Etape 1 - Brunissard > La chalp > Ville-Vieille

> HERITAGE
# Vallée d'Arvieux
Located at the bottom of the Col d'Izoard, Brunissard is the most important village in the Arvieux valley. The old part of the village features fine houses in the style typical of the Arvieux valley.
It boasts a group of heritage buildings, unique in the Queyras, representative of traditional village life:
- its evangelical chapel, rebuilt in the 19th century and once used as a school;
- its Catholic chapel dedicated to St Pierre ;
- a dairy to receive and process the milk produced in the village;
- its bread oven - owned by the village - topped by a campanile used to convene the assembly of heads of families;
- its "Jules Ferry school", now a school museum.
Brunissard and La Chalp, located 1km downstream, are both Protestant-dominated villages.
The village of La Chalp, the focal point of winter tourism, is more "modernized" - the headquarters of the "Les jouets du Queyras" cooperative - with the presbytery (now sold), La Chalp was for a long time the headquarters of the Protestant parish of Queyras.

# Catinat and Les Maisons
When crossing the Catinat massif, it's worth remembering that the name Catinat comes from Louis XIV's general who, with his army, raided the Queyras in 1692-93. He is said to have set up camp at the summit of the massif.
Admire the beautiful larch forest, a tree of light that encourages grass growth.
From Les Maisons you can see the valley of Arvieux, its main town with its church and temple. And, in perspective, the mountain ranges above the Guil gorges.

# Lac de Roue
The Roue plateau we cross is one of the most typical sites in the Queyras, with its ancient meadows, larch trees and "motte flottante" lake established on an ancient peat bog.
Water clover and pondweed form floating meadows that are home to the protected Marsh Potentilla.

# Château Ville-Vieille
The descent to Château-Queyras is a great opportunity to see "Fort Queyras" from above, and to appreciate the impact of this ancient medieval fortress in the middle of the valley.
In Ville-Vieille, a village largely rebuilt after the 1957 floods, you can see the Craftsmen's Cooperative and obtain information from the Tourist Office.

In spring and autumn, conditions are changeable, and even snow-free trails can be icy. So, in the mountains, the reflex to adopt is "go out well equipped". In my bag, I slip or I hang: crampons and poles.

In winter, the right reflexes are: snowshoes, poles, gloves, hat, sun cream and... a survival blanket! Experience is essential, and knowing when to give up is sometimes preferable to taking risks. And if you're new to the mountains, don't hesitate to call in a professional! Before going out, I check the Météo France Montagnes and BERA bulletins (risks and avalanches).

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