Tour of the Pays des Ecrins in 3 days

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History and architecture

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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.

3 steps

Description

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.

Departure : Vallouise
Arrival : Vallouise
Towns crossed : L'Argentière-la-Bessée, Les Vigneaux, Saint-Martin-de-Queyrières, Vallouise-Pelvoux, and Puy-Saint-Vincent

Altimetric profile

Recommandations

Herd protection dogs

In mountain pastures, protection dogs are there to protect the herds from predators (wolves, etc.).

When I hike I adapt my behavior by going around the herd and pausing for the dog to identify me.

Find out more about the actions to adopt with the article "Protection dogs: a context and actions to adopt".
Tell us about your meeting by answering this survey.

Information desks

23 Avenue de la République, 05120 L'Argentière-La Bessée

https://www.paysdesecrins.com/contact@paysdesecrins.com +33(0)4 92 23 03 11

Place de l'Eglise, 05340 Vallouise

https://www.paysdesecrins.com/contact@paysdesecrins.com +33(0)4 92 23 36 12

Vallouise Park house

, 05290 Vallouise

http://www.ecrins-parcnational.fr/vallouise@ecrins-parcnational.fr 04 92 23 58 08

Information, documentation, models, exhibitions, screenings, product sales and works of the Park. Guided tours for school, reservation required. The new Park House opened in Vallouise since June 1, and offers visitors an interactive permanent exhibition inviting to explore the area and its heritage. A temporary exhibition space will allow a renewed offer. Finally, the device is completed by an audiovisual room to organize screenings and conferences Free admission. All animations of the Park are free unless otherwise stated.

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Transport

Informations : paysdesecrins.com/transports

Access and parking

9 kms away from L'Argentière La Bessée by road D994E

Parking :

Vallouise Park House car park

Sensitive areas

Along your trek, you will go through sensitive areas related to the presence of a specific species or environment. In these areas, an appropriate behaviour allows to contribute to their preservation. For detailed information, specific forms are accessible for each area.

Short-toed snake eagle

Impacted practices:: Aerial,

Sensitivity periods:: MarAprMayJunJulAugSep

Contact:: Parc National des Écrins
Julien Charron
julien.charron@ecrins-parcnational.fr

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Peregrine falcon

Impacted practices:: Aerial, Vertical

Sensitivity periods:: FebMarAprMayJun

Contact:: Parc National des Écrins
Julien Charron
julien.charron@ecrins-parcnational.fr

Find out more

Short-toed snake eagle

Impacted practices:: Aerial,

Sensitivity periods:: MarAprMayJunJulAugSep

Contact:: Parc National des Écrins
Julien Charron
julien.charron@ecrins-parcnational.fr

