Mountaineering
Julien Rousset
Head guide and co-founder
Grew up in Argentière and founded the school in 2009. Plans every course around one rule: come home with something left in the tank.
Background
A life in the mountains.
Julien grew up in Argentière, at the top of the Chamonix valley, and climbed his first route on the Aiguille du Tour at fourteen. He qualified as a mountain guide at ENSA in 2004 and spent five seasons guiding the big north faces before deciding he enjoyed teaching more than ticking.
In 2009 he opened Aventura with a small office on Place de l'Église and one rule that still shapes every course: the mountain decides the plan, not the calendar. He writes the programmes, trains the newer guides and still leads Alpine Basics most weeks in June.
Outside the season he volunteers with the valley's avalanche awareness evenings and spends too much time repairing old wooden skis.
On the rope
Tours with Julien Rousset
Mountaineering
Easy
Alpine Basics
Five days on the glaciers above Chamonix. Crampons, ice axe, rope work and a first summit on the Aiguille du Tour.
5 days
From €690
Ski Touring
Demanding
Haute Route, Chamonix to Zermatt
The classic glacier traverse between two great mountain towns. Seven days, six huts and the Matterhorn waiting at the end.
7 days
From €2,450
Hut-to-Hut Trekking
Moderate
Tour du Mont Blanc
Nine days around the highest mountain in Western Europe, through France, Italy and Switzerland, sleeping in mountain huts.
9 days
From €1,950