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The Queyras, a secret place in the Alps

Here is a wanderer’s delight in the breathtaking valleys of the Queyras.
  • Duration 8 days
  • Activity Walking holiday with a donkey
  • Holiday among adults, with family
  • Theme mountain
880€

Information : The Queyras, a secret place in the Alps

  • Comfort
  • Difficulty
  • Note
  • Roadbooks French / German

Presentation

The Queyras: 2500 inhabitants, 2500 chamois, 2500 flower species.
The Queyras is a sort of archipelago sheltered from the irritations of the modern world. Here the sun shines for 300 days a year. Valleys perched from 1600 to 2000 metres, home to the highest villages in Europe, wend their way towards Italy. In these mountain villages, buildings wrought from wood and stone seem to melt into the natural environment.
Tourist activity here has developed thanks to the richness of Nature, never to its detriment. Flora and fauna of impressive variety may be seen: there are 650 square kilometres in which a rare gem may be sought. Royal eagle, marmot, chamois, wolf, Eurasian eagle owl, black grouse, brown trout, arolla pine, larch, edelweiss, Turk's cap lily...

You'll love

  • communing with the stars way up in the highest villages in Europe
  • the mountain flora and fauna
  • the sun of the Southern Alps (over 300 days of sunshine per year!)
  • the visit to the oldest building in Saint-Véran
  • spending a night in a mountain hut
 

Program : The Queyras, a secret place in the Alps

  • D1 Arrival in Molines

    Arrive late afternoon in Molines.
    Reception and settling in.

    Dinner and night at two star hotel (altitude 1820 m)

  • D2 From Saint Véran to Molines

    Vehicle transfer to Saint Véran. Your vehicle will be parked in front of the hostelry during your holiday.
    Tips on handling a donkey.
    Short outing: 7,7 km, 235 metres altitude change, Level 1/5 (1hr30)
    Easy walk in the valley of La Blache, passing by the chapel of Sainte Agathe and the honey producer's of La Chalp.
    For a longer walk: 12 km with 785 m total uphill, level 3/5 (about 5hrs walking).

    This is for fairly hardened walkers and leads you up to the chapel of Saint Simon and the alpine pastures of the Col Fromage.

    Dinner and night at the 2 star hotel (altitude 1820 metres.)

  • D3 From Molines to Le Coin

    9.5 km with 525 m altitude change, level 2/5 (around 3hrs30).
    The path follows the route of a former canal. It goes up to the village of Pierre-Grosse. Note the fine houses built in typically Queyras style: these "fustes" (formerly signifying long wooden ship!) are constructed in solid larchwood. Your new accommodation, perched above the hamlet of Le Coin, awaits you.

    Dinner and night at the 2 star hotel (altitude 2000 metres).

  • D4 Around Le Coin

    10 km with 700m altitude change, level 2/5 (around 3hrs30).
    Fine stroll across the Alpine pasture up to the Pas de Chaï (say "padder shy") at 2660 metres. Go past the sheep pens at the Clot du Loup and discover the panorama of the Ecrins at the Col (pass).

    Dinner and night at the 2 star hotel (altitude 2000 metres).

  • D5 From Le Coin to Saint-Véran

    8,2 km with 275 m altitude change, level 1/5 (about 3hrs30)
    You'll come to Fontgillarde, the last village before the Col Agnelle and Italy beyond. The walk continues through a forest of larch trees above the Aigue Agnelle (mountain stream). Below the "Bois des Amoureux" you'll follow a fine walk along an elevated path that continues on through the village of Saint Véran, the highest parish in Europe! Visit to an old house of 1641.

    Dinner at a restaurant and night at the chalet-inn (altitude 1950 metres).

  • D6 From Saint Véran to the mountain refuge at La Blanche

    10 km with 750 m altitude change, level 3/5 (4 hrs).
    After crossing the Vieux Pont you go back up the Aigue Blanche along a path through the undergrowth. The Chapel of Clausis marks the beginning of the Alpine pastures. The "refuge" of La Blanche and its little lake await you snuggled in the magnificent scenery with summits up to 3000 metres (the Rocca Bianca, the Tête des Toilies, the Tête de Longet).
    Dinner and night at the 2 star "refuge" (altitude 2 500 m)
    A night spent in a refuge is quite different from one spent in a hotel: it's a unique experience to live a while up in the mountains cheek by jowel with nature and under a star-studded sky, in a convivial and friendly atmosphere! You all eat together round the table and sleep in the same big room...

  • D7 From La Blanche refuge to Saint Véran

    12 km with 380 m altitude change, level 3/5 (about 4 hrs).
    The morning begins with a trot up to 2738 metres, the highest point, as it happens, of your holiday. A gentle descent to the valley brings you to the remains of a former marble quarry. Then it's along the trace of the "grand canal" which passes below a former copper ore quarry. It's a lovely walk along the mountain side, and it brings you to the first dwellings in the village of Saint Véran.
    Dinner at a restaurant and night at the chalet-inn (altitude 1950 metres).

