Our TMB treks are heading out very soon! This time, we’re getting to know Jean Luc Seigneur.
What’s your name?
Jean-Luc Seigneur
Do you have any nicknames?
Jean-Luc
Can you tell us a little about yourself?
Along with my family, I live in Megeve. I enjoy hiking the trails near Chamonix in the summer and showing visitors the best of the Tour du Mont Blanc, and in the winter, I manage a family-owned ski shop in Megeve.
What are your hobbies?
I ride mountain trails and EMTB (electric mountain bikes) frequently. I used to climb a lot, including alpine ascents, but ice climbing was my favourite kind of climbing.
How long have you been a guide?
Since 2004 I have been guiding people all over the world.
Why did you decide to become a guide?
I was raised in this area, and I believe that it is in our nature to show visitors some of the best mountains in the world. Along with managing our independently owned ski shop during the winter, it was the natural thing for me to do.
What’s your favourite thing about guiding treks?
The diversity and the various coworkers I have, the locals I meet, and the locations I visit. I've traveled throughout South America, Central Asia, Africa, the Himalayas, and of course the entire European Alps while working as an international trekking guide.
What’s the craziest thing that’s happened on a trek?
There have been so many things, but there was one time in 2003, just before I became a certified guide, when my ex-wife and I were in Patagonia trekking in the Torres del Paine National Park. The weather at the time was the worst Patagonia had experienced in six years.
Unbeknownst to us, we were the final three people left in the park when every bridge was destroyed by flooding. The police believed we were dead and were awaiting a break in the weather before dispatching search teams to look for us.
We, on the other hand, were camped out, attempting to cross all those overflowed rivers without any bridges, living off of just two packs of powdered soup, a half-onion, and a handful of peanuts for each meal every day while experiencing the most extreme adventure of our lives.
It took another three days for the rivers to recede to the point where we could cross them, leave the park, and learn the reason for all the commotion.
That is utterly wild. We’re glad you’re still here to guide us! – AA Team
What do you think is a quality that every good guide needs?
People skills. We all require the hard skills to keep clients secure and from getting lost, but it's also crucial to have the soft skills to stay with someone for up to two weeks at a time. Your clients must respect, like, and feel safe around you.
Tell us something fun about your treks!
It’s all fun and enjoyable: the scenery, the people, the climate, the food.
the views, the people, the weather, the food…
Anything else you want us to know about you?
No, take a hike with us and discover it for yourself.
Lastly, what tip can you give our trekkers heading your way?
Make sure your equipment is functional and that your shoes or boots are broken in but not so much that they become unstable on the trail. Bring the items that are listed on the packing list; however, keep your pack as light as you can by following your guide's advice on this.