Hautes Alpes: Summer Trip to the High Alps in France

The French Alps are a destination to die for. The area in France i have visited twice is in the Hautes Alpes region. This region is tucked away in the southeast in between the coast line and the more famous area of Chamonix. The area boasts the highest fortified town in Europe. Briancon can be found at the confluence of five major river valley systems and sits proudly around its medieval castle. With a population of around 15000 it is only a small outpost but is rich in history. It is situated at the head of the Serre Chevalier valley ski resort over 2000 metres above sea level. The town being so close in proximity to Italy was also famous for the access point whereby Hannibal made his way to Rome.

You can fly to Turin and travel the remainding 70 kilometres or so by taxi or car hire. You can also access the area via Grenoble or Lyon although it must be said any train journeys are long and tortuous from both of these towns. This is the main reason these areas are unspoiled by foreign tourism. The area however is a favourite camping area for the French in the long summer holiday period. With excellent hiking, white water rafting, parascending, horse riding etc it is a marvellous area to get back to nature. There are numerous well marked trails for both the novice and experienced hiker to follow. The scenery of the High Alps is absolutely breathtaking. Until you have experienced a highland area such as this up close you can never really appreciate either the beauty of these areas ot the hardship of life here for ordinary people. There is an abundance of accomodation to choose from. You can hire ski chalets or stay in one of the hundreds of gites to be found. There are of course Hotels to choose from with fantastic views and of course if you are more adventurous many camp sites all over the area.

The Serre Chevalier valley is fantastic early Summer and late Summer. You can be sipping a nice cool drink in a bar in Le Bec and an hour later be breathing out frosted air a couple of hundred metres higher up. Enjoy an exhilarating hike up to the high peaks with the incentive of enjoying 80 degree temperatures when you descend for that well earned refreshment. Even in high Summer it is possible for roads to be blocked by snow. I remember i think it was 2004 the Tour de France was due to pass through Monetier Les Bains which is at the top of the valley and it was cancelled because the mountain pass at le Touret was impassable. I was lucky to be there in April and September on my two trips and none of the passes were blocked. More luck than design i would say.

In Briancon there is a tourism office that tells you all you need to know about the National Parks in the Area. The two largest are Les Ecrins which is at the other end of the Serre Chevalier valley near to Vallouise and Argentiere and Les Puys which is further to the South East. I never got the chance to get to Les Puys so i will tell you about Les Ecrins.

We stayed in Vallouise a pretty little Alpine village with a river flowing through the centre which descends from two glaciers that converge at the head of the valley. We stayed in a gite. If you are not familiar with gites they are peculiar to France. They provide accomodation and evening meal which is cooked by the proprietors. Breakfast and lunch have to be made by yourself using a communal kitchen and storage area. There are usually also communal living areas where reading or TV can be enjoyed. Most people however have lunch out having planned for a day excursion so having a packed lunch to take. This can also be provided by the Gite owners most of the time. In Vallouise there are cosy little bars and the local market is not to be missed. A lot of the houses here are now second homes as many people from these areas have left for life in the cities due to the harsh winter environment.

A trip to the Glacier Blanc and the Glacier Noir is a must. The sheer vastness of the scenery will take your breath away. From up high on the side of a glacier a mile looks like a hundred metres. For the novice steady walking at a constant pace is a necessity. The lack of oxygen at these heights can make a fool out of the fittest person at sea level! Also be aware how quickly weather conditions can change at these latitudes. Sturdy walking boots and several layers of thin clothing are essential as is a supply of water as it is very easy to get dehydrated. Be sure also to make sure you have sun protection lotion and also head wear. A steady climb up to the Pre du Madame Carle up narrow winding roads is the scene setter. The Pre du Madame Carle is level and there is a bar restaurant here for refreshments. You then just follow the pathway to the junctions of the two glaciers. Simply go left for the Glacier Noir or right for the Glacier Blanc. The trek up to Glacier Noir is along an ascending narrow footpath which is part of the lateral moraine of the glacier. With great views on your left of the higher rims of the Ecrin this trek will set you up nicely for the harder and longer trek to the Glacier Blanc. The Noir takes about an hour and a half. The trek to the Blanc will take two to three hours depending on how high you go. Some people are happy to take their lunch at the emergence of the stream from the glacier snout but you can trek higher up the valley side to a small hut at the very top. This is the start of the trek to the Barre des Ecrins itself. This is the highest part of the National Park being nearly 4000 metres above sea level. I managed this quite comfortably being an averagely fit guy in his forties at the time.

One of the features of this area is the way that climate change is affecting the snowfall and the flow of glaciers. The Glacier Blanc has retreated some distance since i was last there in 1996. Vast areas that have been under snow and ice for centuries is now layed bare. The smoothmess of some of the rock appears to be as glass. This is due to the immense pressure of the overlying glacier as it moved across the bare rock surfaces. You can see the scatches and gouges as other material has been dragged against the rock with tons of ice above. Within the next 25 years if the climate continues to warm there will be no Glacier Blanc left. So make a date withthe Alps . Get there soon and enjoy the totally natural landscapes and the pure mountain air.