New Year’s Eve and Igloos on the Vercors High Plateaux

For walkers with moderate to good ability. You need to be fit and able to walk for 4 to 6 hours a day.

You will carry your luggage for part of the trip. On 01 January, you will carry a small backpack with your belongings for the day and your picnic lunch. You will carry your own luggage on 31 December and 2 January. We will have delivered most of the food to the mountain hut beforehand. The rest can be loaded into a few pulkas (Scandinavian sledges) provided for this purpose and pulled by participants. A pulka glides over the snow and requires less effort than carrying a loaded backpack. We provide one pulka for every 2 to 4 people.

Accommodation

Day 1 - In rooms for 2 to 4 people, in a guesthouse in Rousset en Vercors.

Days 2 and 3 - Pré Grandu mountain hut, from 31 December to 2 January: a small, basic hut in a remote location on the high plateaus of the Vercors, reserved exclusively for the group. A unique location in a wild and completely secluded setting. There are no showers at the hut.

A cosy New Year’s Eve celebration perfectly suited to mountain hut life, in a rustic setting surrounded by nature. As you would expect, you will sleep in a dormitory on comfortable mattresses. You will need a sleeping bag. When we arrive at the hut, we will need to light a fire (wood is available on site) to warm up, but the hut is fairly small and heats up very quickly.

A few words about igloos…
Building an igloo takes a little know-how, which your guide will be happy to teach you! An igloo for 3 to 4 people takes around 3 hours to build. Once it is built, a single candle transforms the space into a cathedral of light… why not spend the night there?
Don’t worry: we keep a well-equipped mountain hut available nearby, where you can sleep if a night in the igloo doesn’t suit you.
You will also learn an incredibly effective safety technique for harsh environments that you will never forget.

Meals

Half-board accommodation in a guesthouse, packed lunches and snacks for the trail. At the mountain hut, meals are prepared together. On New Year’s Eve, a festive meal at the hut with smoked salmon, foie gras, fondue, a surprise dessert, Clairette de Die, etc. Food is plentiful and all drinks are included.

A minimum of 6 participants and a maximum of 14 people.

4 days, 3 nights.

Guiding

Led by a French mountain walking guide with a state-recognised qualification.

Trip from Wednesday 30/12/2026 to Saturday 02/01/2027.

Meeting point / End of trip

Meeting point

On Wednesday 30 December 2026 at 14:00, at the first accommodation in Rousset-en-Vercors

End of trip

On Saturday 2 January 2027 at around 15:00 in Rousset-en-Vercors.

Equipment hire

Snowshoes, poles and pulk sleds are provided on loan.

Snow conditions

Snow cover at moderate altitudes can sometimes be unpredictable. This is primarily a walking trip, so if there is insufficient snow on some sections of the route, our trips will still go ahead. Remember to bring walking boots.

By train

Take the train to Die SNCF station, then use the on-demand transport service or a taxi.
Check train times on the SNCF website: https://www.sncf-connect.com/

Taxi

A transfer can be arranged for a minimum of 3 participants and a maximum of 7 participants on day 1, directly from Die station to your accommodation, and on day 4 from your accommodation to Die station.

On-demand transport

Alternatively, take the on-demand transport service from Die to the Col du Rousset:

• Advance booking (on 0480007000) at least 24 hours beforehand is compulsory. The service operates Monday to Saturday, excluding public holidays.
• Fares: a single journey costs 5€ for a journey ≤ 30km (10 € from 31 to 60km)

Please note: you must book on 0480007000 at least 24 hours before your journey.
From the Col du Rousset, you will then need to take a taxi to your accommodation.
Jo Taxi: 0632594985
Taxi Ambulance Dioise: 0475220119
Faure Taxi, tel.: 0475220119.

