Trails and Tails

Here in the Alps, dogs are much more than companion animals. They fill vital roles supporting the work of humans – guarding animals in summer pastures and on farms, searching through avalanche debris for victims, and rescuing hikers and climbers in the high mountains. 

Over the years, we’ve noticed how many of our guests adore dogs and love to see how they are a key part of life in the Alps. We feel the same way! So, we decided to create a trail running tour featuring our favorite dog friends here in the Alps.

On this special first edition tour we’ll learn about the important roles dogs play in these mountains, and how they are trained for their unique lives of work and companionship. 

This point-to-point tour intersects with locations in the Alps that have a connection with mountain dogs. We’ll start in Chamonix, France, where our runs will be accompanied by four-legged Run the Alps Director of Hospitality, Izzy Mayer. We’ll also meet several of the resident dogs at area high mountain huts. 

Next, we’ll visit with hiking guide and dog trainer, Xavier Pauget. Xavier is passionate about dogs and trains people to work effectively with them during avalanche rescues. With Xavier, we’ll experience first-hand the work of guardian dogs, and we’ll learn how to interact with these protective four-legged workers. We will also see a demonstration with his search dog, Caramel. 

From Chamonix, we’ll travel through the Mont Blanc tunnel to Courmayeur, Italy, on the “Sunny Side” of Mont Blanc. After enjoying some great Italian hospitality, we’ll run along one of the more scenic sections of the Tour du Mont-Blanc, then over the “TMB” high point of Grand Col Ferret and down into Switzerland’s Val Ferret. We’ll stay overnight at La Peule, a rustic mountain refuge and working farm in this remote valley where dogs are a vital part of farm life. The farmers will talk us through how Chiens d’Alpage work in the pastures, and we’ll even learn how the farmers make cheese! 

Our tour will end with some of the most famous mountain dogs in the world, as we run along quiet alpine trails to the famous Grand St Bernard kennels, high on the Swiss-Italian border. For four centuries, the large, gentle, fluffy Saint Bernard dogs that we know and love have been bred here at the hospice as rescue dogs. 

On our way to Montreux on the shore of Lake Geneva, we’ll visit the Saint Bernard Museum, in the Rhône valley city of Martigny. We’ll bid adieu to you in Martigny, as you head off to Montreux for your final night in the Alps, and a chance to have a relaxing evening in this famous, beautiful Swiss city. Montreux is just an hour and fifteen minutes by train to the Geneva airport, so you’ll be well set up to depart the following morning.