Gideon Zadoks
I was born and raised in the Netherlands, but have been living in France for almost two decades. For as long as I can remember, I’ve enjoyed hiking, cycling, trekking, trail running and climbing in the mountains. At school, I studied architecture, but later realized that I wasn’t cut out for a desk job. So, I started working as a guide and expedition leader in the African deserts, jungles and mountains. Once back in Europe, becoming an International Mountain Leader was an obvious choice!
I occasionally do some design work and build custom wooden furniture and small boats in my workshop.
A lot of my time off is also spent in, “the office!” That means trail running, hiking, climbing or ski touring– and let’s not forget the long French lunches with friends and family!
My guiding career started by driving a 20-ton truck, which broke down on a daily basis, from Amsterdam to South-Africa. This was in the pre-internet years. It was a steep learning curve, considering I had never set foot on the African continent, nor driven or repaired such a vehicle in my life.
My favorite trail run is crossing the 3300m-high Col du Lauson in Italy’s Val d’Aosta. Starting at my favorite family-run hotel in Valsavarenche, you climb up through larch forests then a wide open valley, often spotting animals in the magnificent, “National Parc Gran Paradiso.” The end of the climb is steep, but the views of the glaciers are stunning. On the descent, a stop at Rifugio Vittorio Sella for their famous polenta with sausage is a must. Then, it’s a long but easy downhill to the picturesque village of Cogne and a well-deserved ice-cream or cappuccino.