By car

Take the A7 motorway from Lyon towards Valence, then exit 15-Valence-Sud onto the E713 towards Valence-Sud / Gap / Crest. Then take exit 31 to join the D111 towards Crest. Follow the D93 to Die, then the D518 to Rousset.
Plan your route on the website: www.viamichelin.fr

You will be travelling in a mountain area; winter equipment has been compulsory since 1 November 2021 (winter tyres / snow chains).

Parking your car

If you arrive by car, you can leave your vehicle in a car park in Rousset-en-Vercors (unguarded).

Member of Agir pour un Tourisme Responsable (ATR)

Since 2012, Grand Angle has been a member of ATR, the leading association for more responsible tourism. We design our trips – on foot, by bike and on snow – to invite everyone to discover the world in a different way: with curiosity, respect and kindness.

As a member of the board of directors since 2018, we actively help the industry move towards more meaningful practices. In practical terms, we make sure to:

• Transparency in our practices and pricing
• Respect for our partners and local communities
• Protecting the environment on every trip

We also share the values of the Traveller’s Ethical Charter, which encourages everyone to take simple steps to protect the places they visit and foster meaningful encounters.

Travelife Partner

Since 2025, Grand Angle has been recognised as a Travelife Partner, an international label that certifies our responsible environmental, ethical and sustainable management practices, both within our company and in our work with partners and the organisation of our trips.

This label, the second level of a rigorous international certification scheme, recognises our practical efforts to support responsible tourism. We are actively working towards the next level, Travelife Certified, in line with our sustainable development policy

Snowshoeing clothing

• Loose-fitting, comfortable and warm walking clothes, including comfortable Gore-Tex or microporous trousers (avoid jeans!), a one-piece suit, knee-length walking trousers, tracksuit bottoms, etc.
• A thick wool jumper or a fleece jacket
• A Gore-Tex jacket, a windproof jacket that ideally allows perspiration to escape, or a suitable anorak
• Overtrousers
• Two pairs of warm mittens or gloves
• A warm hat and a scarf
• A pair of gaiters
• Warm base layers (DO NOT WEAR COTTON)
• 3 pairs of warm socks

Footwear, poles and snowshoes

• A good pair of waterproof hiking boots that are warm and comfortable, with soles that are not too flexible (no soft footwear such as moon boots or snow trainers)
• We recommend buying telescopic poles that you can use for snowshoeing in winter and mountain walking in summer. Ideally, choose poles with 3 telescopic sections rather than two, and a tungsten carbide tip, which is extremely hard and virtually wear-proof! (However, we can lend you a pair)
• Snowshoes, poles and pulkas are provided (one pulka for 3 or 4 people)

Sun protection

• Sunglasses (glacier glasses)
• Sunscreen (for lips and skin)

For your picnic lunch

• A bowl, plate or plastic container
• Cutlery (spoon, fork and knife)
• An insulated flask with a capacity of at least 1 litre (or preferably 1,5 litres)

After the day’s activities

• A good sleeping bag + a foam sleeping mat, such as a Karrimat (the mat is for the igloo)
• An emergency blanket for better insulation from the ground
• A camera with a protective cover against the cold
• A pair of running-style trainers for the evening
• A change of clothes (tracksuit, etc.) and underwear
• A towel and toiletry bag, tissues and toilet paper. For the mountain hut, bring cleansing wipes and a small toiletry kit, as there is no water. We will, however, be able to have a quick wash by melting snow
• A small first-aid kit with Elastoplast, Biogaze or “2nd skin”, gauze, disinfectant and aspirin for minor aches and injuries!

• A comfortable backpack with a capacity of 40 to 50 litres to carry your personal belongings

Vercors Drôme Tourist Office
Place Pietri - 26420 La Chapelle en Vercors
Tel: 0475482254
Place de l’Eglise - 26190 St Jean en Royans
Tel: 0475486139
Website: https://www.vercors-drome.com

Pays Diois Tourist Office
Rue des Jardins - 26150 Die
Tel: 0475220303
Website: http://www.diois-tourisme.com/