the Guil flows north-west, collecting a few early tributaries on the way, then curves south-westward at Abriès, which sits at the confluence of the Guil and the Bouchet flowing from the north. Beyond Abriès the river passes Aiguilles, the so-called capital of the valley, before rushing below the medieval, fortified Château-Queyras (with the inevitable Vauban additions) perched on an outcrop, and soon after enters the deep and narrow Combe du Queyras. A hundred years ago the only ways out of the valley below Château-Queyras were along paths that climbed hillsides high above the river. ‘Now a remarkable road traverses the gorges,’ announced one commentator just before the last war, ‘crossing and recrossing the torrent and often gouged out of the perpendicular sides of the immense cleft which it has cut.’ Above the left bank the lovely village of Montbardon sits amid flower-rich meadows dotted with pine and fir trees. Further down, near Guillestre, the Guil washes into the Durance, the river that drains the eastern slopes of the Écrins.
Château-Queyras, perched above the Guil
Set in an open basin surrounded by low mountains Guillestre, with its attractive medieval streets and 16th-century church guarded by marble lions, is very much the entry point to the central Queyras. A four-kilometre branch road off the N94 Gap-Briançon highway is an important link with the rest of Dauphiné, while the Col de Vars route also comes down to that little market town. Visitors coming by train should aim for Montdauphin-Guillestre in the Durance valley. Buses from there serve the main Queyras valleys.
In these southerly mountains the climate is heavily influenced by the Mediterranean and is therefore more amenable for active walking or climbing holidays than almost anywhere in the Alps. The peaks, though not as high nor as dramatic as those of the Écrins, are certainly no less attractive, and have an appealing, rugged charm. East of Château-Queyras the Haut Queyras are largely formed of mica-schist, while in the Bas Queyras limestone is also evident. On the way to the Col d’Izoard the lunar landscape of the Casse Déserte reveals numerous rocky pinnacles, curious eroded formations of limestone, dolomite and gypsum sprouting from a mountainside of grey screes. Large forests of larch and pine edge meadows noted for their spring flowers. Marmots are numerous; so too are chamois. There are many small lakes, the gift of long-departed glaciers, and mountain streams tumbling in waterfalls from bare cliffs and snow-clad peaks. So far the region has been spared any major ski development, and the walking is excellent.
In order to give some idea of the district’s charm, and its appeal for walkers, the following summary of opportunities will serve as an introduction before we outline the route of the multi-day GR58, otherwise known as the Tour du Queyras.
Vallons du Mélezet, d’Albert and Cristillan
These glens lie to the east of the Guil and may be reached from Guillestre by bus as far as Ceillac, a low-key cross-country ski centre where two valley systems merge, the upper reaches of the Cristillan which flows from the north-east, Vallon du Mélezet from the south-east. Built on a sloping terrace Ceillac has hotel and gîte accommodation, and there’s a campsite in the Mélezet valley. The village makes a fine base for a few days of a walking holiday, as there are several high cols accessible by reasonable trails, among them: Col Girardin, Col Albert, Col des Estronques, Col de Bramousse and Col Fromage. In addition to these, walkers may be tempted by a few modest summits that provide superb viewpoints, while there are valley-based walks to the popular lakes of Ste-Anne and Mirroir, and less-trod trails in the wild upper valleys of the Cristillan and d’Albert.
Reached by way of the Vallon du Mélezet Lac Ste-Anne, or rather the tiny chapel on its shore, is the focus of a pilgrimage that takes place each year on 26 July by villagers from Ceillac and Maurin. The route of that pilgrimage is a short one from the roadhead at Chaurionde, but an alternative approach may be made via the Lac Mirroir (also known as Lac des Prés-Sebeyrand) following the trail of the GR5 which, sadly, is rather devalued for a short stretch by the presence of a ski-lift. However, above this the turquoise Lac Ste-Anne is a gem cupped among soaring, wild-looking peaks. Rarely, on a fine summer’s day, will you enjoy it in solitude.
