Montgenèvre walks

The Col du Chaberton precedes the summit of the same name; the hike starting from Montgenèvre takes the hiker through two distinct areas: the new ski resort and the old military fortifications.

This summit overlooks Montgenèvre, as well as the entire Petite Durance valley and Briançon in particular. A fort with eight turrets supporting eight cannons was built here. This colossal work, carried out by the Italian army and intended to fire heavy shells at Briançon, was useless because, at the start of the war, French artillery fire destroyed this magnificent structure. But today, the ruins, now French, stand the test of time and offer a surprising view.

A visit to two passes at the head of the Vallon des Frères Mineurs in the Montgenèvre ski resort.

Hike to one of the most beautiful viewpoints in the Écrins, from Sirac to Meije and Cerces. Panoramic view of the Italian peaks of Piedmont and some of the peaks of Queyras.

A hike starting from the Montgenèvre resort towards a border peak offering a fantastic panorama of the surrounding French-Italian summits.

A very pleasant route along the banks of the Clarée with the discovery of a historic cave. (Please note: the path through the Ravin des Sables is currently completely destroyed, so it is advisable to reverse the direction of the hike to reach the cave.)

A magnificent walk discovering the forts that once protected Briançon from Italian invasion. Breathtaking 360° panorama.

In summer, when the Montgenèvre ski lifts are open, there is an easy walk to the Fort de l'Infernet, which offers exceptional views of the Briançon valleys from the top station of the Gondrans chairlift.

Lovely loop above Val-des-Prés providing a bird's eye view of the famous Clarée Valley.

A lovely hike to an easily accessible summit, offering superb views of some of the peaks of Queyras, Écrins and the Italian Piedmont.

This thirteenth stage marks the start of the crossing of the Queyras Massif. From La Vachette, the previous day’s trail joins the GR®5. After a flat start, the forest path winds its way along the banks of the Durance as it descends towards the hamlet of L’Envers du Fontenil, before climbing up to a fortification at the foot of the Fort des Trois Têtes and then crossing the remarkable Pont d’Asfeld. The GR®5 climbs to the Cité Vauban in Briançon, one of France’s finest fortified towns, and descends via the Portes d’Embrun to the Parc de la Schappe. It heads south towards Villar-Saint-Pancrace, then veers off towards Les Ayes via the hamlets of La Mourande, Sachas and Soubeyran, from where it climbs to the Chapelle Saint-Laurent, then on to Le Lauzin, before reaching the Chalets des Ayes. It reaches the Col des Ayes, descends the opposite slope, joins a track at L’Eychaillon and turns left onto it, running alongside the Torrent de la Rivière as far as Brunissard and then La Chalp.

An easy ridge walk with stunning views over the Écrins, the Cerces, the Briançonnais and Italy.

A Franco-Italian hike to a summit offering a stunning panorama of the peaks of the Fontsof Cervières and Piedmont, enhanced by the discovery of numerous lakes. As this route has several junctions, I recommend supplementing the description with the Visorando app.See also the video where I show the various junctions.

This beautiful loop allows you to see Lac des Sarailles, the customs officers' hut, Lac Gignoux and Lac Noir in succession, ending at the ruined hamlet of Les Fraches. The summit of Le Chenaillet, particularly popular for its geological features, can be seen throughout this loop.

Le Chenaillet, an ancient volcano located under the ocean, is of exceptional geological interest. It is an easy hike with two lakes to discover and a 360° panoramic view of Italy, the Écrins, the Briançonnais and some of the peaks of the Queyras.

A lovely hike in the Fonts de Cervières near Briançon, featuring a summit climb and the discovery of three lakes, including the magnificent turquoise-blue Lac Gignoux.360-degree panoramic views of the surrounding peaks: Izoard, Ecrins and Cerces.I recommend supplementing the description by using the Visorando app. ⚠️ GPS tracking recommended.

A route away from the crowds, towards a summit located on the border between the Fonts de Cervières and Izoard valleys. Magnificent panoramic views of the surrounding peaks, as well as the Ecrins, Cerces and Italy.

This route straddles two countries, offering lakes, military heritage, pastoralism and views of the high peaks of Pic de Rochebrune on the French side and Mont Chaberton on the Italian side. It is ideal for walking or running.

A very easy circular route via two mountain passes on the border between France and Italy.

This is one of the mountain guides' favourite hikes to a summit with a ridge trail offering exceptional views of the Alps and returning to a valley that is very popular with chamois. I recommend using the Visorando app.

Circuit opposite the magnificent peak of Rochebrune with an exceptional view of the road of the Col d'Izoard. And besides, there are chamois here!

A historic hike with a visit to two Maginot forts, a ridge walk with views of a multitude of peaks in the Écrins, Cerces, Italy and Queyras ranges, a descent to two pretty lakes and a return through a landscape of chimneys with another view of the Écrins. These are the ingredients of one of the most beautiful routes in the Briançonnais.

Visit a sentry fort overlooking the five Briançon valleys.

From the Vauban citadel to the Pierre aux Œufs site, a megalithic site featuring cup marks.

For those who love aerial views, the Croix de Toulouse offers a spectacular view of Briançon.

For a multi-faceted walk in the Vallée des Fonts de Cervières:- a wide path along the edge of the Cerveyrette,- an arrival point featuring not teepees, but remarkable chalets,- an impressive view of the Pic du Lombard summit,- and above all, a delicious meal at the Refuge des Fonts,this is an interesting idea for a pleasant day out.

The Izoard, a legendary pass on the Tour de France, makes for a truly beautiful snowshoe hike.

A beautiful hike starting from the centre of Briançon, offering magnificent views of the town, the valley and the famous glaciers of the Écrins massif.

Discover the Oules waterfall at the bottom of the Blétonnet valley, starting from Laus de Cervières.

