Hiking

In each season, of course! Our valleys are fabulous for it.

• If flower-watching is on your to-do list, come to the Guillestrois in May, and wait until June for the Queyras.
• Summer is the time to take advantage of all the services, shuttles, guarded refuges and fully open shops.
• In autumn, the shimmering colors of the larch trees will captivate you. Imagine a plate with caramelized apples  in salted butter for orange larche trees, a little whipped cream for snow-covered peaks and the bottom of the plate as blue as… our sky’s sky!
• And in winter, the snow is full of light. The sound of footsteps is cottony. Time seems to slow down to remind us that sometimes speed is not always the correct answer.

Here are the essentials for a well-equipped hiker:

• A rain jacket
• Fleece, even in full summer
• Sunscreen
• A snack
• Water bottle
• Survival blanket/Emergency sleeping bag
• A cap and even a beanie or buff (we sell them in our Guillestrois and Queyras tourist offices).

Yes, only on very well marked trails that are flatter. So it’s best to have good low or high hiking boots, depending on your preference. For scree slopes, there’s only one option: high shoes.

Summits are like people: they’re not all approached in the same way! So sometimes good soles will suffice for the quiet ones, whereas the steepest, most austere ones, the ones that look down on you, you’ll have to approach them with ropes to avoid bending on their capricious slopes. If you’re wondering, maybe it’s best to go with a professional mountain guide.

You can’t venture into the mountains as if you were going to the beach!

1. First of all, check the weather forecast: just like brushing your teeth, it’s a “must do”, on the Internet or in any tourist information office!
2. Then, your map : don’t let it out of your sight, before, during or even after your trip, to record your memories! To help you prepare your itinerary, there’s also Le Chemin des Parcs, and the tour advisors who can advise you according to your desires and read the IGN map with you.
3. Know your level and stay humble.
4. Being an initiate is still the best way to learn and understand safety rules : thanks to mountain guides or special clubs.

Dogs are allowed on the trails. Dogs are allowed throughout the area, except in the Ristolas-Mount Viso Nature Reserve. For your dog’s needs, a small garbage bag will do the trick. And if he does get hurt, there are several vets at the Guillestre and Eygliers practices. It’s not compulsory to keep them on a leash, but it’s strongly recommended. Even if your adorable companion obeys in town, here, attracted by an unfamiliar scent, he could easily escape. Many wild species are then disturbed or even attacked. Our mountains are also home to numerous herds. They have careful guardians to protect them from wolf predation: the Pyrenean shepherds known as Patou-dogs, or the even more imposing Anatolian shepherds.Your dog could be perceived as a threat to his protégés, the sheep. Every summer, a few dogs are attacked by patou-dogs. Finally, your dog can go swimming… But always be careful! He can drink, but long periods in the water are a nuisance for aquatic fauna, including fish. If you don’t want to take him with you, there are a few people who look after dogs for a fee, of course! Check with your local tourist office! Two essential tips for your dog:

• Remember not to leave your dog alone in the car for too long. At altitude, the air is cool, but the sun can quickly raise the temperature inside the car. Don’t forget: it’s very hot at altitude in summer!
• A soaked towel in a fountain or stream will do him a world of good to recover from a good hike!

Trails are a bit like tinsel around the Christmas tree: they embellish our mountains while preserving them! By staying on them, you avoid trampling hay meadows, disturbing marmots and other wild animals, and eroding slopes. What’s more, you risk getting lost! Which would be a shame, considering how well-maintained the signposts are in our valleys!

First of all, thank you for your concern. Mountains offer you fabulous treasures: raspberries, blueberries, mushrooms, sprigs of thyme or genepi…delights to be savored, but and as an old wise man would say “you don’t need much to be happy”! Keep in mind you have to bring back the waste. First of all, your own, which you’ll take back to the villages where you’ll be able to sort out, as well as other people’s if you feel like it. In this way, you’ll be one of the mountain workers as we like it: untouched by human pollution. To learn more about the regulations, click here!