The Annecy Guides office offers you the best skiing and sailing experience in Norway thanks to a professional organization and an attentive management team.
We manage the complete organization of the adventure so that your skiing and sailing experience in Norway takes place in the best way, we have a list of more than 50 operators authorized around the world for polar sailing expeditions.
When to book?
We recommend booking 8 to 12 months in advance to have a choice of boat operators, the later you book, the more complicated and expensive it is, both for boats and plane flights.
What nationalities are the crews?
We work with operators subject to French law wherever possible, in order to have contracts under French law and French crew. We also sometimes request Norwegian or Danish operators in certain situations.
What to do if you get seasick?
The boat functions as a refuge, it parks at the bottom of a fjord serving as an advanced base camp, the boat does not move or moves very little even in the event of strong wind, because we are sheltered, no worries of harm sea at that time.
During navigation, the boat moves more, we recommend that you stay in bed and lie down if you are sensitive. In general, we only try to move the boat if there is interest in skiing.
How does a day on board unfold?
The days start to get longer from March in Norway... It's up to you to organize your ski day with your guide according to the conditions, the weather, your fitness and the desires of the group, a real effort. team.
Generally, in the morning, we have a good and hearty breakfast, then the guide gives you a briefing on the place, the exit, the conditions and the planned route, you have a little time to prepare your things.
An annex (a small motor boat) drops you off on the beach from where you can leave and return from your itinerary, depending on your profile the altitude differences are from 400 to 2000 m, day, but be careful in Norway, we also do a lot of km because the valleys are long, so the difference in altitude means nothing.
It is possible to make crossings and be picked up by the boat on the other side depending on the navigation time.
Once your day of skiing is over, the annex takes you back aboard the sailboat, you can have a warm meal and rest, otherwise you can fish for cod from the boat while waiting for an aperitif and the Northern Lights.
Are there showers on board?
Yes, the boats are mostly equipped with hot showers, but be careful, the hot water must be used discreetly, because it must be produced with fuel to desalinate and heat it, so it is almost a luxury.
What is the catering like on board?
Generally, there is a chef who prepares food for all the crew and passengers, so we eat well, and sometimes the catch of the day.
Is there heating on the boat?
Yes, all boats are equipped with heating.
What do you do if you can't ski because of bad weather?
In general, you can always ski on fallback routes, short and sheltered, it's very rare not to ski at all, if it's really stormy, we play cards! And if it’s blue skies we ski until the evening.