A wolf in a sled dog’s clothing

NICOLAS VANIER is a French adventurer and filmmaker who was born in Senegal.

In 1983, he trekked in the Arctic, using traditional transport, such as dog teams. His adventures resulted in books, films and photographic essays. Few of us experience the polar regions, but Vanier offers a taste of ‘la nature extrême’ at an eco-camp he has established high on the Vercors plateau in the foothills of the Alps.

The camp is run on a carbon-neutral basis. Visitors stay in Mongolian yurts or Indian tepees. Electricity comes from a windmill. This is no haven of peace and tranquillity; there are 49 boisterous canine residents.