Guillestre walks

A pleasant trail nestled at the bottom of a gorge running alongside the Rif Bel leads to the heart of a valley. Until 1880, this trail was the only direct access between Guillestre and the hamlets of the Val d'Escreins, before the road from Vars was built.

A lovely walk in a green setting with little elevation gain on an easy trail (along the water) to do with the family, keeping a close eye on young children in the more exposed areas or on the ridge. Some sections offer superb views of Guillestre and beyond, then through the trees to the Guil Gorges.

This pleasant circular, starting from Simoust above Guillestre, is recommended by the CDRP 05 as part of the 2024 Hiking Festival. Alternating between descents and ascents, it takes you past some interesting sights: the citadel of Mont-Dauphin and the spectacular Rue des Masques.

A pleasant hike at the mouth of the Guil Gorges, sharing between trails, paths and tarmac roads, but with little or no traffic. Eygliers, Gros, Maison du Roy and Guillestre are on the itinerary. The south-facing balcony trail between Eygliers and Gros contrasts with the return trip along the old Maison du Roy road and its turnstiles, which face north.

A short hike starting from Guillestre with the added bonus of climbing to a small summit for the view, before returning via a wide forest path, then a path that joins the hamlet of Les Terrasses before taking the Canal Salva path that brings us back to the starting point.

A relatively short and easy walk around the "Vauban" citadel of Mont-Dauphin. From the top of the circuit, there are fine views of the surrounding mountains and valleys, while the section along the river Guil offers a view not only of the Guil, but also of the Chalp canal waterfall. The walk can be followed by a stroll around the citadel.

A fairly short and very pleasant walk that allows you to visit Mont-Dauphin in a different way. You can see many marmots, which are not very shy, at the bottom of the trail.

This is a beautiful route with no real difficulties, offering magnificent scenery along most of the way. The 360° view from the Homme de Pierre viewpoint is truly spectacular. The Martinat ridge also offers superb panoramic views.

A short walk in the forest, on the heights of Réotier, on the path to Tête de Vautisse. This easy hike has the advantage of taking place in a little-frequented area with a more than pleasant panorama of the resorts of Vars, Risoul and Ceillac, as well as a magnificent view of the Val d'Escreins and the sublime Font Sancte.

Visit two alpine hamlets above Saint Crépin, passing through the famous forest of juniper trees.

This route allows you to discover the hamlets located between Saint-Crépin and Eygliers, which enjoy an ideal location above the Durance valley.

There is a long crossing before the Col des Houerts, which takes you into the Ubaye Valley.

This pleasant second day begins with a climb to the Col de Moussière before passing by the very pleasant Lac du Lauzet, then taking the long forest track back to the Moussière car park.

Visit the lake of the same name as the one below Brec du Chambeyron in Ubaye. It is located at the bottom of Val d'Escreins and at the foot of La Mortice.

A beautiful classic hike that starts from Val d'Escreins (nature reserve) and climbs up to the ridges overlooking the Vars Valley, then descends further down via another pass.

A magnificent route along a jagged rocky ridge offering sublime views of Font Sancte and the surrounding peaks. Panoramic views of the Écrins mountains throughout.

Sometimes it is worth splitting the daily walks in two to enjoy an evening in the bivouac. This is the route we have chosen this year, which allows you to marvel at the 360° landscape from the bivouac in the evening and morning.

Access from the alpine hamlet of Moussière to the bivouac area located between the Selle and Crousas mountain pastures. This mountain pasture overlooks the Cabane Sainte-Marie, where the sheep are kept at night.

A beautiful hike starting from the village of Sainte-Catherine. You will pass from one valley to another. Along the way, you will see a beautiful valley, numerous marmots and an interesting descent along the Chagnon torrent.

A long loop passing through two passes and several ridge crossings, traversing mountain pastures. The Couniets and Selle ridges are wild and rarely visited. Magnificent views of the surrounding mountains.

This is an accessible hike that takes you to an altitude of 3,000 metres. But be careful at the end, as the climb is steep and slippery on the rocks.

A must-do hike in Queyras! Furfande is only accessible on foot, snowshoes, skis or mountain bike, making it a village isolated from everything, like a small local "Mafate" (but only inhabited in summer and without the helicopters). Departure from Col de Furfande, the highest point of the hike (2,500 m), accessible by car from mid-June to mid-November. A shorter version is possible by turning left in Les Granges, towards the "Refuge de Furfande". This halves the distance and time.

Mont Orel overlooks Embrun. It can be reached via the Col de la Coche. Walk along the peaks to the crosses. Magnificent view of the Lac de Serre-Ponçon, the surrounding valleys and the Écrins in the distance. A gentler descent via the Pra Leydon chapel. A hike that ends with a contemplative stroll through the Saluces Forest. A very quiet hike apart from a few chamois at the summit. The only slight difficulty is finding the cairns in the mountain pastures.

A pleasant and easy walk to the Col de Vars, where you are sure to spot marmots.

A beautiful family hike starting from the Vars-les-Claux resort, taking you to the Col de l'Écuelle via the old Combe Froide rock glacier and then the very touristy Col de Vars. There are many variations on this hike, but I suggest the wildest route possible to avoid the human developments on the mountain.

This is a particularly pleasant route, starting in the woods and then passing through beautiful mountain pastures, crossing the alpine village of Granges de Furfande and ending at the refuge below the pass of the same name.

A lovely hike with Col de Tramouillon as your destination. The route is mainly through forest, with occasional clearings, particularly at the pass. The village of Les Faures is well worth a visit.

Loop to the Ascension lakes starting from Lauzet. The hike passes through the small pass of Peyron, which offers a magnificent view of the two valleys, the three lakes and the entire cirque. The return trip along the forest path is a bit monotonous, but this is more than compensated for by the beauty of the landscapes you encounter.

Hike along the ridges starting from the Freissinières valley.

Based on the route already suggested on Visorando, the Cimetière des Vaudois, I suggest a route that allows you to discover, after the cemetery, the Grotte des Fazys, where some of these Waldensians were smoked out during the 14th and 15th centuries. This is followed by a detour through some of the charming neighbourhoods that make up the village of Freissinières, an educational route (arboretum) and finally a return via the Bois de Monsieur, along the Torrent de la Biaysse.

The Tour de la Tête du Gaulent via the Col de Val Haute is a superb circular route. It crosses secret mountain pastures that gradually reveal themselves, unveiling the timelessness of pastoral life.

A lovely mountain bike loop, climbing on a forest track and descending on a remarkable trail through a cool larch forest. Fans of fast, flowing single tracks will be delighted. Straddling the municipalities of Freissinières and Champcella, the latter have always fought over the mountain pastures, and this is still the case today. There is a very short section where you will need to carry your bike.