A mountain holiday

For several years, our association En Passant Par la Montagne has been offering a rock-climbing trip for young people from Haute-Savoie who cannot go on holiday for economic reasons. The goals are to allow them to practice a physical activity (climbing), but also to discover the Alpine heritage of the Baronnies Provençales.

This year, two girls and five boys aged 12 to 14 from the city of Thonon, accompanied by two youth workers, two high-mountain guides, and a project manager from the association, took part in the trip from 27 to 31 October 2025. They discovered magnificent limestone cliffs renowned for climbing and met local farmers who introduced them to their work: a sheep farmer whose profession has been passed down through generations for more than a century, and an olive-oil producer, a former city dweller who left everything behind to live a secluded life in the mountains. Two very different personalities, but sharing the same love for products of the land. During each encounter, the young participants showed great curiosity and interest.

This trip enables young people not only to discover new places, activities, and people, but also to strengthen their self-confidence, share new experiences with their friends, and build stronger relationships with their educators. Because we do not want money to be an obstacle to participation, we seek financial partners who see real value in this project. Each young participant therefore pays only €50 for the trip. We organise this trip twice a year during the autumn and spring school holidays.

Sources and links: montagne.org;  www.buislesbaronnies.fr/; www.dromeprovencale.fr/itineraire/via-ferrata-du-saint-julien/