Villar-Saint-Pancrace walks

A classic route in the Briançon area, allowing you to visit two of the main alpine hamlets in the commune of Villar-Saint-Pancrace.

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.

A very pleasant walk to discover the chapels of the commune of Puy-Saint-Pierre above Briançon.

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.

Circular Loop starting from Le Pinet via the irrigation canals used to water the land west of Briançon.

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.

Loop starting from Pierre Feu. This circuit will take you to the chapels and hamlets around Puy-Saint-André, sundials and the "Décoiffées" fairy chimneys. An easy circuit, except for the descent to Pierre Feu, which has a few sections where you need to take care not to slip.

Visit a chapel overlooking Briançon, offering remarkable views of the Durance valley.

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

A walk through the land of owls painted on the pebbles of the Durance by the pupils of the Saint-Martin-de-Queyrières primary school.

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.

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

Visit a sentry fort overlooking the five Briançon valleys.

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.

A short, moderately difficult route culminating at the beautiful Notre-Dame des Neiges chapel (a superb vantage point overlooking Briançon and the Val Durance). This little-known route follows the valley of the Partias nature reserve, then climbs the southern slope of Côte Belle to reach the Chapelle viewpoint. The ascent is gentle and gradual, but the descent will test your sense of direction. Part of it is off-trail and requires a bit of route-finding.

Briançon and the surrounding valleys are full of canals, which are a boon to farmers and gardeners. The Canal des Queyrelles irrigates the land overlooking the Guisane and Durance rivers and, in dry, hot weather, offers a pleasant walk in the shade of the forest.

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.

An easy walk along the canals of Briançon, offering a chance to discover the skill of our ancestors who, without any measuring tools, managed to dig these canals to supply Briançon and its fountains, as well as the vegetable gardens.

A very pleasant walk along the banks of the Guisane canals.

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

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

A pleasant, shaded walk, suitable for all ages, following the canals along the right bank of the Guisane.

A hike away from the crowds to one of the most beautiful ridges in the Hautes-Alpes, offering a sweeping 360° panorama of the Écrins and the Queyras, with a bird’s-eye view of the magnificent Lacs d’Escur and de l’Ascension. You’ll be captivated by the timeless beauty of the rocks of the Aiguille des Pénitents massif. A high-clearance crossover-type vehicle is essential to reach the starting point.

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.

A circular route along the edge of the Écrins National Park that follows two GR® routes, the 653d and the 50.

Discover this interesting pass, which links the Briançonnais and the Durance Valley to the Pays des Ecrins and the Gyronde Valley.

A traverse through a nature reserve in the Écrins National Park, rich with wildflowers; a ridge walk and an ascent to a summit offering a vast and stunning panorama of the Écrins, the Cerces, Italy and the Queyras. These are the ingredients of this magnificent hike. I recommend using the Visorando app for this route.

This summit, rounded like a Vosges balloon, will captivate you with its marvellous panorama of the Écrins, stretching from the Vanoise to Mont Viso.

An easy walk through the Swiss pine forest of Bois des Ayes above Villar-Saint-Pancrace.

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.

A summit situated above the village of Les Ayes and Lac de l’Orceyrette, offering a breathtaking 360° panorama of the Écrins, the Cerces and the Queyras. A challenging ascent leading to a very scenic ridge.