Find out more

20 points of interest

History
The mobile compressor
In the mines, compressed air is used to remove dust and to create power for the drills. The mobile compressor holds compressed air in a resistant tank. This is brought to a high pressure via a pump (the compressor). The compressed air is then distributed to the mine machinery through a conduit system.
History
The Francis turbine
The American James Francis developed the Francis turbine between 1849 and 1855. It is a “àreaction” turbine suitable for medium-sized waterfalls (with a water head of between 15 and 500 metres). The water enters the turbine and then circulates between the turbine blades, which are fixed, while the inner wheel is mobile. The pressure at the wheel intake is greater than the pressure at the outlet.
History
The village of Les Vigneaux
In spite of the altitude, the region's dry climate and the local growing conditions of limestone and sediments facing due south made the planting of grapevines possible as far back as the tenth century. The municipality owes its name to the presence of these vineyard operations, which were very significant in the late nineteenth century. The almost simultaneous appearance of the phylloxera aphid and the Briançon train, bringing wine from Provence, spelled the end of this activity here.
Vernacular heritage
The communal oven
Legend has it that the Lord caused a communal oven to be built and kept it maintained. The local people could use this oven in exchange for the payment of a levy. Families would prepare and knead their own dough at home and then bring it to the oven for baking. Names were drawn by lot to establish their turns.
Fauna
The western green lizard
Very shy, this large lizard quickly takes refuge beneath a bush or stone, or among the tangled branches of a hedge when it senses danger. It is on average 30 cm in length and it is bright green slightly speckled with black. During the mating season, the male presents a bright blue colouring on his throat and on the sides of his head. It lives on sunny south-facing slopes, in uncultivated areas and forest edges, where it feeds primarily on insects.
Fauna
The short-toed snake eagle
In March, this large brown bird of prey, brown on its upperside, white speckled with black on its underside and a dark head, returns from Sub-Saharan Africa where it has spent the winter. It feeds primarily on reptiles which its hunts in steppe or barren areas, derelict sites or stony terrain. It builds its nest in a pine tree where it will rear a single chick. It can often be seen hovering in the air, thirty or so metres above the ground, and then swooping down on its prey.
History
The hamlet of Bouchier
Bouchier is a small hamlet in the municipality of Saint-Martin-de-Queyrières, which has a few permanent inhabitants in spite of its relatively inaccessible location. Standing a little apart from the hamlet, on a promontory overlooking the Durance valley, the chapel of Saint-Hippolyte dates from the early sixteenth century. It was built against what used to be a hermit's cell, and contains frescoes some of which relate the miraculous cures performed by the saint. It drew ailing people who flocked here to seek his intercession.
Fauna
The eagles of the Tête d'Aval
Eagles can be seen gliding around the Tête d'Aval. In the hottest part of the day, they circle on the thermals rising above the limestone cliffs. Having gained height in this way, they can reach their hunting territory without having to flap their wings.
Flora
Etruscan honeysuckle
Etruria was the territory of the Etruscans, in the area of present-day Tuscany. Although this honeysuckle does not grow only in Tuscany, it is Mediterranean, however, and only grows naturally in the wild in the southern half of France. Being a plant that needs warmth, it does not grow at altitude, except here where the south-facing slopes are particularly dry and warm. Its large pink and yellow flowers are highly perfumed.
Flora
On the south-facing slope, pine forest
The track passes through a forest of Scots pines, mixed with some downy oak trees. It is a forest typical of those found in the lower south-facing slopes (those exposed to the sun) in the intra-alpine valleys.
Fauna
The northern wryneck
In the spring, an odd song can be heard among the old trees in the orchard, a loud song similar to that of the green woodpecker, only slower. It is that of the northern wryneck. This bird owes its name to the extreme way it extends and twists its neck when it feels threatened. Its French name torcol fourmilier is a reference to the fact that it feeds on ants (fourmils in French). Difficult to spot because its plumage merges into the colour of the tree trunks, it gives its presence away by its song when it returns from its migration.
Flora
The Scots pine
A long trunk that is reddish-brown towards the top, sparse foliage, grey-green needles grouped in pairs... It has to be the Scots pine. Happy in poor soil, this softwood tree can withstand below-zero temperatures as well as summer droughts, and so it is very common in intra-alpine valleys with a continental climate, like the Vallouise.
Flora
The violet bird's-nest orchid
In the pine forest undergrowth stands a large, completely purple orchid. It has no leaves, just a few whitish scales on the stem. Lacking chlorophyll (the green plant pigment which plays a role in photosynthesis, the process that allows the production of organic matter), it lives as a parasite on tree roots.
Fauna
The black woodpecker
Sporting a black cap, the black woodpecker is the biggest of the woodpecker family. Wary and solitary, it is difficult to spot, but its strident calls give its presence away. It feeds mainly on ants and insects living in dead trees, which it extracts by hammering into the wood. It hollows out a nest hole in trees. Once the young have left the nest, it may be taken over by owls or forest-dwelling bats.
Fauna
The northern wryneck
The old trees in the orchard are home to the northern wryneck. It has a loud song, rather like that of the green woodpecker, only slower. This bird owes its name to the extreme way it extends and twists its neck when it feels threatened. Its French name torcol fourmilier is a reference to the fact that it feeds on ants (fourmils in French). Difficult to spot because its plumage merges into the colour of the tree trunks, it gives its presence away by its song when it returns from its migration.
Fauna
The clouded Apollo
This butterfly with hyaline (glass-like) translucent white wings, marked with two black spots, flutters around the clearing or the edges of the forest, where the host plants of its caterpillars grow: the corydalis. Although abundant locally, it is nevertheless a species in sharp decline and is protected.
History
The Sentier du Facteur - the postman's path
In former times, the postman would take this path every day: He would set out from Vallouise, deliver letters in Puy-Saint-Vincent and drop back down to Vallouise, stopping at the hamlets of Parcher on the way. In the winter, when the snow was too deep, the Traversouires (the inhabitants of Puy-Saint-Vincent) donned their snowshoes and wielded their shovels to clear the postman's path down to Vallouise.
Fauna
Forest-dwelling bats
Bats don't just live in caves! In summer, some forest-dwelling species shelter in old hollow trees or woodpecker holes during the day. Sometimes, the females also form little colonies here, where their young will be born (one bat pup per female). In this forest, which is still young with very few old trees, artificial roosts have been installed to help the bats and to facilitate their study.
Fauna
The pygmy owl
The call of this small, nocturnal bird of prey can be heard in the spring, and also in the autumn when it can utter some peculiar sounds. Active during daytime hours and at dusk, the pygmy owl is a predator of passerine birds and small forest rodents. But when they spot it, passerines will come together in large numbers to mob it, so as to prevent any attempted surprise attack. It is restricted to mountain forests where it seeks out trees with woodpecker cavities where it builds its nest.
Flora
The rosebay willowherb
The forest tracks are edged with great swathes of a tall plant which has purple flowers arranged in loose spikes. The rosebay willowherb is a pioneer plant and favours road embankments and disturbed ground. In late summer, its very numerous seeds, each with a little plume, float away en masse glowing in the advancing twilight…