‘Cinq, quatre, trois, deux, un…’ – there’s the patter of paws and they’re off.
A cacophony of barking follows as the next sled gets into position, the dogs jumping and jostling in excitement at the impending 45-mile dash. The annual Le Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc is now in its 14th year, with 25 mushers competing over nine legs for their share of a £50,000 prize pot.
Crowds bash the barriers with their muffled, gloved hands as the teams from snowy outreaches of up to a dozen countries including Croatia, the Czech Republic, Italy and France, battle it out in the canine equivalent of the Tour de France.
And here, incredible photographs capture the epic scenery of the 2017 race.
The annual Le Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc is now in its 14th year, with 25 mushers competing over nine legs for their share of a £50,000 prize pot. Here a team of huskies pull their musher along during one of nine legs of the 600-mile race. The lake at the bottom of Mont Cenis was frozen as mushing teams from a dozen countries raced past
Teams from snowy outreaches of up to a dozen countries including Croatia, the Czech Republic, Italy and France, battle it out in the canine equivalent of the Tour de France
The elite competition is the brainchild of former telecoms magnate Henry Kam, who confessed to dreaming up the audacious idea after a few glasses of wine
The elite competition is the brainchild of former telecoms magnate Henry Kam, who confessed to dreaming up the audacious idea after a few glasses of wine.
After spending two years battling to overcome significant local objection in a region where mushing was forbidden, he succeeded in making it an annual event watched by tens of thousands live, and many more on television.
‘I wasn’t intending to make it a big race but it now crosses 24 ski resorts,’ Mr Henry explains.
‘This race is made by passionate people, for passionate people and that is what makes it unique.’
‘I wasn’t intending to make it a big race but it now crosses 24 ski resorts,’ Mr Henry explains
Over the duration of the two-week race, competitors climb more than 60,000 feet – the equivalent of four times the height of Mont Blanc
Each team has around 20 dogs, usually Huskies or other Nordic breeds, which can be tactically interchanged by their owners to play to their strengths over different terrains and distances
Some of the landscapes the the mushers pass through is truly magical
Majestic: Several dog teams are here dwarfed by a mountain as they race through a valley
Over the duration of the two-week race, competitors climb more than 60,000 feet – the equivalent of four times the height of Mont Blanc – and travel up to 600 miles in conditions where temperatures of -27C are not unusual.
Each have a team of around 20 dogs, usually Huskies or other Nordic breeds, which can be tactically interchanged by their owners to play to their strengths over different terrains and distances.
This particular leg begins in the resort where I’m staying – Val Cenis Lanslebourg.
The mushers start at two-minute intervals then hare up Mont Cenis, where they will spend the night camped under the stars before setting off again the following morning.
Just a few hours earlier, skiers had been enjoying the powdery conditions.
The mushers start at two-minute intervals then hare up Mont Cenis, where they will spend the night camped under the stars before setting off again the following morning
Stars begin to twinkle as the teams bed in for the night, thousands of feet up in the Alps
The Alps look other-worldly in this exceptional photograph by Vincent Piccerelle
Nathalie Allilaire in this image captures the scale of the Alps as a team races past in the foreground
This shot by Vincent Piccerelle captures a frosty sled, as the dogs looking on restlessly in the background
Picture-postcard perfect: Snow-covered trees line the well-groomed route, with a team of dogs hurtling past
The race passes through charming villages
Set in a relatively new and unspoiled ski resort in the southern part of Savoie Mont Blanc, in the Haute Maurienne Vanoise region, it’s a far cry from more bustling French resorts such as Morzine or Alpe D’Huez.
Our hotel, The Saint Charles, became the first four-star hotel in Lanslebourg when it opened its doors in 2015.
Set just metres from a ski lift, those staying there can roll into the locker room fresh from a hard day on the slopes, store their equipment and dive into its pool and spa within minutes.
The soft, gradual turns of its green slopes provide the perfect place to start for beginners, while those with a few weeks under their belts have plenty of red runs and the occasional black to keep them busy.
Aside from Alpine skiing, the area has an abundance of other winter sports activities to get to grips with.
Neighboring Bessans, with its 90 miles of trails and stunning scenery, is an idyllic place to try cross-country or ‘Nordic’ skiing.
Using, thinner, lighter skis, the instructor explains how to glide along tracks in the snow, conquer the slight inclines and ride out the declines, in what is often described as the ultimate workout.
If this isn’t enough exhilaration, another popular pastime is combining it with air rifle practice at Bessans Nordic stadium.
Mastering this at 30 metres while still wearing the skis (novices can try it at ten metres for practice) is all that’s needed to compete in a biathlon.
For those who prefer more leisurely pursuits, snow-shoeing is a great way to explore the traditional villages of this Alpine region.
The shoes, which are a bit like tennis rackets, let walkers plough through heavy snow, as well as providing a reassuring grip on icier paths.
As we approach one small hamlet, with its traditional stone and wood-built housing, barn and church, all covered in several feet of snow, the guide explains that only 15 people live there at certain times of the year.
The Saint Charles, pictured, became the first four-star hotel in Lanslebourg when it opened its doors in 2015
Set just metres from a ski lift, those staying there can roll into the locker room fresh from a hard day on the slopes, store their equipment and dive into its pool and spa within minutes
The Saint Charles’ bedrooms have clean lines, big beds and warm woods – perfect Alpine nests
Whatever the outdoor activity in traditionally one of the coldest parts of the French Alps, there is no shortage of delicious ways to replenish all the calories burned.
The odd stop for vin chaud or glühwein (mulled wine to you and me) is life-affirming. But stepping into a cosy little restaurant called La Cabane is a welcome retreat from the cold.
Situated in the charming and authentic mountain village of Bonneval-sur-Arc, the menu offers regional specialities including a variety of fondues to share après ski.
The village’s chalets are popular with visitors, who arrive laden with crates of beer and wine to keep them well stocked over the forthcoming week.
And its narrow streets are no obstacle for the racers, who gallop past with mushers in tow while crowds shout ‘aller, aller, aller’ for encouragement.