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What qualifications do you hold to lead in the mountains?
I hold several mountain related qualfications:
- The "Mountaineering Instructor Certificate" - this is the highest United Kingdom mountain qualfication with the exception of the "Guide de Haute Montagne" (IFMGA Guide - International Federation of Mountain Guide Assocations). I also have the "prerogatives" of the French Rock Climbing instructor (except the part for canyoning) and this is detailed on my "Carte Professionnelle" (giving the legal right in France to work professionally within the remits detailed on the card).
- The International Mountain Leader (with the formal "equivalence" French "Accompagnateur en Montagne" - Brevet d'Etat Alpinisme; Accompagnateur en Montagne).
Make sure your "guide" or "leader" holds the required qualfications if you are in France. If they don't they they are acting illegally and are liable to arrest, on the spot, and a substantial fine, up to 15,000 Euro and/or imprisonment!
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A Few Testimonials ...
"... many thanks for your knowledge, time and effort last week it was much appreciated. Despite the weather the trip was a great success and will have many lasting memories long after other holidays have been forgotten."
Dear Mark
Just to thank you for an excellent holiday and for your patience. We really enjoyed the chance to see so many different aspects of the area and to get to some of the cols and refuges: Chris is sorting through hundreds of photographs which will help us to remember it all. We also much appreciated the comfort and helpfulness of the hotel. Many thanks for all that you did for us.
We just came back from ski vacation in Val Thorens.
We had a free day on Friday ( you can get your apartment only on Saturday). We found in the internet Mark Tennent from Simply Savoie,
and he took us for snow shoeing walk. Everything was perfect, he met us on time, gave us the equipment, and took us to very beautiful place,' with fantastic views over the mountains.
Yaffa, Jerusalem
Feb 09, 2011
"What a fabulous way to spend the day, at one with nature, in beautiful surroundings, and getting a brilliant work out as well. Highly recommend, even for adrenaline junkies!"
Mark thanks again for the great day...just got back to NYC and was talking about you on the plane home. R* had a great time with Roy...hope to see you again next year. - SF - Snowshoeing, Courchevel, March 2010
Hoping we shall meet again. -IL - Snowshoeing, Courchevel, March 2010.
Thanks so much for making the three days so enjoyable.
Really felt part of the wondrous environment and feel much better for it. The lunches were also great, vipers and all! - GB - Snowshoeing, Courchevel, March 2010
“I retained Mark to guide my 12-year-old son and I on the Tour du Mt Blanc in late May/early June 2010. We were pre-season, meaning that we met with some adverse weather, but Mark was consistently excellent in problem-solving, navigation and finding lateral solutions to difficult situations. He is a personable, highly experienced mountain guide with a superb knowledge of the Savoie region especially. I would certainly retain Mark again for any similar undertakings.” June 28, 2010
“I hired Mark as an instructor in Courchevel. He was courteous and professional and so interesting from the moment we met before the lesson even began. He weaves his knowledge of nature and the environment into the lesson giving a dimension that I had never experienced before.
I highly recommend Mark as an instructor extraordinare!” March 25, 2010
Hi Mark,
We really enjoyed the snowshoeing afternoons with you.
Dear Mark, thanks for a memorable day. It has just been perfect! Just back home from les Saisies. Another two beautiful days! Snow was great!
Thanks for great pictures and thanks for a great holiday.
Hi Mark, hope you are well and good snow keeps you busy. Again thank you very much for this amazing experience. We really enjoyed it. Many thanks, Karolina
... "may I congratulate you on organising a fine event, thoroughly enjoyed by all of us with excellent instruction by Mark Tennent" RB
Just a quick not to say thanks for making our holiday one that will be hard to forget. We had such a great time and learned just exactly what we need to tackle a winter munro with all that the weather could throw at us. We spent the return journey to the relative flat lands of the Peak District planning our next adventure and looking forward to our future fun on Scottish winter hills. AF 22 Feb 2000
I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed the winter mountaineering course I have just completed with you. I would like to give particular thank you to Jonathon who did an excellent job as guide and led us to some very interesting places! Overall I found it a very worthwhile week. PN 22 Feb 2000
"... I appreciated your professionalism and training skills ... the climbing in those five days was a personal high for me ... I also enjoyed your company very much" BE
"... thanks for a superb and memorable day on Aonach Eagach ..." RS
... the course was both informative and well presented and I've learned what I had hoped for and some more". GC
Just a few lines to let you know that I was very pleased with the mountain walking in September". MW
... a reminder of two wonderful days on Skye under your brilliant guidance". ST
...thank you for a fantastic week on Skye ... a combination of fine weather, great company and your own professionalism made for a really great experience." MU
"Thank you for a great day on Monday on the Aonach Eagach Ridge". KH
...Thanks for a cracking couple of days in Glencoe ... thank you again for everything - I shall certainly give you a call if I get some free time." BW
"Thank you for a marvellous couple of days scrambling and navigating in the hills ... you have truly whetted my appetite, and I learned a tremdous amount during the two days ... I will be in touch next time I'm looking for something exciting up north...". PB
"Thanks for making our weekend on Skye not just successful but also very enjoyable" JB - Guiding on Skye
"Thank you for running a first class training course. My staff learned a great deal and are motivated to extend these skills". - Stevenson College - SPSA Training
"We'd just like to express our thanks for organising everything and providing what was clearly first class training during our recent snow & ice climbing course." - CB
"We both felt that you made very good decisions about what to do, balancing safety with a programme that fulfilled our desire to do some challenging and interesting climbing." PB - Snow & Ice Climbing
"Thank you for a superb day last Saturday. (In Pin, Sgurr Mhicoinnich, Sgurr Alisdair) I will certainly be recommending you to my friends." DB
"Thanks for a superb week and hope to see you again sometime". S
"Just a short note to say a big thank you for your instruction on Saturday. We both enjoyed the day enormously and feel that it has given us a bit of extra confidence to venture further afield and appreciate more of the mountain ... we were also grateful for the company of a like-minded and proficient individual rather than the bearded eccentric." NP
"I would commend your professionalism and ability to communicate. Also your patience with us was exemplary, and we both enjoyed your company tremendously. It was a great pleasure to share the enjoyment of these spectacular mountains with you ... Our grateful thanks for a very memorable day with a total professional" M&SK
Dear Mark, many thanks for sending a link to your photos, they are a great reminder of 3 brilliant days. Thanks so much for making it all work so smoothly.
Snowshoeing in the Vanoise
Dear Mark
We had a really enjoyable day ... we talked about it a lot after and we all genuinely had a great time. She was raving to her friends about it ... all the best. Feel free to point people in my direction if you need a professional recommendation.
all the best
Malcolm
"Thanks very much for a challenging but really enjoyable afternoon. I wasn't sure what to expect but I'm sure it's something we'll do again." - Snowshoeing
Mark's Latest Tweets
- Les Bauges, Savoie: great day out in the mountains, sun, flowers, great views. — 1 day 8 hours ago
- Bikes hanging from the Olympic "tower" in Albertville, 12 July Tour du France: Albertville - La Toussuire http://t.co/Dun0AQOB — 1 day 8 hours ago
- BBC News - Could France learn to love British beef? http://t.co/LC1zuvei — 2 days 8 hours ago
- Mark's Blog - Cycling around Lac d'Annecy - After a morning completing my French tax return I needed a break! I set ... http://t.co/41OJnGHk — 6 days 18 hours ago
- Mark's Blog - Cycling around Lac d'Annecy - After a morning completing my French tax return I needed a break! I set ... http://t.co/TjDnshud — 6 days 18 hours ago
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