Mountain guide Stéphanie Besson

For over 25 years, Stéphanie has lived between her native Hautes-Alpes and Patagonia. Attracted by the strength and raw beauty of the landscapes, Patagonia and its inhabitants welcomed her one day, during one of her travels. From that moment on, she never stopped exploring this region, which abounds in unexplored corners. She then chose to become a naturalist mountain guide to share her knowledge of the area. It’s a profession that has become a passion, and one in which she enjoys provoking encounters and raising awareness of the issues of our time, and to share with the travelers she accompanies. She describes her approach to Patagonia in her book Patagonia (Les clefs pour bien voyager, Glenat, 2024).

She is adept at long-distance travel, with a particular attraction for remote territories where the virginity and ruggedness of nature combine with the vitality of local cultures. It was by bicycle that she set out to discover the hospitality and landscapes of Central Asia. She now accompanies tours off the beaten track, with the same approach.

A campaigner for human rights in France, she is also the author of Trouver Refuge, histoires vécues par delà les frontières (Hommes et Montagne, Glenat, 2020).