Those visiting Chamonix last month might have been surprised to hear a reverberating pulse echoing from Planpraz – a picturesque plateau just beneath a mountain summit that can be accessed via cable car. Under normal circumstances, such sound waves at 2,000m of elevation might come with an avalanche warning. But this time, the buzz was electric, not tectonic – the echoes of a live stage line-up hosted by the Canadian outdoor brand Arc’teryx.
The energy came from a 1,500-strong crowd of mountain enthusiasts who had spent the previous week at the Arc’teryx Alpine Academy – a week-long mountain extravaganza that’s bringing the hedonistic air of the music festival into the wellness arena. As the sun sets, festival-goers – sunkissed, sweaty and ready to party – ascended to the summit to let loose to hip hop and R&B from a roster of international artists. “They had tired muscles, big smiles and beer thirst,” according to Stéphane Tenailleau, a marketing director at Arc’teryx and the brains behind the festival. “DJs are on the decks until 2am. Every night there’s the chance to burn off your last calories on the dancefloor… We’re taking [the experience] to new heights.”
