The Queyras tour (Hautes-Alpes)
Duration : 7 days
France, Southern Alps
Level : from intermadiate to difficult
from 790 € / p. from 5 to 8 persons
Infos & Booking
Description
A land of light, Provencal by its language, alpine by its relief, the Queyras massif will amaze you by its landscapes and its treasures.
All along this tour in the heart of the Hautes-Alpes, you will cross the larches, cembro pines and hooked pines which make up the vegetation, as well as the numerous sundials where time is quietly ticking away. The Queyras Regional Park is also home to the highest villages in Europe nestled at an altitude of over 2000 meters, including the famous and picturesque Saint-Véran.
If you like multi-day treks, you can also follow me on one of the following itineraries:
- the tour of Mont Lozère, the highest peak in Cévennes,
- the tour of Val Montjoie above Les Contamines,
- the tour of the Vanoise National Park,
- the tour of Clarée and Mont Thabor,
- a 4-day trek in Valgaudemar,
- and the great tour of the Écrins via the GR54.
Program
D1: Ville Vieille - Ceillac.
For this first day of trekking, you cross Aigue Blanche then overhang the fortified village of Château Queyras. Through the passes of Pré Fromage and Fromage you discover the valley of Ceillac where the meadows and crops form a checkerboard of green shades around the village.
Positive altitude difference: 1000 meters, negative altitude difference: 750 meters, 7 hours of walking.
D2: Ceillac - Saint-Véran.
After leaving the village, you head towards the Estrongue pass to discover the Saint-Véran valley, the highest village of the trek. The descent takes place in the mountain pastures, where the rhododendron strips intertwine in the mélézin.
D+: 1200m, D-: 800m, 6.5 hours of walking.
D3: Saint-Véran - Col Agnel.
Today you walk through the hay meadows towards the Chapelle de Clausis. This chapel marks the entrance to the high valley. You cross the combe to the Chamoussière pass before going down to the Agnel refuge, a real haven of peace at the foot of the magnificent Pain de Sucre.
D+: 900m, D-: 400m, 6 hours of walking.
D4: Col Agnel - Ristolas.
You start the day with an ascent to the Col Vieux where you can admire all the valleys of the high Queyras and the Italian slopes leading to the grandiose Mont Viso, spectacular in its role of small Matterhorn. The descent passes under the immense slabs of the Taillante and you enjoy the high altitude lawns bordering the lakes of Foréant and Egorgéou which offer you all their charms.
D+: 250m, D-: 1150m, 5 hours of walking.
D5 : Ristolas - Abriès.
The morning ascent is done through the larches to reach the Peyra Plata ridge and then the Gilly ridge. The descent to Abries is done by a path in the middle of the forest.
D+ : 900m, D- : 1000m, 6 hours of walking.
D6: Abriès - Aiguilles.
Today, direction the abandoned hamlet of Malrif before continuing in the valley to reach the lake of Grand Laus and then the lake of Malrif. The view is panoramic on the Queyras, before going down on the north side to the gîte in Aiguilles.
D+: 1100m, D-: 1200m, 7 hours of walking.
D7: Aiguilles - Ville Vieille.
For this last day, the departure is quiet to reach the Pierre Fiche then Ville Vieille. Here you will be able to visit the Queyrassin handicraft grouping before the separation of the group.
D+: 400m, D-: 500m, 4 hours of walking.
The price includes
- Supervision by the mountain leader.
- Accommodation in refuges with breakfast, picnic and dinner.
- Daily transfer of luggage, limited to 6 kilos per person.
The price does not include
- Transport to Ville-Vieille, about an hour's drive from Briançon and 1 hour and 20 minutes from Gap.
- Snacks.
- Your picnic box (possibility of loan, please let me know)
- Drinks.
- Anything not mentioned in "The price includes".
Accommodation
- Lodges and huts.
- In dormitory.