Variants to the GR58
There are also four official alternative routes (variants) to certain parts of the standard GR58. These are all on the eastern or northern sections of the route, and two of them enter Italy. The variants are as follows.
Pic d’Asti and the Pain de Sucre (Stage 4)
GR58A From Abriès to Souliers via the Lac du Grand Laus, Aiguilles, Chalvet and Les Meyries. A relatively low-level variant (except for the climb to the Lac du Grand Laus), but which involves considerable ascent, descent and re-ascent before joining the standard GR58 route before Souliers. This variant is not used on the Tour described in this guidebook.
GR58B From L’Echalp in the upper Guil valley to Abriès via Italy. The route enters Italy at Col Lacroix and descends to the Rifugio Jervis at Ciabot del Pra. The return into France is made via the Col d’Urine. The Tour in this book uses part of this route.
GR58C From the Refuge Agnel to La Monta via two excursions into Italy. This major two-day variant is from Refuge Agnel > Col Agnel > Soustra valley > Passo della Losetta > Col Valante > Refuge Viso > Col Sellière > Pellice valley > Ciabot del Pra > Col Lacroix > La Monta. A small section of the route is coincident with the Italian Tour of Monte Viso. This variant is walked in its entirety in the Tour described in this guidebook, Alternative to Stages 5 and 6.
GR58D From La Monta to Les Fonts de Cervières. This is a variant, and has been dubbed the ‘high-mountain alternative’. The route is from La Monta > Sommet de la Lauzière > Collette de Gilly > Le Roux > Col des Thures > Col de Rasis > Col du Malrif > Les Fonts de Cervières. The whole route of this variant is included in this Tour.
These four official variants are detailed here so that references to them on signposts or maps will make sense. Note that these variants are waymarked in the same manner as the standard GR route (see Waymarking and Navigation).
The GR541
The GR541 is a long-distance trail linking the GR54 (Tour de L’Oisans) in the Écrins with the GR58 in the Queyras. The two great massifs of the Écrins and the Queyras are separated by the wide and deep Durance valley, where the town of Briançon is situated. The valley also carries the main-line railway from Gap to Briançon, and a major route nationale, the N94. About half of the GR541 is followed in the Tour described in this book, namely the eastern section – from the Durance valley into the heart of the Queyras at Furfande. Not only is this a fine route in itself, but it also allows the walk to be started straight from a main-line railway station, without further travel arrangements.
There are two routes from the Durance valley to Furfande – the standard GR541 and the GR541 variant. The latter, which is used in the ascent to Furfande on Stage 1, crosses two high cols and passes a mountain lake, and is scenically the finer of the two routes. The standard GR541 is used on the final descent of the Tour in Stage 12.
Tour of the Queyras described in this guidebook
The walking Tour in this guidebook includes most of the standard GR58 and a large proportion of the major variants described above. Minor variants are taken occasionally (like that to the Col de Saint-Véran and the Pic de Caramantran on Stage 4) where the route and scenery are preferable to the standard trail. The various optional and alternative routes are all described. In addition, the Tour includes a number of optional ascents of mountain summits that are passed on the way, but which are not part of any official GR route. In all, the Tour crosses 24 cols and provides optional ascents of 17 peaks (see Overview Maps).
There is certainly plenty of variety on the trail, from woodland glades to rocky, high-level cols, from Alpine pastures to airy summits. The Tour includes two excursions into the Italian Alps, and there are opportunities to shorten or lengthen the route as time and conditions dictate. The route is ideal for those new to Alpine walking, while also providing optional challenges for the more experienced. Most of the day-stages are not especially long, allowing plenty of time for admiring the magnificent scenery or attempting an additional summit or footpath. Time is available at the end of a two-week holiday to visit Guillestre and nearby Briançon.
Walkers resting by the Lac de Souliers (Stage 10)
Climate – When to Go
The Queyras enjoys one of the best climates of all the Alpine regions. There are approximately 300 sunny days per year, and very often the mountains lie under a clear blue sky with uninterrupted views. Hill fog occurs less frequently than it does further north. Summers are warm, but because of the high altitude, they rarely become uncomfortably hot. Rainfall is relatively low, although low cloud and violent storms can occur in these mountains at any time, and the walker should be well prepared. The air temperature can change very rapidly in the Alps at altitude, and it can snow above about 2000m (6560ft) at any time of year, but for the most part, sunny, warm, settled weather is the general pattern through the summer months. The area does not suffer from the very hot and dry conditions experienced further south towards the Mediterranean. This combination of landscape and climate makes the Queyras an ideal area for high-mountain walking.
Briançon
Snow usually remains on the high passes until June, and even into early July in some years. Heavy winter snows return any time from mid-October onwards, so the season for the summer hill walker lasts from about mid-June until the end of September. Only the experienced and well-equipped mountaineer or cross-country skier should venture on this route between November and May.
Many of the gîtes d’étape and refuges do not open until mid-June (see Appendix 1). The majority of the French take their holidays between 14 July (Bastille Day) and 15 August (Assumption), so gîtes d’étape, refuges and hotels are likely to be very crowded during this period. The second half of August and the first half of September are possibly the best periods to go walking in these mountains. Snow is by then usually absent from even the highest cols and peaks, the weather tends to be warm, sunny and fairly settled, and the gîtes d’étape and refuges have relatively few guests, but still remain open.
On the descent to Les Fonts de Cervières (Stage 8 – Alternative Route)
After about the second or third week of September, several of the gîtes d’étape and refuges close for the year (Appendix 1), so if travelling after the second week of September it may be advisable to carry a small tent, although sometimes a closed refuge will have a permanently open shelter attached, as is the case at the Refuge de Furfande. Finally, those who wish to see the best of the Alpine flora should go towards the end of June, when the Queyras is one mass of flowers (but beware of snow on the high passes and peaks).
Travelling to the Queyras
For those flying to the French Alps, there are five main airports – Nice, Lyon, Grenoble, Geneva and Turin – all well served from several British airports by budget and other airlines.
From Nice Airport Take the airport bus or a taxi directly to Nice railway station and catch the train to Marseilles. The train follows the coastal route along the Côte d’Azur, passing Antibes, Cannes and Toulon, to arrive in Marseille after about 2½ hours. From here there is a connecting train to Montdauphin-Guillestre. This journey of about four hours is an attractive one, as the train heads northwards towards the Alps, via Sisteron and Gap. Taking an early morning flight from the UK to Nice also makes it possible to arrive in Montdauphin-Guillestre