Alps - Independent Walking Holidays

Please scroll down and choose the self-guided walking holiday in the French and Italian Alps that interests you

 

Tour of Queyras - An Alpine Secret

challenging walking in auvergne france

8 nights - From £1085/€1205 - 7 days trekking between guest houses

Dramatic alpine 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 in this relatively undiscovered part of the French Alps.

queyras mountain alpine trekking holiday

 

Queyras - Best Kept Secret in the Alps

challenging walking in auvergne france

7 nights - From £890/€995 - 6 days centre-based walking holiday staying in 2 or 3 locations

This centre-based independent walking holiday explores the Queyras, an unspoilt, rugged region of the French Alps with breathtaking scenery. A sunny climate, good paths and lots of easily accessible alpine summits makes this an ideal mountain walking destination.

Queyras

Grand Tour of Ubaye: 3 Regions Tour

strenuous walking holiday in vercors

9 nights, from £920/€1065 - 9 days walking between gites and refuges

The Grand Tour of the Ubaye is a circular walking trail through a hidden corner of the French Alps. This off the beaten track alpine trek takes you through some magnificent landscapes with beautiful alpine summits, serene mountain lakes and traditional alpine hamlets.

ubaye alpine walking holiday France

 

Tour of Ubaye: Hidden Alps

strenuous walking holiday in vercors

6 nights - From £710/€780 - 6 days walking between gites and refuges

Discover our wonderful tour of the Ubaye, a 6-day circular walking trail through a hidden and unspoilt corner of the French Alps with a small excursion into Italy. Starting in the Queyras, this off the beaten track itinerary will take you through some magnificent landscapes with beautiful alpine summits, serene mountain lakes and remote and traditional alpine hamlets including Maljessat in France and Chiaperra in Italy.

ubaye alpine trek

 

Marvels of Mercantour

challenging walking in auvergne france

5/6 nights - From £650/€715 - 5 days centre-based walking

Discover the Mercantour National Park in southern France and the superb landscapes of the "Vallée des Merveilles" whilst staying in three star accommodation in a wonderful setting. Five great walks on this independent walking holiday to discover the best of this wild corner of France in the southern Alps.

independent walking holiday Mercantour France in French ALps

 

Les Ecrins: Panoramic Alpine Trail

challenging walking in auvergne france

5 nights (extra night possible) - From £880/€980, 5 days walking between guest houses

Starting at Besse en Oisans, your spectacular traverse will follow one of the best sections of the Tour of the Ecrins. You’ll discover stunning panoramic views of glacier-clad mountains such as the Meije and the Barre des Ecrins. Your trail takes you past high alpine lakes, through stunning valleys and along beautiful balcony paths.

vercors alps alpine walking holiday France

 

Panoramic Vercors

strenuous walking holiday in vercors

6 or 8 nights - From £925/€1045 - 5 or 7 days walking between guest houses

The Vercors is a magical place where gleaming rock faces meet wild and desolate plateaux. The main summits are to be found on a ridge running along its eastern edge, the centre piece being Mont Aiguille, an awesome rock tower cast off from the main cliffs. Your traverse will follow this edge from above and below in the most scenic part of the Vercors with amazing panoramic views of the alpine chain.

vercors alps alpine walking holiday France

 

Tour of Mont Aiguille

challenging walking in auvergne france

5 nights - From £760/€840, 4 days walking - mix of day walks and walking between guest houses

This self guided walking holiday in the Vercors takes a short tour around the mythical mountain called Mont Aiguille, which provides some of the most cherished views in the Alps. This rock tower is central to a beautiful area in the French Alps made up of deep gorges and canyons, gigantic cliffs several hundred metres high and rocky plateaux. You'll also have the chance to summit the highest peak in the Vercors - Grand Veymont at 2341m.

cliffs of mont aiguille france

 

Sensations of Verdon Gorge

challenging walking in auvergne france

6 nights - From £985/€1090, 5 days walking between hotels

A sensational walking holiday that explores the Verdon Gorge, from above and below, one of Europes largest and most spectacular canyons. Its location between Provence and the Alps means it is a great spring and autumn destination.

Alpine mountains in French Alps on self guided trekking holiday

Trekking Tour of the Vanoise

challenging walking in auvergne france+

7 nights - From £730/€810, 6 days trekking with back-pack staying in mountain huts

The tour of the Vanoise is a circular alpine trek which allows you to be at close quarters with elegant high mountain peaks and stunning alpine glaciers. Designated a National Park, the Vanoise offers an ideal natural, unspoilt wilderness for walking and trekking holidays where souring alpine peaks with pristine glaciers rise majestically above wild, remote valleys.

