Queyras

INDEPENDENT WALKING HOLIDAY

Tour of Queyras - An Alpine secret

+

8 nights - 7 days walking between guest houses

Dramatic walking in an unspoilt, rugged region of the French Alps with breathtaking scenery. A sunny climate and good paths makes this an ideal alpine destination for the fit novice and experienced alpine walker alike. Luggage transported between guest houses. Rich alpine flora and fauna.

GUIDED WALKING HOLIDAY

Queyras: An alpine secret

FULLY BOOKED

+

8 nights - Multi-centre based, multi-day trekking

A spectacular undiscovered alpine region of rich contrasts. Deep gorges, alpine meadows, rocky deserts and rugged mountain ridges and peaks. Accessible high cols and summits, and a sunny climate makes this an ideal destination for a challenging guided walking holiday.

Full list of independent and guided walking holidays

Queyras

On our independent and guided walking holidays you’ll explore the spectacular and relatively undiscovered Queyras Regional Park. Its range of accessible cols and summits linked by good trails makes this unspoilt region a paradise for walkers wishing to have a real high alpine experience. In addition, its location in the Southern Alps on the border with Italy means it enjoys 300 days of sunshine a year.

The walks pass through a range of varied landscapes:  with mountain torrents snaking down deep gorges lined by lush forests. Above, alpine meadows merge with astonishing rocky deserts and mountain cliffs, capped by a succession of stunning mountain ridges and peaks. Its fauna and flora is exceptional with chamois, ibex, marmots, golden eagle and a vast array of rare wild flowers.

The Queyras landscape is as diverse as it is spectacular. Highlights of the area include the Casse Deserte, an amazing barren wilderness with a mass of fallen rocks, bristling with rocky spikes creating a scene more at home in the wild west. Several valleys surrounded by endless rugged peaks are home to crystal clear lakes. The Bouchosse valley is an excellent example and is both remote and wild. You'll have plenty of ocassion to marvel at two beautiful mountains. The Font Sancte is the highest summit in the Queyras. Mont Viso, just over the border in Italy, is a sublime mountain that dominates the area and reaches 3841m in height.

The Queyras is one of the oldest mountain ranges of the Alps, and it was one of the last ones to be opened to public tourism towards the end of the 20th century. It is relatively unspoiled. A large part of it is designated a regional park which seeks to reconcile the protection of wildlife and man’s traditional activities. Tourism is promoted on the basis of promoting the natural landscape and wildlife assets of Queyras. The 650km2 of natural spaces that make up the Queyras is home to golden eagles, marmots, chamois, wolves, eagle-owls, black grouse, brown trout, Arolla pines, larches, edelweiss, Martagon lilies…

The traditional villages of the Queyras have retained their charm, each with its own individual style of architecture. Nestling at an altitude of 2040m, Saint-Véran is perhaps the best known being the highest commune in Europe and one of the most beautiful villages in France. Local craftsmen and farmers continue to earn an income from their traditional activities. They produce a number of traditional wooden carvings including toys and furniture, costumes and lace garments, as well as honey and cheese such as Fontu and the Tomme and Bleu de Queyras.