JOIN US FOR AN EPIC 7-DAY EXPEDITION ACROSS SAVOY: OPERATION UNION – WW2'S HIGHEST SIEGE.

Follow in the footsteps of the elite Mont Blanc Brigade, the legendary OSS Mission Union, and the fearless Maquis across the high-altitude battlefields of the French Alps. Visiting rugged mountain ridges, secret drop zones, and the historic hub of Chamonix, this 7-day expedition is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Come and learn their story.

The Mont Blanc Brigade: Elite Alpine Warriors The 1er Bataillon de Haute Montagne, known as the Mont Blanc Brigade, was France’s elite alpine unit. Comprising world-class skiers, mountain guides, and woodsmen, they underwent specific training to endure the harsh conditions of high-altitude warfare. Their campaign in the winter of 1944-45 provided the specialised skills needed to finally break the stalemate in the German alpine defences.

Mission Union: OSS in the Shadows One of the most unique aspects of the Savoyard campaign was the inclusion of the OSS team Mission Union. Led by the legendary Marine Captain Peter Ortiz, these soldiers proved their mettle alongside the local Maquis. Together, they launched daring raids on key objectives and sabotage missions, cementing a bond of brotherhood between the Free French and the Americans that remains today.

The Maquis of Savoy: Breaking the Occupation Across the rugged ridges of the Beaufortain, the resistance fighters of the Savoyard Maquis battled through the marble-like ice and deep snow. Despite facing immense pressure and isolation, they became one of the most effective unconventional units in military history. Their lightning-fast breakthrough of the German Alpine flanks remains one of the most stunning feats of the war.

Join us as we visit these historic peaks and follow in the footsteps of legends.

Day 1: Arrival & Orientation
Land at Geneva International Airport and make the short transfer to Chamonix. Known as the "Capital of Alpinism", this historic town at the foot of the Mont Blanc massif is our base for the expedition. After check-in, we’ll have a mission briefing to lay out the tactical framework for the high-altitude journey ahead.

Day 2: The Beaufortain & Secret Drop Zones
We push into the Beaufortain range to explore the secret drop zones used by Mission Union. We’ll investigate the remote plateaus where Peter Ortiz and the SOE dropped crucial supplies to the Maquis—clandestine missions that fuelled the resistance throughout the Savoie.

Day 3: Survival & Technical Training
Before hitting the glaciers, we master the essential skills of the "Skier of the Shadows". We cover intensive avalanche awareness and crevasse rescue—focusing on the technical rigging and pulley systems used by elite mountain troops to operate safely in extreme high-altitude terrain.

Day 4: The Mont Blanc Brigade Refuges
Move into the surreal landscape of the high-altitude refuges. We’ll explore the glacier positions held by the Mont Blanc Brigade, visiting the stone-walled sangars and high-point lookouts where the resistance coordinated strikes against German mountain units in total silence.

Day 5: High-Altitude Glacier Tactics
One of the most daring sectors of the front. We’ll study the technical routes across the Petit Envers and the tactical manoeuvres required to fight at 3,500 m. This is a day to truly understand the "impossible" feats achieved by the elite SOE teams who lived and fought on the ice.

Day 6: The Battle of Vallée Blanche
Today focuses on the legendary February 1945 battle on the glacier. We’ll walk the tactical routes of the final push, tracing the markers of the French Maquis and Allied units that shattered the German high-mountain defence. We’ll wrap up the mission with a celebratory dinner in the heart of Chamonix.

Day 7: Departure
A final team debrief over breakfast before the transfer to Geneva Airport for your journey home.