Daring to change your life at 40 to become a mountain leader with Hélène Mathieu

By Laurène Philippot
Updated on 2026-03-11
Interviews, Inspiration
helene-mathieu-accompagnatrice-moyenne-montagne

In an episode of the podcast La Sportive Outdoor, Laurène welcomes Hélène Mathieu, a woman with a singular career path who decided, at the dawn of her forties, to make the mountains her permanent office.

Laurène Philippot
Laurène Philippot
Laurène is the magazine's creator. An avid cyclist, hiker and trail runner, she's always keen to discover new places, especially in the mountains!

Summary

  1. Listen to the podcast
  2. Watch the interview
  3. Episode summary
  4. Current challenges and future summits
  5. Links

Listen to the podcast

Watch the interview

Episode summary

Now a mountain guide in the Briançonnais region, Hélène shares her experience of conversion, her training challenges and her vision of a sport focused on people and transmission.

A childhood between the Pyrenees and the Norwegian fjords

Hélène’s taste for the summits is no accident. Born in the South-West of France, she grew up in Béarn, a region marked by the regular passage of the Tour de France and mythical mountain passes such as the Tourmalet and Aspin.

His father, a geological engineer and himself a mountain guide, introduced him to map reading and safety from an early age, far from any spirit of performance.

At the age of 10, her life took an international turn when she moved to Stavanger, Norway. Here she discovered the Scandinavian way of life, where afternoons were devoted to sports: ice skating, running around lakes or cross-country skiing to school.

This multi-activity approach has forged an omnipresent outdoor culture, without the need for clubs or time trials.

A detour to Sciences Po and office life

Despite her childhood dreams – she even wrote to UCPA at the age of 10 to become a ski instructor – Hélène initially followed a path laid down by her parents. Her academic career was brilliant, but far removed from her deepest aspirations:

  • She joined Sciences Po Grenoble, choosing the city specifically for its proximity to the mountains and skiing.
  • She completed her training with a STAPS degree in sports marketing, seeking to combine intellect and passion.
  • She then held various positions, including medical secretary in a hospital environment.

This last experience was strategic: with office hours and 9 weeks’ paid vacation, Hélène could devote herself to trail riding and take part in training courses. However, the dissatisfaction of not living her passion to the full ended up “eating away” at her.

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The trigger: “It’s now or never”.

The real turning point came after she turned 30, when she settled in Briançon, attracted by its dry climate, 300 days of sunshine a year and wild heritage.

Exhausted by a succession of fixed-term contracts and a mononucleosis that serves as a wake-up call, she realizes that she can no longer stay cooped up in an office when all she wants is to be outside.

At the age of 40, she decided to take her AMM diploma. She obtained her diploma on her 43rd birthday, a fine symbol of her status.

A human approach to the mountains

In her new activity, Hélène defines herself less as an expert than as a pillar for her customers. She puts the emphasis on teaching and managing physical effort rather than pure performance.

Whether she’s supervising a Tour du Mont-Blanc or trail training courses, her aim remains the same: to get people to their destination while making them aware of how lucky they are to be there.

Passionate about itinerancy and the social aspect of refuges, she now offers a variety of courses, including a 100% women’s course in Lozère, on the Aubrac plateau. This course combines running, local gastronomy and well-being in historic spas, meeting a strong demand from women seeking reassurance about their technical level.

Current challenges and future summits

Hélène doesn’t stop there. To balance out her seasonal activities, she has already obtained her Nordic first-aid certification and is currently preparing for her state diploma as a cross-country ski instructor.

In conclusion, Hélène encourages all women who want to change their lives to “dare”.

However, she reminds us of the reality on the ground: such a reconversion requires prerequisites, money set aside for training and a solid dose of determination to face up to the demands of state diplomas.

To find Hélène :