Modern Adventure takes the health and safety of our employees, guests, and partners very seriously. Our health and safety protocols during your trip such as physical distancing, masking and other safety practices will be in accordance with up-to-date local regulations in your destination. You will be informed of any specific protocols aheads of travel, and in-destination by our local guides and/or Modern Adventure trip leader.

During the summer months, average daytime temperatures range from the mid-60s to low 70s. Nighttime and morning temperatures are cooler, but rarely dip below 40F. Throughout the summer season, you may experience rain, sun, wind, clouds and fog in the French Alps. We live by the adage, "prepare for the worst, hope for the best, and you'll likely end up with some of both.”

US citizens do not require a visa to visit France or Switzerland. Just bring a valid US passport. For citizens of other countries, please check with the French Embassy or Consulate for information and requirements.

If your destination requires proof of a COVID-19 vaccination and/or negative test result taken within 72 hours of travel, you will be required to confirm that you are fully vaccinated with an authorized COVID-19 vaccine, and/or have tested negative for COVID-19, and have the required documentation to prove it. Otherwise you will be ineligible to participate on the trip, and ineligible for a refund.

If you are on prescription medication, you should ask your doctor for a letter detailing your condition and prescribed drugs. This prevents possible issues at customs and helps the local doctor if you need to buy medication while traveling. If you wear prescription glasses or contact lenses, we recommend you bring an extra pair and a copy of the prescription in case of emergency.

We recommend that you consult with your doctor to make any personal health decisions prior to travel. For this adventure our guides will have a medical kit and rescue supplies available, but we always recommend that you carry a personal first-aid kit and any personal medication.

We make safety a priority on all our adventures, however, incidents and injuries that require evacuation do occur from time to time. Since this adventure takes place in some remote locations, it can be difficult and expensive to plan evacuations. It is each guest’s responsibility to be covered by medical, travel, evacuation and repatriation insurance, or be prepared to cover the cost yourself, for expenses related to an emergency medical evacuation. Global Rescue provides evacuation and field-rescue services and is a good option to consider.

This is Europe at its wildest and most unexplored. We’ll pass jagged tooth-like peaks capped in snow, shimmering lakes, mountain villages, alpine farms.

We’ll be hiking on trails and off-trail over steep, hilly, and uneven terrain, often covering 8 to 12 miles a day, with up to 4,000' of elevation gain/loss.

Pre-trip physical conditioning is important to creating a fun and positive trip for yourself and the group as a whole. We strongly discourage guests from arriving without doing pre-trip physical conditioning. Your regimen should include walking or hiking in the boots you intend to wear with a light daypack.

We'll carry light day packs each day when hiking (see Gear & Packing). Your larger luggage will be transported by vehicle between our accommodations.

We recommend packing your belongings in a framed duffle bag or suitcase weighing 33 pounds (15kg) at the most. If you chose to pack and check your backpack, make sure all the straps are cinched and buckled. Baggage conveyors have been known to eat these straps!

Please pack essentials, such as toiletries, medication, shorts, etc., in your carry-on, in case your luggage doesn't make it on the flight with you.

Since much of this adventure takes place in remote mountainous locations, it can be difficult and expensive to plan evacuations. It is each guest’s responsibility to be covered by emergency medical, evacuation and repatriation insurance, or to be prepared to cover the cost yourself, for expenses related to an emergency medical evacuation. Global Rescue provides evacuation and field-rescue services and is a good option to consider.

For best coverage, always insure the full trip cost within two weeks of your initial trip deposit and note that most 'Cancel For Any Reason' policies must be purchased on the date of your initial deposit.

We also highly recommend purchasing conventional travel insurance. Travel insurance allows you to seek reimbursement for your trip costs if your trip plans change for unforeseeable reasons. It typically also covers theft, loss or damage of items while traveling. While Modern Adventure does not recommend any policy specifically, we encourage you to compare benefits and options, a few of which are listed below. We recommend that any plan you select includes trip cancellation and trip interruption coverage, at minimum.

• Allianz

• Travelex

• IMG Global

• Squaremouth

The local currency is the euro, worth roughly 1 euro to $1.10 US dollar. There are numerous ATMs in Chamonix and, occasionally in the mountain villages where we overnight, to access your bank back home. Many restaurants and shops accept credit cards; however France is still a cash-centric country, and you will want some euro notes handy.

We curate your Modern Adventure to ensure all experiences are immersive and included in your trip price. We recommend bringing enough money with you for a few meals on your own, as well as any souvenirs or local arts and crafts you might like to bring back.

If you're eating out on your own, tipping 5% to 10% in restaurants is standard. No tip is expected for small purchases such as coffee or a beverage, although it's common enough to leave the change, rounded up to the closest euro.

Please note that tipping our local and Modern Adventure guides is at your discretion; to show your appreciation for good service, we recommend tipping each guide US$70 - $150 per guest.