Walk in the Briançonnais and discover one of the French Alps' most rewarding yet lesser-known mountain regions, where five spectacular valleys radiate out from the historic fortress town of Briançon through landscapes of snow-capped peaks, wildflower meadows, sparkling alpine lakes, and ancient hill forts. With a milder climate than the northern Alps and a wealth of quiet paths, the Briançonnais is a region ripe for discovery.

Suitable for walkers of all abilities, this comprehensive Cicerone guidebook describes 40 circular walks around Briançon, covering the valleys of Clarée, Cerveyrette, Ayes, Durance, and Guisane, as well as the magnificent alpine landscapes around Vallouise and Montgenèvre. Routes range from 4 to 21km and take between 1.5 and 7 hours to complete, with walks graded from easy to very hard.

• Choose from 40 circular walks in the Briançonnais, exploring five stunning valleys and the high mountain terrain around Vallouise and Montgenèvre, with routes taking in alpine lakes, historic hill forts, flower-filled pastures, and some of the finest ridge walking in the southern French Alps.
• Plan your Briançonnais walking holiday for the ideal season, with guidance on local conditions showing why mid-June to the end of September offers the best walking weather, when high cols and peaks are clear of snow and the valleys are at their most beautiful.
• Benefit from clear grading and detailed route descriptions for every walk in the Briançonnais, with routes rated from easy to very hard, 1:50,000 maps included for each route, and practical information covering distance, walking time, and terrain to help you choose routes suited to your ability.
• Find practical holiday planning advice for the Briançonnais, with notes on the best bases including Briançon, Névache, Le Monêtier-les-Bains, and Vallouise, plus comprehensive information on accommodation, food and drink, getting there, and getting around the region.
• Deepen your experience of the Briançonnais with sections on the region's geology, history, wildlife, plants and flowers, and the fascinating network of historic hill forts that punctuate the high ground around Briançon.

Plan your French Alps walking adventure with confidence using this trusted Cicerone guidebook. Immerse yourself in the wild valleys, high peaks, and alpine landscapes of the Briançonnais, one of the southern French Alps' most beautiful and accessible walking destinations.

Walking in the Briançonnais – Quick Facts

Guide name: Walking in the Briançonnais 
Location: France – Briançonnais, southern French Alps 
Routes covered: 40 circular walks (4–21km), across five valleys and the areas around Vallouise and Montgenèvre 
Typical duration: 1.5–7 hours per walk; range of options for all abilities 
Difficulty: Graded from easy to very hard; suitable for all abilities 
Terrain: Alpine valley paths, high mountain ridges, cols, lakeshores, pastures, and historic fort trails 
Navigation/mapping: Detailed route descriptions and maps included 
Accommodation & logistics: Notes on bases at Briançon, Névache, Le Monêtier-les-Bains, and Vallouise, with practical advice on accommodation, transport, and local services

Author Highlight

“The Briançonnais is a stunning mountain wilderness packed with everything one would expect from a high alpine environment: snowcapped peaks, green valleys and pastures filled with the sound of cow bells, sparkling alpine lakes full of trout, an abundance of wild flowers and a labyrinth of paths.”

- Andrew McCluggage, author of Walking in the Briançonnais

Map key
Overview map
Introduction
Valleys of the Briançonnais and Montgenèvre
History
Wildlife
Pastous
Plants and flowers
Getting there
Getting around
Weather
When to go
Where to base yourself
Accommodation
Safety
Food and drink
Via ferrata
What to take
Maps
Using this guide
Clarée Valley
Walk 1 Col de Dormillouse
Walk 2 Fort de l’Olive and Fort de Lenlon
Walk 3 Col des Thures
Walk 4 Lac Noir
Walk 5 Refuge de Buffère by the Côte Rouge
Walk 6 Pic du Lac Blanc, Lac Laramon and Lac du Serpent
Walk 7 Col des Muandes
Walk 8 Tour of the Massif des Cerces
Montgenèvre
Walk 9 Le Chenaillet
Walk 10 Fort du Gondran
Walk 11 Mont Chaberton
Cerveyrette Valley
Walk 12 Alp du Pied
Walk 13 Fort de la Lausette and the Peygus
Walk 14 Col de Bousson
Walk 15 Lac des Cordes
Ayes Valley
Walk 16 Lac du Plan Vallon
Walk 17 Col des Ayes
Walk 18 Fort de la Croix de Bretagne and la Grande Maye
Walk 19 Lac de l’Orceyrette
Durance Valley
Walk 20 Lac Palluel and Lac Faravel
Walk 21 Lac de Fangeas
Walk 22 Dormillouse High Circuit
Walk 23 Crête de la Rortie
Walk 24 La Grande Cabane
Walk 25 La Blanche
Walk 26 Chapelle St Hippolyte
Walk 27 Croix de la Salcette
Walk 28 Cime de la Condamine
Walk 29 La Croix d’Aquila
Guisane Valley
Walk 30 Briançon and Fort des Salettes
Walk 31 La Croix de Toulouse
Walk 32 Circuit of le Grand Area
Walk 33 La Grande Peyrolle by the Crête de Peyrolle
Walk 34 Grand Lac de l’Oule
Walk 35 La Cime des Conchiers
Walk 36 Lac de Combeynot
Walk 37 Les Arêtes de la Bruyère
Walk 38 L’Aiguillette du Lauzet Circuit
Walk 39 Lacs du Glacier d’Arsine
Walk 40 Plateau d’Emparis
Appendix A Route summary table
Appendix B Hill forts
Appendix C Useful contacts
Appendix D Bibliography and further reading
 

Seasons

From May to October. Some high peaks and cols will be snow-covered until late June and the main walking season therefore runs from the middle/end of June to the end of September.

Centres

Briançon, La Grave, Le Monetier-les-Bains, Montgenèvre, Névache, Vallouise

Difficulty

All abilities are catered for. Walks from 1½ to 7hrs graded easy, medium, hard or very hard.

Must See

5 stunning valleys around Briançon - Clarée, Cerveyrette, Ayes, Durance and Guisane; magnificent Alpine landscapes around Vallouise and Montgenèvre; beautiful peaks, lakes and valleys; historic hill forts.

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