  • D8 Departure

    Departure after breakfast.

Tariffs high season

From July to August, departure every 2 days

In family room

Adult : 920 €
Junior (12-17) : 780 €
Child (2-11) : 600 €
Baby (0 - 1) : 80 €

In double room

Adult : 1010 €
Junior (12 - 17) :  1010 €
Child (2 - 11) : 940 €
Baby (0 - 1) : 80 €

Tariffs low season

From mid-June to early July and from early to mid-September, departure everyday

In family room

Adult : 880 €
Junior (12-17) : 750 €
Child (2-11) : 570 €
Baby (0-1) : 80 €

In double room

Adult :  970 €
Junior (12 - 17) : 970 €
Child (2 - 11) : 900 €
Baby (0 - 1) : 80 €

What's included?

  • Half board in 2 star hotel and chalet-hostel + picnic lunches
    (Long stay holidays include one night half-board in a comfortable mountain hut.)
  • Roadbook and routemarked map provided.
  • Update GPS tracks
  • Private parking for your vehicle.
  • Technical and logistical assistance.
  • Baggage transfer by vehicle.
  • Ticket for the Soum Museum.

Optional

  • Donkey rental: 345 €

What's not included?

  • Beverage and extra
  • Return transfer from Home to the first accomodation
  • Facultative cancellation and repatriation insurance

Characteristics of circuits

  • Walking holiday with a donkey suitable for families with children from 6 years old (uphill stretches)
  • Daily stages between 7,7 and 12km, 3hrs to 5hrs 30mins walking
  • Total daily uphill from 235 to 785 metres per day
  • Altitude between 1820 et 2740 metres
  • For people with adequate physical condition

Organisation

  • These walks are much more about relaxed exploration than athletic performance. Your roadbook will guide you from beginning to end, and at each stage you'll find a place for the donkey to drink, eat and rest. We provide the logistical and technical support necessary.
  • Leading a pack donkey: travelling with a donkey is a superb way of enjoying a family walking holiday at the slow rhythm of the animal. They are great company for children and adults alike.

The donkey's role is to carry your baggage for the day (or the whole trip in the case of short stays). It can also, under your supervision and at your own risk, carry the children one-at-a time if they start to feel too tired, provided that
1) they are at least 4 years old and capable of holding themselves seated upright on the animal;
2) the terrain is even, and
3) the donkey's total load is less than 40 kilograms.
Looking after a donkey requires some attention, which is why we only provide one donkey per family per holiday.

  • On longer holidays you change accommodation every other day, which gives you the chance to better explore your surroundings or simply take the time to relax...
  • Accommodation has been chosen for its atmosphere, warm welcome and environmental and architectural excellence.

There is naturally a more rudimentary level of comfort the night you spend in the mountain refuge: you will sleep in a dormitory; bedcovers and pillows are provided. Your luggage stays in the chalet-hostelry youyou were in the night before, so for this stretch you need a medium sized backpack with your personal stuff, a change of clothing, a small towel, a sleeping bag liner, and a pocket or forehead lamp.


N.B : the accommodation described above is given as an indication and may vary according to availability at the moment your reservation is finalized.

Access

By car

From Marseille : Highway A51 until Saulce, then direction for Tallard, Embrun and Guillestre then take route national RN85 and route national RN94. Then direction for D902, finally take D947.


From Grenoble : follow the route national RN85 (Route Napoléon) until Gap then take the N94 (Embrun et Guillestre) or take the route N91 at Vizille, then la N94 until Guillestre. When arrive at Guillestre, fallow la D902 and then la D947.

By air

Marseille-Provence airport or Lyon St-Exupéry airport or Turin airport (Italy) + car rental

By train

Guillestre-Montdauphin railway station. Then taxi from Guillestre-Montdauphin railway station to the accomodation.

We do not recommend arriving by public transport because you will need a car transfer to pick up your donkey on Day 2.

Comments

Global note
5.0
  • Belles vacances, marcher avec un âne est une expérience fantastique, nous avons apprécié la paix et la tranquillité loin des sentiers fréquentés.

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The Queyras, a secret place in the Alps
I agree to receive newsletters from Safran Tours
The General Data Protection Regulation - GDPR, or RGPD in French - is the new regulation that determines how businesses may handle customers’ computerised personal data. In accordance with the provisions of French legislation, namely Act No. 78-17 of 6th January 1978 as amended variously up to, we inform you that the personal data you provide will be computerized and treated with the utmost confidentiality. Only authorized persons may access your data and this for strictly internal purposes. You have the right to access, correct or delete information about yourself by simply contacting us at reservations@safrantours.com *