Tour of the Queyras

This guide is now out of print, to view our current guide to this region please click here.

The Queyras is an isolated, unspoilt region of the French Alps between the Durance Valley and the Italian border.

Sheltered to the west by the big peaks of the Ecrins, it is the sunniest area of the Alps, a mass of flowers early in the season. The absence of glaciers makes it ideal hillwalking country, with several mountain summits accessible to the ordinary walker.

This book describes a 13-day circuit along the GR58 and GR541, with accommodation in gîtes and refuges. Ideal for a first Alpine visit or for those tired of more crowded areas, or for those seeking to escape the unsettled weather of massifs further north.

There is plenty of variety from woodland glades to rocky high-level cols, from Alpine pasture to airy summit. The Tour includes two excursions into the Italian Alps, and there is plenty of opportunity to shorten or lengthen the route as time and conditions dictate. The walk is ideal for those new to Alpine walking, whilst providing optional challenges for the more experienced. Most of the day stages are not over long, allowing plenty of time for admiring the magnificent scenery or attempting an additional summit or footpath. Time is available at the end of a two-week holiday to visit Guillestre and nearby Briançon.