Alpen — Vallée de la Clarée
An unspoilt jewel in the French Alps, and the gentlest way to try a hut-to-hut trek with the family.
Facilitated by Mandala Travel
- Where
- Névache, Vallée de la Clarée, Hautes-Alpes, France
- How long
- 6 days
- Group
- 2–12 people
- Languages
- Dutch, English
The experience
Vallée de la Clarée is perfect for trying out a hut-to-hut trek with the family. Amid flower-rich alpine meadows, babbling mountain streams and impressive peaks you walk from cosy mountain hut to mountain hut. The paths are easy to walk and offer enough challenge for adventurous children. Enjoy the fresh mountain air, the simple hut life and the magic of discovering the mountains together.
You start this week in the village of Névache in a nice hotel at the foot of the mountain. It is a charming mountain village close to the Italian border. This authentic village, with its traditional stone houses and wooden balconies, is a paradise for nature lovers and outdoor adventurers. Thanks to its low-traffic character Névache retains its pure, timeless charm.
The route runs near Mont Thabor (3,178 m), past the Lac des Béraudes and the Refuge de Buffère, and can be extended if you want more walking days.
The character of this experience
What the facilitator has told us about their own trip. Anything they have not said is simply not here.
- Depth of the experience
- Simply enjoy natureJust being in nature and letting yourself be surprised by what you meet. Wonder, enjoy, let go. A moment away. You will be amazed at what that can do for you.
Who this is for
Said plainly, so you can rule it out as easily as rule it in.
- Suitable for families with children from age 6
- You want to try a hut-to-hut trek without committing to hard terrain
- Good paths with enough challenge for adventurous children
- Families with children under 6 — the supplier sets that as the lower age
What's included
Included
- An extensive packing list and tips for physical preparation before you go
- 2 nights in small-scale, more comfortable hotels including breakfast
- Taxi transfer to and from the start of the trek
- An experienced Dutch- or English-speaking mountain guide during the trek
- 3 nights in mountain huts, in a shared dormitory
- Full board in the huts — breakfast, picnic and dinner
- Contribution to the VZR travel guarantee fund
Not included
- Travel to and from the start and end point of the trip
- Other meals and drinks
- Trail snacks such as bars, nuts and chocolate
- Travel insurance with mountain-sports cover (compulsory)
- Cancellation insurance (optional) and personal expenses
Meet your facilitator
Mandala Travel
15 years running experiences
Hanneke van Dal and Leopold Roessingh build small-scale, tailor-made mountain journeys — “slow down, wonder, connect”. For more than fifteen years they have organised trips in the Alps, Himalaya and Atlas, and they still sell every trip as a private departure shaped around the group rather than a fixed schedule. Leopold, who leads the leadership journeys, is co-owner of the climbing organisation Climbing Network; Hanneke develops the leadership programmes with outside facilitators.
Why you can trust this listing
- A person read this listing against a checklist before it went live. It carries the quality stamp only because it passed.
- Every photo above was confirmed as this experience, not stock photography.
- Your money is held in a third-party client account and released to the facilitator 1 day after the experience starts.
Practical details
Including the cancellation terms — visible before you book, not buried at checkout.
Meeting point
Névache, France — a hotel at the foot of the mountain. The trek departs from the car park in Névache; travellers drive there themselves.
What to bring
Broken-in walking boots Warm layers and a waterproof shell — mountain weather turns quickly A daypack of 30–35 litres Water bottle, sun protection and a head torch
Accessibility
Graded beginner. The paths are easy to walk with enough challenge for adventurous children, and the route can be shortened or extended. Three nights are in mountain huts.
Cancellation — Moderate
Full refund up to 30 days before the start date.
- More than 30 days before: 100% refund.
- More than 14 days before: 50% refund.
- Inside the last window: 0% refund.
Insurance to consider
Worked out from where this trip goes, how long it lasts and what the terrain is like. Insurance is yours to arrange.
Cancellation cover
Pays back what you cannot get refunded if you have to cancel or cut the trip short, for example through illness.
a.s.r. annuleringsverzekering(opens in a new tab)Medical costs abroad
Pays for a doctor or hospital outside the Netherlands. Your Dutch health insurance may not cover everything abroad.
a.s.r. reisverzekering (via Mountain Beat)(opens in a new tab)Rescue and repatriation
Pays for search, rescue and the journey home after an accident or illness. In remote or mountain areas a helicopter rescue can cost tens of thousands of euros.
NKBV Expeditieverzekering (membership required)(opens in a new tab)
The facilitator has not described the terrain yet, so this is based on the region and length only.
The insurance you actually need depends on your own circumstances, such as the cover you already have. Naturetreats does not sell or recommend insurance: check any policy against your own situation before you travel.