| Whitewater Europe II - South Alps - introduction |
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Here are the paragraph headings and some extracts from the introductory chapters…. Using this guidebook Why the Alps? Great white water and sunshine in beautiful mountain scenery! However, the Alps also offer so much more: for centuries they have been both a barrier and the cross roads of Europe, they are steeped in history and rich in local culture. Every valley has its own picturesque traditions and customs and even the language may change from one valley to the next. Exploring the rivers in this guide book will take you away from some of the main tourist valleys and into some fascinating places known only to the locals. Let us also remind you that mountain people have a tradition of good food and drink - something dear to most river runners. Tourism is well developed in the French Alps: rafting and kayaking are recognised as an important, and ecologically friendly, source of tourist revenue (probably worth at least 90 million pounds per year in indirect revenue for Europe as a whole). There is now an increasing awareness throughout Europe that free-flowing rivers are a natural asset that should be protected from dams and pollution - the economic benefits of white water tourism has greatly strengthened this argument (in contrast, the current situation in most areas of England and Wales involves bigoted angling clubs refusing to share the rivers so that local communities lose out). |
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Our message is to come to the Alps, run these wonderful rivers and spend your money in local communities:
you will be made welcome, and you will be helping to protect the rivers that you enjoy. Note that throughout
the Alps (as in most of Europe) you are welcome as a tourist to run the rivers without permit, payment
or licence - you are merely asked to follow any local regulations and to behave considerately. We are often asked for advice on whether to take a holiday in the south Alps or the northern ones: both areas, as can be seen from our guidebooks, offer a wide variety of rivers and runs. Generally speaking though, the rivers of the south Alps are slightly friendlier, warmer, and offer a wider choice of easier runs. Travelling time, and costs will be roughly similar and for many people the choice will be based more on general ambience and subjective things like whether they prefer Austrian or French food - or Italian ice cream. |
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Classic runs This book and its companion volume which covers the North Alps concentrates on the 'classic' runs in the Western Alps that are class 3 and 4 which are probably of most interest to the recreational kayaker and rafter. To qualify as a main classic run we feel that it should have good scenery and white water (normally a combination of 4 stars on our rating system), be of reasonable length (normally over 6 km) and have good chance of water through the peak summer months of June and July. Where a river is quite exceptional (like the Verdon) then we relax some of these criteria. We have included a few easier classics and also one or two harder ones. If a river doesn't satisfy all these criteria, but is still worth including then we call it a 'Lesser Classic' and give it a shorter write up - many of these runs are excellent, but only have sufficient water in the spring months. Lastly, just to whet your appetite, we have a third category where we give the river a one-sentence mention. |
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Centres We have grouped runs by centres as this seemed to us more natural than long alphabetical lists that you have to search for on the map. It also has the advantage that we could write a little about the area and as someone put it 'occasionally lift paddlers' bleary red eyes away from the river'. River Descriptions We have tried in this book to give a 'feel' for each run and the important things that most paddlers would probably want to know if they were thinking of running it. What these river descriptions are not is a blow by blow account of how to run each rapid - this would take the fun out of paddling! We have normally noted major rapids or other hazards, but be warned - these often get washed away and new ones appear. Suggested start and finish points are those that are we feel give the best run at that class of difficulty - often a difficult decision; where there are alternatives, we have tried to make this clear in the text. |
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Gradient is for the total length of the run and is expressed in metres per kilometre - 10 m/km is
roughly equivalent to 50 ft per mile. WW Stars is our subjective rating of the run for white water interest and enjoyment on a scale of one to three stars. We have tried to do the same thing for scenery. Time is how long most kayakers would take to do the run including a little play and rest. Rafting times for most runs will be roughly similar. |
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How Difficult? Note that the class of difficulty is for the stated flow - with a higher volume the difficulty will normally increase and the river becomes very dangerous. We have used the standard International Classification of Difficulty (see Appendix A) when grading these runs, and like many other modern guide books we have used + and - grades and ( )s. We think that these two ideas make the classification scheme a lot, lot, more meaningful. In the course of researching this book we have been surprised how much consensus there was between experienced paddlers about the grading of a particular run or rapid. Ten years ago there were much greater inconsistencies between different countries and paddlers - as international paddling has spread and grown so the grading has become more uniform. One of the problems of the International Classification is that the majority of white water is class 3 and 4 and in fact there is a vast difference between an easy grade 4 and a hard one. Hence the use of + and - grades to be more definitive: |
