Trans-Alpes

One moment of dream for these mentally handicapped persons that to be able to communicate with my dogs... It was in 1999 for Kuujjuarapik in Nunavik, during my last expedition in solo Arctic with my 16 dogs.

" Dreams and Challenge Youth "

It is with big pleasure that I have the support of the children of Paul-Emile Victor and I thank them for it.

Collègiens+handicapés

1/ My participation in Trans-Alpes Paul-Emile Victor, in 2001 , with 14 of my dogs, connected with an educational implication via schools Paul-Emile Victor.

2/For that purpose, I have the pleasure to confide all the educational phase to Denise Valeyre who will coordinate the project with establishments PEV. In these establishments, a competition will be thrown(launched) during the school first quarter(autumn term) 2000/2001. Every winner will be the ambassador of his establishment and will see itself offered the journey, accompanied with a teacher, to go to attend the arrival, the Contamines Montjoie, of Trans-Alpes PEV on February 17, 2001.

3/To bring of the dream, the happiness to the handicapped persons. Integrate them into our company. My purpose is so to make sensitive the young people on the mental handicap. For that purpose, every winning pupil will sponsor and will accompany in his journey in Contamine a young person mental defective who will become too the ambassador of his Association.

4/A connection Internet www.frbeiger.com satellite gives exactly the possibility to everybody, schools, associations of persons with intellectual deficiencies, homes(foyers), general public, to follow the preparation and the progress of all the project. But also to participate in it with the possibility of asking questions. I would see to it to answer it for the most in brief periods(delays).

1/ Presentation of Trans-Alpes Paul-Emile Victor

From 3 till 17 February 2001
Trans-Alpes Paul-Emile Victor is the longest and the highest running of Europe. She(it) resumes the trip which Paul-Emile Victor the Explorer in 1938. She(it) crosses 43 municipalities, 5 departments and 2 regions.
12 ' 000 metres of made uneven positive and 15 pass in more than 2500 metres among which a clearing in 3050 metres in the Peak of Thabord.

From February 16 till March 10, 1938, the polar explorer Paul-Emile Victor, and Michel Perez, one of his companions of expeditions, as well as the Watery lieutenant, the instructor to the Military academy of High mountain, made, of St. Etienne de Tinée in Chamonix, the first transalpin raid in sled with dogs.

During the French expedition Transgroenland on 1936, Paul-Emile Victor and Michel Perez Inuit of the sled with dogs had the occasion to use the technique. Having returned of Greenland dogs Eskimo, they intend, once brought in in France, to exploit(run) this technique to fine servicemen, sportswomen and of first aid.

They contact so, at end of 1937, the Ministry of Defence and propose to him, to show that the sled with dogs maybe useful for the Army of the Alps, to make a transalpin raid of demonstration under the control and by means of the army.
This proposition is accepted. The Watery Lieutenant will participate in the raid as observer for the army.

The raid takes place from February 16 till March 10, 1938, among Saint Étienne de Tinée and Chamonix, on the High Road of the Alps. The trip, realized in the twelve days by walking, to which it is necessary to add the days of demonstration, provisioning and the days of road transfers, passes by twelve pass, among which two in more than 3000 metres, pass of the Black and the Passage of the Peak Thabor.

In spite of the variety of the types of snow, (wet, deep, hard and ice-cold) and the strong percentage of certain hillsides (certain hillsides it dévers of 35o for example), the raid takes place without major difficulties. The only met problem is that of the porterage in désenneigées zones.

The sled of the type Nansen, perfected by Paul-Emile Victor, and the dogs eskimo gave evidence during this transalpin raid of a very big efficiency.
Extract of the report of the Watery Lieutenant:

" In spite of often unfavourable weather situation, in spite of the sometimes dangerous or painful snow coverage, in spite of the difficulties met along the way, dogs made every day of the stages from 6 to 14 hours. They crossed(exceeded) collars reaching(affecting) a lowering of 1500 metres on average, crossing(going through) distances about 20 km Their resistance was completed "

For the army this raid is so a success. It(he) proved the efficiency of the sled to dogs as the means of provisioning, first aid and transport, in particular for the artillery.