Tour of the Pays des Ecrins in 3 days

Description

Roaming between Vallouise and Durance for three days, hikers are gently drawn into the history of this mountain territory, at the turn of every path discovering the iconic landscapes and peaks of Les Écrins. This 3-day trek allows time to take in the landscape, be it natural or built. It tells the unique and iconic story of this major gateway to Les Écrins and its many resources. The starting point of the trek, Vallouise, is a small tourist town featuring traditional architecture. Here, you can visit the Park Centre (“Maison du Parc”), explore the gardens and alleyways and make your final purchases before setting off on your tour.Following a forest track, the first stage takes you to Puy-Saint-Vincent, a mountain village and ski resort. Then, passing through a number of hamlets of this community, you come to the Col de la Pousterle and its vast grassy stretches surrounded by larches. Here, you gain a remarkable panoramic view over Pelvoux and the Glacier Blanc. As you head down towards the Durance, the forest ambience that predominates for most of the descent gives way to more urban surroundings: L’Argentière la Bessée, a small town with a rich industrial past, has not only preserved its economic and social dynamism but also offers an attractive living environment and lifestyle!The second stage leads to the charming mountain pasture hamlet of Bouchier. After following the Gyronde mountain stream and passing through the village of Les Vigneaux, you climb uphill towards this hamlet enjoying superb views over the Queyras valley and the Briançon area. This slope faces due south and it can be very hot here despite the forest cover.During your overnight stay in Bouchier, make the most of the pure skies and the absence of light pollution to gaze at the stars, either directly or from the astronomical observatory established there, if it is open.The final stage takes you back to Vallouise. The balcony pathway above the Gyronde hugs the Montbrison massif and its famous ridge formations ("Dentelles", meaning lace in French). After Les Vigneaux, the view opens up onto the glacial valleys of Ailefroide and the Glacier Blanc, and also onto your first-stage route, Puy-Saint-Vincent and the Col de la Pousterle.

Difficulty

Official rating: moderate, by Parc national des Écrins.

Getting there

Start: L'Argentière-La Bessée, L'Argentière-la-Bessée (05).

Sources

• Track: Parc national des Écrins, Licence Ouverte 2.0, Licence Ouverte 2.0 (Etalab) (destination.ecrins-parcnational.fr/trek/979739-Tour-du-Pays-des-Ecrins-en-3-jours). Time estimated by GPX Path with the Mac app rule, breaks not included.
• Official elevation gain: 1,857 m, Parc national des Écrins