Gael MARTY

Originally from the Arve valley, I grew up between the Mont Blanc and Aravis ranges, where I spent most of my weekends from an early age.

At first, it was to go hiking with my family, picking raspberries and blueberries in the mountain pastures, and discovering the lakes and mountain peaks. Then I turned to climbing, from the first outings on the La Culaz cliff to the first multi-pitch routes on the limestone of the Col de la Colombière and its extraordinary grooves.

Around the age of 10, my father took me on a two-day tour of the Mer de Glace balconies. It was my first experience of the high mountains, and I'll remember for the rest of my life the storm that caught us between the Charpoua and Couvercle huts. We took refuge in a small cave, wrapped in our survival blankets, waiting for the storm to pass. As soon as the sun came back out, we resumed our walk, with a mixture of fascination and modesty in the face of the Chamonix peaks. This experience was probably one of the sources of my vocation to become a mountain guide.

During my teenage years, I was less interested in walking, but I did explore the cliffs and tried my hand at competitive climbing, with some great successes. I also spent every weekend skiing with the Alpine Club. Although I don't have the desire or the level to become a competitor, I acquired an ease in all types of snow and a passion for sliding. To strengthen the bonds of our climbing competition group and introduce us to other horizons, our CAF parents took us ski touring to the Gramusset hut, unguarded at the time, where we spent the night. It was a new form of practice for all of us, where we discovered the spirit of mountain activities: evolving in a wild environment and helping each other, whether on the snow or during chores at the refuge.

At 18, I decided to take my climbing instructor diploma. For the entrance test, I rediscovered multi-pitch climbing, but this time in the lead. The Marseille Calanques, the Verdon, Presles, Archiane... I explored all these high points of climbing and the mountains and began to take an interest in the history of this sport, which, despite my technical ease, made me feel very small. To complete my list, a friend who was preparing for a mountain guide diploma introduced me to the other side of the Aiguilles de Chamonix. It was a real wake-up call: the high mountains added a magical dimension to these adventures, with bivouacs, glaciers, 500-meter walls and adventure terrain. Ten years earlier, I'd never have imagined climbing here!

With the start of my professional career, I lost interest in climbing competitions and devoted my free time to exploring the mountains, skiing, cascading or gullying. My job required me to spend a lot of time in the gym, giving climbing lessons, opening boulders and welcoming customers. It was there that I developed my interpersonal, listening and advisory skills, but being outdoors is what has always driven me. A trip to Mexico with a guide, as part of the French climbing teams, to climb an isolated big wall, was the trigger: on my return, I decided to prepare and embark on the mountain guide course.

After three busy seasons as an aspiring guide in the Mont-Blanc massif and on the 4000m peaks of the Alps, I graduated. I then opted for a more sensible project, taking over and revitalizing the Thônes-Manigod guide office. This enabled me to spend more time with my family, reduce the risks while continuing to share my passion for skiing, mountaineering and climbing, and be closer to my customers.

Now president of the Thônes-Manigod guide office and an active member of the Compagnie des Guides des Aravis, I'm your point of contact for organizing your via ferrata, climbing, hiking and mountaineering outings, whether in the Aravis massif, around Annecy, or anywhere in the Alps!

I offer a wide range of group activities to help as many people as possible discover the Aravis massif. Join me for a convivial mountain experience!

Winter program:

• ice climbing,
• gully and mixed climbing,
• ski touring,
• off-piste skiing,
• sunset outings.

Summer program:

• rock climbing (one and multi pitch routes),
• via ferrata,
• mountaineering,
• canyoning.