Col du Malrif walks

The walk mostly follows a ridge above the Guil valley between Aiguilles and Ville-Vieille. We recommend returning via the free shuttle bus, which runs between Château-Queyras and L’Échalp.

The seventh and final stage takes you past the Malrif lakes under the ridge separating Queyras and Briançonnais.

First stage of Circuit Franco-Italian border "Queyras in Val Pellice" punctuated by passages through three interesting passes: Malaure, Bouchet and Vampréveyre.

The Tour du Queyras, labelledGR®58, is adaptable. The route described, starting from Château Queyras and completed in a group in September 2008, will take you through this natural park, skirting and climbing some 3,000 metres. You will discover the beautiful villages of this park with their well-known names: Ceillac, Saint Véran, Abriés... What's more, in summer the weather is almost always fine. The bright blue sky the next day will quickly make you forget the storm of the previous evening.

This is the first stage of the tour and is an adaptation as the route is not on theGR®58, but it allows you to visit the castle that dominates the Guil pass. (Please note) The Montbardon stopover lodge (Le Cadran Solaire) has been closed since 2018, so the best option from Château Queyras is to go directly to Ceillac via the Col Fromage. (Important note): See this website mentioning the reopening of this lodge for summer 2023.

This stage of the Queyras circuit can also form part of the Mont Viso circuit. For walkers travelling by train, a bus departs from Mont-Dauphin Guillestre station and serves the village of Abriès-Ristolas.

2nd stage is entirely in Italy allowing you to walk alongside the many military buildings that protect the nearby border. The long descent before the shelter lets you enjoy the Italian pastures that appear much greener than the French. This is due to the more abundant moisture from this side of the border.

This fourteenth stage completes the crossing of the Queyras Massif. From La Chalp, the GR® 5 climbs along the left bank of the Torrent de l’Izoard above Arvieux, then reaches the hamlet of Les Maisons. From there, it heads towards Lac de Roue before descending to Château-Queyras. The route climbs the steep slope on the opposite side, on the right bank of the Torrent de Bramousse, joins a road at a hairpin bend and leaves it at the next one. It continues through the torrent’s valley, reaches the ridge separating the Bramousse and Riou Vert valleys, and, hugging the hillside beneath the peaks of La Selle and Rasis, reaches the Col Fromage. The path descends along the right bank of the Ravin de Rasis to reach Le Villard before arriving at Ceillac, from where it follows the Torrent du Mélezet, alternating between the left and right banks, before reaching the Refuge de la Cime du Mélezet.

The sixth stage takes place largely along a ridge offering remarkable views of the Queyras massif and the Ecrins opposite.

This hike crosses the Ristolas-Mont Viso National Nature Reserve, where you can appreciate its rich biodiversity. Several viewing points offer stunning views of Mont Viso.