Before anyone starts planning an Alps trip this year, I think some kind of agreement on borrowing club gear would be necessary, also KmcK what's all this with getting a guide? Shenanigans!!!
If it's private, you'll find people are always interested, if it's not all you lovely people who have yet to get paddling awesome rivers in sunshine with beer boat evenings and campfire cooking - GET SAVING YOUR PENNIES!!!
Either which way, anyone with any interest in getting to the Alps - paddle hard now and you will have the time of your life in France/Slovenia/Austria, whichever country you go to. Get out to the Sluice get your ass thrown around and bombproof your roll, get down to Wicklow and start bugging people on why they choose the lines and techniques they do for each rapid on any river, practice practice practice!
This is also me declaring an interest in any such trip, I'd love to be involved in something like the good auld days, Briancon is famous for Le Sandwiche Americaine!