Ancelle walks

A walk that allows you to appreciate the lovely setting of the village of Ancelle, nestled at the end of the Plaine de Lachaup, with beautiful views over the village. You start by following the Rouanne (or Ancelle torrent), then follow a lovely ridge path overlooking Ancelle before tackling the only difficult part of the walk: the climb to the antennas before reaching the Plateau de Libouze and its lake. You then descend back into the Plaine de Lachaup via the Ancelle leisure centre and return to the village.

A classic hike in Ancelle, starting near the village centre and climbing up the north side, through cool woodland. Can easily be done in reverse to enjoy the cool air on the way back.

A climb to the summit overlooking the village of Wooden Roof Tile and the ski resort of Saint-Léger-les-Mélèzes. The circular offers beautiful panoramic views of Dévoluy, Champsaur and the Rouanne valley.

This summit is a classic in the village of wooden roof tile in Champsaur.

This peak overlooks the Saint-Léger-les-Mélèzes ski resort. It is home to the top stations of the resort’s ski lifts. However, the ascent described here starts from Ancelle.A snowshoe hike following the summer trail, which is marked in yellow. These markings are visible on the trees in winter, but not on the rocks.

A lovely, easy snowshoe walk with very little elevation gain, which makes it very pleasant. You walk along the Rouanne stream, often through woodland, but are regularly treated to lovely views.

This is a lovely, very pleasant snowshoe circular route, particularly along the stream. You walk partly through the undergrowth but still enjoy lovely views, especially around the mountain pasture. We did it in early March and there was still plenty of snow.

A lovely hike in the hills above Ancelle offering views of the Dévoluy and the Petite and Grande Autane mountains. For walkers, this is a good warm-up walk at the start of the week to prepare for longer routes.

A gentle walk along a narrow path beside a torrent, then the view opens up onto snowfields. Once on the ridges, you can admire the Gap and Champsaur valleys dominated by beautiful peaks and, further away, the Écrins.

A snowshoe hike over varied terrain, starting in the Pré Matheron meadow, followed by a route through the undergrowth where you create your own path by weaving through the forest until you reach the junction with the ridge line. There, the landscape opens up towards the south.

Starting from the hamlet of Moissière, a beautiful hike that begins in the forest before ending on the ridges and the summit, offering an unforgettable panorama of Lake Serre Ponçon, Gap and the Champsaur Valley.

In the heart of Champsaur, this hike is beautiful but also very exotic, as it climbs up the wooden roof tile torrent valley in an atmosphere reminiscent of a Spanish canyon.

A short walk around the hamlet of Les Faix, starting in the Ancelle valley. You cross the village and then climb to the higher ground for superb panoramic views of the Dévoluy, the Champsaur and the Rouanne valley.

A challenging hike in the hills above Ancelle. A very pretty hike with an initial climb through the woods, then the vegetation thins out to reveal breathtaking views of Lake Serre-Ponçon, the Gapençais basin and even Mont Ventoux. 360° view from the summit.

A challenging loop that allows you to climb an easy and very popular summit in the most beautiful way and away from the crowds. The difficulty lies mainly in the return via the balcony, which has some aerial and exposed sections.

This is a short, half-day hike without any major difficulties, which takes us back to the difficult past of the mountain dwellers of yesteryear who lived in the village of Faudon, now in ruins, overlooked by the medieval fort of Saint-Philippe.

An easy walk starting from the hamlet of Collet d’Ancelle, taking you to the Saint-Philippe promontory (a former fortified site) via Lac de Faudon, a veritable treasure trove of Alpine biodiversity, and close to the ruins of the village of Faudon. This summit, situated above the resort of Ancelle, offers a beautiful panoramic view of the Gap basin, the Champsaur and the Écrins massif.

A small summit with a 360° view over the Champsaur countryside and the surrounding peaks. Editor’s note added on 12/09/2021: there is an issue in the second half of the walk; a round trip seems preferable: see the comments at the bottom of the page

This is a beautiful little loop on the north side below the Autane and Petite Autane, ideal for hot summer days when you want to stay cool. If you set off early, you can see chamois in the ravines and birds. The crossing trail does not always seem to be maintained during the summer, which makes it more difficult (the trail slopes on some steep sections) and it is now classified as difficult, requiring good experience of this type of trail.

A pleasant walk in the Sapet National Forest, at the foot of Piolit (2,464 m), which marks the end of the Embrunais transport layers. The Piolit ridge offers superb views of the Embrunais, Lake Serre-Ponçon, the Gap valley, Dévoluy, Champsaur and the Écrins massif.

The hike is entirely along the ridge, below the Petite and Grande Autane. It offers beautiful views of the Col de Roinette, La Coupa and its pass, La Pointe de Fleurendon and, in the background, Le Piolit and Les Crêtes de Bonaparré.

Long and difficult hike offered here as a circular route, first through mountain pastures then up steep slopes to the summit. It can also be done as a round trip, which is shorter but involves a tricky descent to the Col de Combeau. As a circular loop as described, the landscape and views are different and the slope is easier. It's up to you.

A very beautiful high-altitude walk through the Rouanne mountain pastures, and not particularly difficult, apart from the climb to La Coupa, a rugged summit. The views over the Rouanne cirque are magnificent.

At the gateway to the Parc des Écrins, in the Champsaur Massif, this magnificent hike begins at Rouanne Haute. The path winds gracefully through a larch forest, crosses streams of fresh, crystal-clear water and leads us, below the Col de Chorges, to the brown-tinged mountain pastures, sometimes still dotted with majestic snowdrifts despite the approach of summer.At the top of the Piolit, a breathtaking 360° panorama opens up, revealing the surrounding massifs and the splendid Lac de Serre-Ponçon. Descending via the Col de la Pourrachière, we plunge into a green and refreshing world, the perfect way to round off this wonderful outdoor activity.

A splendid hike with a difficult route that will take you to the Col de Chorges. Climb Piolit and enjoy its 360° panorama, then descend via the Col de la Pourrachiére. From Piolit (2,464 m), there are views to the south over Lake Serre-Ponçon and Mercantour, and to the north-east, north and north-west over the peaks of Champsaur, Dévoluy and Ecrins. Caution: do not attempt this route too early in the season, as there is still a lot of snow due to the exposure. See § practical information.

This relatively easy, scenic route offers magnificent views of the cirque and the Rouanne mountain pastures. You really feel cut off from the rest of the world here! The route is flexible, as there are several paths that allow you to extend or shorten the walk without any particular difficulty.

A lovely hike to discover an ancient village in ruins, offering panoramic views of the Champsaur valley.

An iconic cliff and viewpoint in the Gap area, the Chapeau de Napoléon is easily accessible and offers breathtaking views of the Avance valley and the Gap basin.

A lovely circular route on the north-facing slope, mostly through woodland; allow 1 hour 15 minutes for the ascent and 2 hours 30 minutes for the gentle descent.