year it was me alongside 2500 others on that start line – but that’s another story!


"So, running the French mountains: The question is not why would you – but why would you not. We’ll be there again for two weeks from August 25th – and we’d love to show you round our playground."


Mont Blanc Massif: French Alps Training Camp
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