A fragile environment 

The environment surrounding rock climbing, via ferrata and canyoning areas can be very fragile. Plants on or at the foot of cliffs only get the sun from one direction, so they have much less favourable growing conditions. Please, keep to footpaths to avoid trampling the vegetation and respect any site-specific regulations (opening periods).
Canyons and gorges also house extremely diverse fauna and flora - even the beds of rivers are teeming with life, in the form of larvae, insects, frogs and fish spawn, etc.

Practical advice 

Before setting off

By calling upon the services of a mountain guide or qualified instructor, beginners are sure to get the best from their chosen activity.
Consult relevant guidebooks and check the weather forecast (possibility of thunderstorms, flash floods, etc).
Check you have the right gear.
Care and attention are the keys to success

Mountain guides
Without abandoning mountaineering or the high peaks, mountain guides have widened their horizons to take in the relatively new sports of via ferrata and canyoning. Savoie and Haute Savoie have two large guides offices, the prestigious Compagnie des guides de Chamonix in Haute Savoie, and the Compagnie des guides de la Vanoise, which groups together most of the guides offices in Savoie.
Whether you are a beginner or an expert, don't hesitate to contact the guides in your resort. They will be able to suggest the best routes or areas to visit, taking into account your level and your wishes.

Rescue services
Emergency services: 112 (single European emergency number).
For programmed radios: Emergency Network (Haute-Savoie) and Sécurité Vanoise (Savoie).