Hervé Gourdel a Nice based High Mountain Guide has been kidnapped on Sunday in Algeria by the group Jund al-Khilafa, allies of the Islamic State.

A ski tourer has been killed after a fall of 300 meters below the Col des Ecrins (3367 m.) in the commune of Saint-Christophe-en-Oisans at 11h00 yesterday.

35 years after French ski instructors formed an independent body (The ESI) it is now the turn of High Mountain Guides.

If the race winner seemed almost certain in 2014 edition of the Grande Odyssée there was still a battle for the other two podium places.

The Grande Odyssée is not one dog sled race but four but first a bit of history. In 2007, a winter without snow, especially in the Haute-Savoie, the organisers had to face facts.

Stage 6 of the Grande Odyssée comprised two legs with an overnight stop at the Polar Base at the Col du Mont Cenis where dogs would sleep in the open and mushers in tents.

Change of scenery for the 5th stage of the Grande Odyssée which was held on the plateau du Grand Revard bringing the race out of its traditional home in the high mountains of the Savoie and close to t

With 50 cm of fresh snow since Friday coupled with strong winds and another 50cm expected the Southern Alps departments of Alpes Maritimes and the Var have been put on an Orange Alert with other depar

Radek Havrda was expected to make a counter attack on Wednesday's stage of the Grande Odyssée but instead it was Rémy Coste who led from the gate to the half way stage until being caught by leader

Over 30cm of fresh snow have really improved conditions on the G.O. with a marathon 78km stage on the Praz de Lys - Sommand plateau where Jean-Philippe Pontier improved his lead position.