Of the walkers’ cols accessible from Ceillac, Col Girardin (2699m) is an obvious saddle in the cirque wall that curves behind Lac Ste-Anne, from which it may be gained in an hour over rough ground of rock and fairly steep scree. The col marks the border between the départements of Hautes-Alpes and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, and is crossed by the GR5 on the way to the valley of Ubaye. From it views to the north-west show the snowy mass of the Écrins with the Pelvoux massif looking especially fine, while the Aiguille de Chambeyron is seen to the south-east. The tiny chapel-adorned summit of Tête de Girardin (2876m) rises above the col to the east, and makes a tempting destination for enterprising walkers, while in the bed of the Ubaye, a little under two hours from the col, the stone-built Refuge Maljasset (CAF owned) provides an opportunity for walkers to explore yet another valley system, returning perhaps by way of Col Tronchet (2658m) which rewards with still more grand views.
Although the Ubaye valley lies outside the Queyras district proper and flows down to St Paul, it has some good walking opportunities amid wonderful high mountain scenery. The upper reaches are hemmed in by big peaks, including the Aiguille and Brec de Chambeyron, and near the head of the valley a collection of little tarns lies just beneath the frontier ridge.
Vallon d’Albert branches off the Mélezet glen to the south-east behind the hamlet of La Riaille and has about it a singularly wild appeal. It’s a short glen, uncompromising both in the nature of its trails and the beauty of its upper meadows. At its head Col Albert (2846m), again overlooking the Ubaye, is an obvious destination for a walk, but it’s a strenuous one on a trail that is not always clear.
As for the Vallée du Cristillan, it is the glaciated upper valley that has particular appeal for walkers based in Ceillac, for there are numerous possible routes to follow with varying degrees of waymarking. Some trails apparently begin promisingly enough, only to fade and disappear. Others are blazed with paint marks and appear to be well-trodden. Among the many destinations, either signposted, or hinted at from the map, the following selection provides an idea of what is in store: Lac de Clausis, Col du Cristillan and Col Nord du Cristillan, Col Ceillac and Col Longet. There’s also Col de la Cula and the 3121 metre summit of Tête de la Cula immediately above it that provide excellent views of the high peaks of the Ubaye.
Ceillac, of course, occupies a prime site in the Cristillan valley, and is on the route not only of GR5, but also that of GR58 and one of its variants. Between them, these multi-day routes cross three cols above the village: Col de Bramousse (2251m) to the north, the grassy Col Fromage (2301m) to the east of that, and Col des Estronques (2651m) south-east of Col Fromage. By linking Col de Bramousse and neighbouring Col Fromage, for example, an enjoyable day’s circuit could be achieved. Between the two cols the Crête des Chambrettes is exposed in places, but the trail along it should be good enough for all but those with a tendency towards vertigo. As for Col des Estronques, this is overlooked by the Tête de Jacquette (2757m), a superb viewpoint that should be on the list of all walkers spending time in Ceillac.
Vallées de l’Aigue Blanche & l’Aigue Agnelle
These two valleys come together as one near the old settlement of Molines-en-Queyras and then flow roughly northward as the Aigue Agnelle to enter the main Guil valley at Ville-Vielle, a short distance upstream of Château-Queyras. Of the two, the Vallée de l’Aigue Agnelle carries an unpaved road over the frontier ridge at Col Agnel where, it is thought, Hannibal crossed on his epic trans-Alpine journey with his elephants in 218BC (another conjectured crossing place is Col de la Traversette further east by Monte Viso), while the highlight for many in the Aigue Blanche valley is the rather commercialised, yet still-charming village of St-Véran which lays claim to being the highest community in Europe. However, despite the fact that St-Véran is perched on a steep, south-facing slope at an altitude of 2040 metres, this claim is a little wide of the mark since the village is still some 86 metres lower than Juf in the Averstal in Switzerland. Be that as it may, St-Véran has a heavy, old-fashioned air about it, with many of its stone and timber buildings dating from the 17th or 18th centuries hugging narrow streets overhung with massive eaves and wide balconies. Walkers planning to use it as a base for a few days will find there are two gîtes