#16 the great road to the Alps
(989 km)
🇫🇷🇮🇹

SUMMER, POST-SEASON
from June 15 to October 31

From the shores of Lake Geneva to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, this exceptional tourist route takes you through the entire French Alps.
Walk through passes, fortifications, remarkable villages, panoramic viewpoints, canyons, rivers and forests.

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AN EXCEPTIONAL TOURIST ROUTE, A CROSSING OF THE FRENCH ALPS, 26 PASSES, BREATHTAKING PANORMAS

Landscape 90% 90%
Fooding 70% 70%
Distance 80% 80%
Activities 80% 80%

Here, in the heart of the Alpes de Haute Provence, there are plenty of passes, winding roads, gorges, undergrowth, balcony roads leading to superb panoramas… each bend leads to a real scenery of Post card.

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The Map

7 days 7 nights, 989 km

From the shores of Lake Geneva to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, this exceptional tourist route takes you through the entire French Alps.
Walk through passes, fortifications, remarkable villages, panoramic viewpoints, canyons, rivers and forests.

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Day 1

Beaufort

Embark towards the St Guérin dam, a superb starting point for many hikes. Take the path to Fairy Lake, a beautiful family hike that combines both the green sides of the mountains and the water that flows from them in small streams and waterfalls. Upon arrival, a small lake with crystal clear waters.

Day 2

Briançon

Three strongholds restored by Vauban are in the area: Château-Queyras, Mont-Dauphin and Briançon. Climbing at the crossroads of the Guil and Durance valleys, under the ramparts of the citadel of Mont-Dauphin, has a certain charm. Go up the Guil gorges on a small road between houses and farms. Park before the track, there is a 10 minute walk to the first sector.

Day 3

Barcelonnette

Unique and endearing, Barcelonnette is nestled in the heart of the Ubaye Serre-Ponçon Valley. Escape to this green setting with remarkable landscapes and discover a city rich in Mexican influence where a unique heritage is revealed at every street corner. Climb the Chapeau du Gendarme, hike or mountain bike to the Col de la Cayolle. Wild swimming in the Ubaye Valley, course at the Golf du Bois Chenu

Day 4

Puget-Théniers

Hikes in the valleys of Cians, Roudoule, in the valley of Cante and the clue of Amen (tributaries of the Var upstream). These rivers are called red rivers, marked by their red color due to the sedimentary rock, the pelite, which compose them. Welcome to Colorado Nice.

Day 5

Menton

Breathtaking viewpoints, authentic villages. Menton inspires the sweetness of life and a Provençal identity intertwined with Italian influences. Famous for the lemon festival in February, its colorful houses, its market, its park with olive trees, the "pearl of the Riviera" is a city full of charm. Sweetness of life, wild beauty of the landscapes, historical heritage, add to that a scent of Italy and climbing routes at La Turbie... You are in paradise!

Day 6

Avigliana

In the picturesque Susa Valley, surrounded by lakes and mountains, Avigliana is located at the foot of the ruins of a 10th century castle. Visit the sublime abbey of Sacra di San Michele, which inspired Umberto Eco for his book The Name of the Rose. Continue to Susa to discover the historical heritage of the city. Many forest paths and along the lakes, and the possibility of renting a boat to explore the largest of the lakes. In winter the Val di Susa and the Valle di Chisone are also very popular with skiers.

Day 7

Chamonix

Last night in Chamonix. In summer, hike at the foot of the Aiguille du Midi towards the Mer de Glace. Many high mountain sites are a delight for climbers and mountaineers. In July, take advantage of Artocène, a contemporary art festival as well as the jazz events of the Cosmojazz festival. In winter, remember to book a guide to do the Vallée Blanche on skis, an unmissable outing on the Mer de Glace or go downhill skiing in the resorts of Brévent-Flégère, Grands-Montets, Tour, Vallorcine or Les Houches.

The Other Map

Alternative road
4 days / 4 nights
“the great road to the Alps”
989 km

After a first night in Cormet de Roselend, treat yourself to a climbing outing in the jewel cases between Briançon and Guillestre. Second night in Barcelonnette, the most Mexican town in the Alps, then swimming towards Puget-Théniers in the Roudoule valley. Third stop in Menton, the most Italian of French cities, and return via Italy with a stop in Avigliana for the last night.

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