Rafting
With a maximum of 8 people in the boat, your guide will take you down rapids & through gorges, pointing out any wildlife on the way & suggesting novel ways to go down the river.
Some people are content to float down, soaking up more of the atmosphere than the water, but for those of you after an adrenaline rush there are various ‘special detours’ your guide will help you take advantage of!
Trips are generally 2 - 2.5 hours in total & include a safety briefing & transportation to the take- off point.
Frogs Rafting provide all the gear: helmets, paddles, full wetsuits, lifejackets, booties. You just need to be able to swim 25 metres & bring a bathing suit & towel.
Our Rafting Trips
The Dranse - ‘First Timers’
If you’re nervous & want to get a feel for rafting without committing to the whole trip! We start just below the start of the Classic trip, missing out one rapid that can make people anxious. There’s plenty of time to get used to the equipment & have a swim. A fabulous introduction for anyone who is anxious in water but keen to push themselves!
- Rapids:
- II / III
- Distance to the start:
- 5km
- Start:
- Drossage
- Finish
- Frogs Rafting Base
- Approx time:
- 1hr 15
- Minimum age:
- 8 years
- Price:
- €50 / person
- Level:
The Dranse - ‘The Classic’
After a quick briefing about safety procedures & paddling techniques, you start playing on the river. The trip goes through immense rocks which are characteristic of the River Dranse & create a unique ambience. You will have the opportunity to challenge yourself in the river by playing & swimming in the many currents & jumping from the rocks if you wish!
- Rapids:
- II / III (IV)
- Start:
- Normally Cassine (Dependent on water level)
- Finish
- Before Bridge D 902
- Approx time:
- 1hr 15
- Difficulty:
- 2 / 5
- Minimum age:
- 8 years
- Price:
- €50 / person
- Level:
The Dranse - ‘In Between Trip’
For people who are feeling more confident than the Classic trip but not quite up for the Pro just yet! We start slightly above the Classic starting point but just below the Pissette Rapid. It allows participants to enjoy some grade iv obstacles without doing the big rapid.
- Rapids:
- II / III
- Start:
- 50 m above the Cassine (Classic Departure)
- Finish
- Before bridge D902
- Approx time:
- 1hr 45
- Difficulty:
- 3 / 5
- Minimum age:
- 12 years
- Price:
- €55 / person
- Level:
The Giffre - ‘The Classic’
After a quick briefing about safety procedures & paddling techniques, you start playing on the river. The gorge du Tignes is the highlight with a 2 m drop into a very narrow gorge - younger children will be asked to walk around part & can watch parents negotiating the drop from above!
When we're unavailable on the Giffre because we're already booked on the Dranse River (usually during July and August) we recommend Raft Rider based in Verchaix : like us, they are Rescue 3 certified, and a small base committed to helping you discover all the Giffre has to offer!
- Rapids:
- III
- Start:
- Sixt Fer a Cheval
- Finish
- Samoens
- Approx time:
- 2 hrs
- Difficulty:
- 3/5
- Minimum age:
- 8 years
- Price:
- €50 / person
- Level:
The Dranse - ‘Pro Trip’
This is the trip to maximise time on the river: more swimming, more (& higher) jumps & bigger rapids! The Pro Trip starts as far up the river as possible, just below the EDF Hydro- Electric power station, where you’ll experience the upper Dranse: steep cliffs & narrow passes. You’ll be asked to swim to acclimatise to the water temperature & to paddle as a team - this first part is a scenic warm up for the second part! To avoid the un-navigable part of the higher Dranse, you’ll disembark & we drive 500m before putting in just above the grade IV rapid called La Pissette: this is why you’ve warmed up! It’ll be the first rapid on the second half of the trip & it’s important that the whole crew is working together. After negotiating the crazy rocks after Pisette, you come to the start of the Inbetween Trip & continue down river & back to the base. In total you’re on the river for 2h30 & you travel about 8 kms from the start. As with all the trips, you’ll receive a comprehensive safety briefing at the start of the trip.
- Rapids:
- II / IV
- Start:
- The Romain Bridge, by EDF Hydroelectric Plant
- Finish
- Before Bridge D902
- Approx time:
- 2hrs 30
- Difficulty:
- 4/5
- Minimum age:
- 16 years
- Price:
- €75 / person
- Level:
- Level key:
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
- Expert