An easy family hike. Caution in the mountains: children must be supervised at all times due to the presence of ravines. Round trip route in the Vauban city of Briançon. Numerous viewpoints and historical sites of great interest.

For a tour of four typical villages, this is a very shaded route that will delight young and old alike.

This is a very interesting circular route for visiting the Poët Morand chalets, which offer remarkable views of two of the old Briançon forts: Infernet to the north and Grand Maye to the south.

Reaching the Col d'Izoard via the Sentier des Mules is a magnificent snowshoe hike through the forest, far from the crowds climbing the pass by road.

An easy hike between Vauban fortifications and the turquoise waters of Lake Pont Baldy.

A short hike to discover the fortified heritage of the Briançon region.

This circular starting from Laus de Cervières leads through two very pleasant woods: Péméant and Loubatières. It is a very interesting route in hot weather as it mainly passes under the large larch trees of these two forests.

A visit to one of the many military forts defending the border, Briançon and its valleys.

This is the first stage of a journey that will take you across France, following the 45th parallel as closely as possible (within 10 km). To truly cross France and avoid going back and forth, the starting point is in Italy. However, it is possible to start from Pamplinet and climb up to the Col de Désertes to start from the French-Italian border.

Visit one of the many forts covering the Briançonnais region, unfortunately now in ruins. This fort overlooks the Clarée Valley and in particular the Cols de l'Échelle and Cols des Acles passes on the Italian border.

The Rocher de Barrabas or Guglia di Mezzodi is a peak on the Italian border with a particularly striking profile. It forms part of a veritable amphitheatre of Dolomite rocks on the Italian side. The view it offers is simply breathtaking.

This section corresponds to the second stage of the crossing of France, following the 45th parallel. This stage is magnificent and can be a hike in its own right. You follow the Clarée valley and discover beautiful waterfalls before climbing up to the Refuge du Chardonnet.

From this summit, you can (almost) touch the Pic de Rochebrune, the second-highest peak in the Queyras.

A remarkable circuit in the famous Fonts de Cervières valley, with a magnificent lake at the foot of the Pic de Rochebrune cirque.

In the footsteps of the military constructions of the Briançonnais region.

This forest hike does not present any major difficulties. It is suitable for all experienced hikers. It can be done in all seasons, but I prefer autumn because of the colours of the larch trees. After the first snowfall, it is also possible to do this route on snowshoes. However, be careful of the often exposed slopes, which are prone to avalanches.

A hike to a fort situated on the heights of Briançon, offering a breathtaking panorama of the Ecrins massif, Italy, the Queyras, and some peaks of the Vanoise. You can also see the other surrounding forts, such as those of La Lausette, Les Gondrans and L’Infernet, which La Grande Maye was supposed to protect.

On the ridge separating the Briançonnais from the Queyras, between the Grand Glaiza and the Pic de Rochebrune, this 3,078m peak offers a remarkable 360° view.

From Les Fonts de Cervières, dozens of hikes set off. This one, similar to the Petit Rochebrune route, allows you to traverse part of the ridge linking the Col des Péas to the summit of the Petit Rochebrune.

Located at the bottom of the Fonts de Cervières valley, this 3,293-metre peak marks the border with Italy. It is very easy to access and offers remarkable views of the peaks of Queyras and Ubaye and, when not hidden by the nebia, the nearby Mont Viso.

A magnificent circular hike that avoids a mundane return trip to the Aiguille Rouge. This hike ventures off the marked trails on a few occasions, but civilisation is always in sight, so it’s impossible to get lost. After the superb viewpoint at the Aiguille Rouge, the route takes in two lakes as well as a multitude of fairy chimneys in the Combe des Thures.

A beautiful hike that takes you from a larch forest to a mineral world. We tackle the summit of the Aiguille Rouge with its splendid panorama, then the vast mountain pasture of the Col des Thures and Lake Chavillon, under the watchful eye of the three Wise Men of the Vallée Étroite. We extend the hike to Lake Bellety, which is less frequented but well worth the detour.

The hike from Col de l’Échelle to Aiguille Rouge is a classic route usually done as a round trip via an easy path. The uniqueness of the route suggested here lies in the fact that it follows a little-known path for much of the ascent. Please note: as this path passes through areas prone to erosion, it is therefore reserved for experienced hikers.

A very peaceful walk along the road and through the forest to reach this small tunnel before the long descent to Bardonneche.

A pleasant walk through the larch forest overlooking the mountain pasture hamlet of Mélézin, ending in the Plan Vallon cirque where, normally, the lake acts as a mirror for the surrounding peaks. Unfortunately, this lake dries up by mid-July, which is a bit of a shame.

A route away from the crowds, leading to one of the most beautiful larch forests and a ridge offering a stunning panoramic view stretching from the Écrins and the Briançonnais region all the way to the Aiguilles d’Arves. Navigation here is made easier by the Visorando app.

In Névache in summer, the trails are very busy, especially those leading to the beautiful Lac des Thures, which is more accurately called Lac de Chavillon, but as it is located right at the Col des Thures, it is easier to associate it with this name.

A lovely, easy walk, mostly through a larch forest and, for a short stretch, along the Clarée. In summer, you can enjoy the magnificent alpine flora that accompanies you along the entire route.

Visit two pretty lakes located on the link between the Névache Valley and the Vallée Etroite. The Lac de Chavillon is located at the Col des Thures, the crossing point between the two valleys mentioned above. The Lac Bellety above is on the border between the former provinces of Dauphiné and Savoie.

A fine walk with two passes and some very beautiful scenery. Swimming available.

A trail hike offering spectacular views of the surrounding ridges and peaks, as well as the Briançonnais and the Cerces as far as the Aiguilles d’Arves. I recommend supplementing the route description by using the Visorando app.