In this post, we look at the Bearded Vulture, or Ossifrage (‘bone-breaker’ in Latin), the rarest in the Alps. This bird is known for its unique feeding strategy that helps it to survive in the harsh mountain environment. Description: The bearded vulture is the largest Alpine bird. It can reach a wingspan of up to…
Following on from our series on Alpine Flower Notes, in this series we’ll be taking a look at some of the wildlife that can been seen in our region of the Alps, starting with the Griffon Vulture. One of the most impressive birds of prey that can be spotted in the Southern Alps is the…
Great yellow gentian – Gentiana lutea From June until August, the great yellow gentian makes an impressive sight standing tall in alpine pastures. Many members of the gentian family are subtle and discreet, producing small, delicate, purple-blue flowers. Not this one! It grows over a metre high and gives a dazzling display of bright yellow…
Purple saxifrage Saxifraga oppositifolia I’ve been meaning to write up some notes on Alpine wildflowers for a while. Seeing clumps of purple saxifrage flowering well above the snowline prompted me to start with this remarkably hardy flower. Naturalists have found it flowering at 4505m in Switzerland and at a latitude of 83° N. This makes…
Our first guest post from Alps2Alps If you’re planning your next ski holiday, why not try Les Deux Alpes? This beautiful resort is one of the biggest ski areas the Alps has to offer. It’s surrounded by picturesque scenery and a jaw-dropping mountainous landscape.If you’re planning your next ski holiday, why not try Les Deux…
The International Avalanche Risk Scale is an important tool in off-piste decision making, but it is frequently misunderstood. If you have ever said, “It’s only three out of five, it’ll be fine,” you need to read this right now. I am not going to say that you should never venture off-piste on a cat. 3…
The Col d’Arsine is a beautiful hiking destination at any time of the year I have written a few posts about ski touring around the Col du Lauteret. There is also some great walking in the same area. In fact, many of the ski tours make good walks and vice versa. The Col d’Arsine is…
Here in the French Alps, we are enjoying a seemingly endless summer. It is almost November and the sunny, cloudless days show no sign of coming to an end. What does this mean for the winter ahead? Update: It is snowing all over the Alps now. But the point below still stands: the weather in…
This archive post is about the 2018 Off-Piste course. Watch out for details of the 2020 course to be posted very soon, or send us an email to bookings@whitemarmotte.com to make an enquiry. After the success of our previous off-piste courses, we will be back with the second edition of the European Ski School Off-Piste…
These large, ground-dwelling squirrels are a symbol of the Alps and other mountain ranges. They are easy to recognise from their cute, cuddly appearance, but how much do you know about everybody’s favourite mountain rodent? There are fourteen different living species of marmot Four extinct species have also been identified in the fossil record….