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Where we call a run class 4- we mean that in our opinion this is the overall standard - there may
be long sections of lower difficulty, but to do the run safely you need to be 100% capable of paddling
at this level. Class 3 (4+) means that in our opinion the overall standard of the run is Class 3, but there are a few (normally one or two) class 4+ rapids that can usually be easily portaged if required. This international classification is very subjective: it tends to rely on consensus and peoples' experience to interpret the rather woolly definitions. Class 5 can be objectively differentiated because the definition requires 'inspection' - by implication from the bank and not by eddy scouting. This means that if someone says that they did a run without bank scouting - safely and under control - then that run cannot be class 5, and this leads us to a definition for the next grade down. 'Class 4+ often requires bank inspection but may include very continuous and difficult white water that can be run by experts without scouting from the bank - note that a powerful, committing. and continuous class 4+ run like this can be more difficult and potentially dangerous than a pool-drop class 5 run'. |
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The differences between say class 4- and class 4 are more subjective - paddlers love to argue about
what to grade a certain run, and much depends on the water level at the time. Rivers do change and
what may be a class 4- one year may be a class 4+ the following season - thankfully this is relatively
rare, but don't rely on this or any other book to be more than a guide! We have based our opinion on the class of difficulty of the river as it was when we, or our informants, ran it. Earthquakes, landslides, roadwork's, floods, etc. may completely change a river and make it easier or harder - it's always sensible to seek up-to-date advice from other paddlers or rafting companies. |
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Water flows and gauges Sketch maps |
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Planning your trip This chapter includes sections on: |
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Introduction Before you go Medical cover Planning your programme What to take Security Flying to Europe Driving from the U.K. Driving in Europe Itineraries for kayakers |
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This includes six suggested itineraries for groups of different abilities and different months. Notes on Countries This Chapter has notes on France and Italy with sections on: Introduction - the Centres and runs Rivers elsewhere Language Money Food and Drink Driving Camping |
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Rafting Introduction White water rafting was almost unknown in the Alps ten years ago - now it's a multi-million pound tourist industry with a million client trips a year. There is a wide selection of rafting runs in the South Alps as can be seen from the table below, from the scenic float trip to an aquatic bob sleigh ride. Most people book for just one or two raft trips as part of a more general holiday, but there is great scope here for an enjoyable specialist rafting holiday - an excellent week could be based around the Briancon, Guillestre, and Ubaye centres. Some of the larger companies do offer a programme combining rafting trips on several rivers, but it's probably better to get your own group of enthusiasts together and then organise your own programme. |
| France now regulates commercial rafting and all companies and guides must be licensed. This in theory does not apply to private rafts - as tourists you are welcome to use the rivers, without payment, permit or licence - all that the French ask is that you respect any local regulations and are considerate to other river users. There have been the odd occasions, however, usually after accidents, when the French police have had doubts about the non-commercial nature of overseas groups and ordered them off the river. |
| This is followed by sections on: |
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Safety Equipment 'Duckies', inflatable canoes, and 'tubing' 'Hydro-speeding', or 'nage in eau vive' is a French invention and consists of swimming rivers with a special toboggan-like float to protect and support the upper body. Your group of hydro-speeders are guided down the river like a, sinuous line of fish, with a swimming leader at the front and usually accompanied by a safety kayaker. You wear swimming flippers and a thick wet suit with heavy padding to protect the lower body. If you're a reasonable swimmer with flippers then do have a go at this - you're even more intimately involved with the water than a kayaker, feel every nuance of the current, and yet (unlike kayaking) this is something you can do with almost no experience! How Difficult Paddle rafting versus oar-powered rafts Who enjoys Rafting? Personal Equipment Quote: "The most important thing to bring is the right mental attitude" (Cam Macleay) |