Alpine mountains in French Alps on self guided trekking holiday

Vanoise Explorer

hiking grade mountains - challenging walking in auvergne france

7 nights - From £890/€1025 - 6 days centre-based alpine walking

This self-guided walking holiday in the beautiful Vanoise National Park of the French Alps is a centre-based trip which allows you to combine the high mountains with the comfort of a 4-star hotel in the pretty village of Pralognan-la-Vanoise. The holiday includes walks of varying lengths and difficulties with the majority of hikes situated around grades 3 or 4 on a scale of 5. This equates to day walks with altitude gains of 500m - 1000m. More holiday details

independent trekking holiday in Vanoise, French Alps walking between mountain huts

Alpine Adventure Part 1: Lake Geneva - Chamonix

challenging walking in auvergne france

6 nights - from £695/€765 per person, 6 days self-guided walking between gites

This is the first stage of a mythical walk which follows the GR 5 long-distance trail from the shores of Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean coast at Nice, following the entire length of the French Alps. Your trail crosses the alpine meadows of the Abondance Valley before meandering along the foot hills of the Chablais mountains heading towards the ever-present profile of Mont Blanc.

Alpine mountains self guided alpine traverse GR5

Alpine Adventure Part 2: Chamonix - Briancon

challenging walking in auvergne france

7 nights - from £985/€1100 per person, 7 days self-guided walking between hotels and gites

This is the second stage of a mythical walk which follows the GR 5 long-distance trail from the shores of Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean coast at Nice, following the entire length of the French Alps. You'll start your walking holiday in Chamonix and after passing by the foot of the immense Mont Blanc glaciers you’ll head through the alpine meadows of Beaufortain, before discovering the beautiful summits and glaciers of the Vanoise National Park.

Alpine mountains self guided alpine traverse GR5

Alpine Adventure Part 3: Briancon - Roya

strenuous walking holiday in vercors

8 nights - from £825/€910 per person, 7 days self-guided walking between hotels and gites

This is the 3rd stage of a mythical walk which follows the GR 5 long-distance trail from the shores of Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean coast at Nice, following the entire length of the French Alps. From Briancon you’ll first traverse the beautiful Queyras regional park before moving onto the secret Alps of the Ubaye Valley. From there its onto the majestic and wild Mercantour National Park.

lake mirroir queyras gr5 trek

Alpine Adventure Part 4: Roya - Nice

strenuous walking holiday in vercors

5 nights - from £710/€785 per person, 6 days self-guided walking between hotels and gites

This is the final stage of a mythical walk which follows the GR 5 long-distance trail from the shores of Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean coast at Nice, following the entire length of the French Alps. Discover the majestic and wild Mercantour National Park, with great wildlife before exploring the wonderful perched villages of the Provence in the Maritime Alps.

Alpine mountain walking self guided alpine traverse GR5

Alpine Adventure Parts 3 & 4: Briancon - Nice

strenuous walking holiday in vercors

12 nights - from £1270/€1410 per person, 12 days self-guided walking between hotels and gites

These are the final two parts (combined) of a wonderful trek which follows the GR 5 long-distance trail from the shores of Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean coast at Nice, following the entire length of the French Alps. From Briancon you’ll first traverse the beautiful Queyras regional park before moving onto the secret Alps of the Ubaye Valley. From there its onto the majestic and wild Mercantour National Park before discovering the wonderful perched villages of the Provence in the Maritime Alps.

Alpine mountain walking self guided alpine traverse GR5

Alpine Adventure: Alternative Part 4: Roya to Menton

strenuous walking holiday in vercors

9 nights - from £1030/€1140 per person, 9 days self-guided walking between hotels and gites

This is an alternative final leg of our Alpine Adventure following the entire length of the French Alps. This walking holiday takes a longer trail via the GR52 (rather than the GR5) going via the heart of the Mercantour National Park before finishing in Menton. Discover beautiful lakes surrounded by rocky summits & the famous Vallee des Merveilles.

trek french alps gr52 mercantour

Alps to Med Trail

walking grade moderate to challenging holiday France

7 Nights - From £1070/€1195 - 6 days independent walking between guest houses

Varied walking through a changing landscape from the Mercantour National Park in the French Alps to the Mediterranean coast through beautiful perched alpine villages, with a rich historic and cultural heritage.

saorge independent walking from Mercantour alps to mediterranean coast

 

Trekking Tour of Mont Viso, Italy

strenuous walking holiday in vercors

INDEPENDENT TREKKING TOUR - 7 Nights - From £510/€560 - 7 days independent walking between mountain huts

On this self-guided trekking holiday in the French and Italian Alps you’ll explore the spectacular and wild mountain scenery around Mont Viso, an imposing and relatively isolated peak rising to 3841m in the Piedmont, Italy. This hut-to-hut trek is ideal for those who like high altitude, wild mountain landscapes, in a quiet and beautiful region of the Italian Alps.

tour of mont visi hut to hut italian alps

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