In a short space of time, la Grande Odyssée has become the largest international sled dog in the world. Its success: promoting authentic values and offering a perfect blend of entertainment and raw emotion by showcasing exceptional sportsmen and their dogs. The Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc is the premier European playground for extreme winter athletes in search of true adventure. It is also the story of two men’s vision, a great adventure across alpine ridges in a sport that has, for decades, been held on relatively flat, frozen expanses. A vision that became a reality for Nicolas Vanier and Henry Kam in January 2005 with the running of the first Grande Odyssée race. The race is the ‘Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc’, one of the most prestigious sled dog races in the world. The competition involves tens of thousands of people: 25 of the world’s best mushers, both men and women, 7 vets responsible for ensuring the health and safety of the 300 dogs – all highly trained athletes. Over 100,000 spectators will be scattered out along the various race points. The course totals 1000km and 25,000m of accumulated uphill climb – this is sport at its most extreme and challenging. More than just another competition in a sport where you now find snowmobiles alongside sleds in the Great North, the Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc is a return to bold adventure and advocates an ethos of sport, nature and respect of the environment. These values are central to the alpine regions of Savoie and Haute-Savoie between France and Switzerland which have come together to support this extraordinary race under the banner ‘Savoie Mont Blanc’. This film tells the human story behind the organisation of the Grand Odyssée and celebrates the relationship between animal and man against a stunningly beautiful backdrop.