Le Tour des Fizz : Elise Downing and her dad, Dave’s escape the Alpine crowds

Rob chats with adventurer and writer Elise Downing and her dad Dave about their five-day trip around the Tour des Fiz, a quiet alpine loop near Chamonix. They talk about choosing this as Dave’s first big outing after hip surgery, the joy of slower days, navigating tiny French huts, run-ins with sheepdogs, gear they always carry, and why this lesser-known trail is such a good entry point for hut-to-hut hiking. What and where the Tour des Fiz actually isWhy they chose this as a comeback adventureSlow, short days and why they loved the change of paceThe difference between this trail and the Tour du Mont BlancHut life: tiny dorms, friendly hosts, and endless cheeseWildlife highlights (marmots, ibex, the world’s angriest sheepdog)Walking as a father and daughter — silence, pace, and faff etiquetteWhat they carried and the kit they swear byElise’s wider philosophy on accessible adventureWhy this route is ideal for beginners to hut-to-hut hikingTheir standout moments — and the one they never want to reliveWhat We Cover