The Queyras Balcony Trails from a Single Base

Intermediate. Hikes averaging 3 to 5h30 of walking, with an average ascent and/or descent of 400 to 600m, or an undulating route of 15 to 20km.

On Day 3, your guide may offer an optional ascent of the Pic de Cascavelier, which adds 100 m of ascent.

No previous experience of this activity is needed to join this holiday. You walk with a light backpack containing everything you need for the day (picnic lunch, warm clothing, water bottle, etc.).

Walking is on well-defined paths for most of the route, with occasional rougher sections or stonier terrain.

The emphasis is on discovery rather than athletic performance. The terrain remains accessible to everyone, and your guide is there to introduce you gently to the joys of hiking!

Your luggage will stay at the hotel throughout the week. You walk with a light backpack containing everything you need for the day (picnic lunch, warm clothing, flask, etc.).

Local transfers are usually by minibus. If a larger group requires the occasional use of participants' vehicles, confirm the arrangements and any reimbursement terms before booking.

7 days, 6 nights, 5 days of walking.

Group size will be confirmed for the next bookable departure.

Guiding

State-qualified mountain walking guide.

Guide gratuities are optional and at your discretion. To reward outstanding service, a suggested guideline is 5–10% of the total trip cost. Local currency is preferred.

Accommodation

Accommodation is in rooms for 2 people at our partner property in the village of Aiguilles, offering all the charm and comfort of a small mountain hotel. This small inn has a 2* comfort rating and 24 rooms with en-suite bathrooms (toilet and shower).

Meals

In a setting with the friendly atmosphere of Alpine lodges or mountain huts, you will receive a simple, warm welcome. Evening meals are served in the restaurant dining room, where you can enjoy generous and varied home cooking.
The cold meals eaten during the hike are complete meals made up of salad, meat or cold cuts, cheese, fruit, biscuits and more. These picnics are ordered from the accommodation providers or prepared by the guide using local produce and shops. An airtight container is provided, but you will need to bring your own cutlery.
You will need to provide your own hiking snacks at your own expense. Do not overlook the nutritional value of the snacks you eat during the hike. Depending on your preferences, these might include dried fruit (figs, dates, dried apricots or prunes), cereal bars (feel free to look online for inspiration from the many homemade recipes available—making them can be a fun activity as you prepare for your trip!), almond paste, quince paste and so on.

Meeting point / End of the trip

Meeting point

The meeting place in Aiguilles or at Montdauphin-Guillestre railway station, and any station transfer, will be confirmed for each departure. Ask us about transfer arrangements before booking travel.

End of the trip

The trip normally ends after breakfast on Day 7. Confirm any return transfer to the station when booking.

By train

Travel to Montdauphin-Guillestre railway station. Check current train times with SNCF Connect and regional shuttle services with Zou. Confirm the meeting point, transfer availability and any costs with us before booking rail tickets.

By car

Check your route on www.viamichelin.fr.

From the north, take the Col du Lautaret via Briançon (RN 94) or Grenoble (RN 94/D902). Alternatively, from Grenoble, take the A51 motorway towards Gap, then the RN94 towards Guillestre (D902).

From the south, travel via Valence or Sisteron, continuing towards Gap, then Embrun and finally Guillestre. Once in Guillestre, follow signs for “Queyras” via the D902 and D947.

Taxi
Taxi Le Guilazur on 0680217722
Transports Petit Mathieu on 0492467156

Several of our trips offer opportunities to swim, either along the route or at the end of the day. It would be a shame to miss out. However, please note that your guides are not lifeguards; you therefore swim under your own responsibility and at your own risk.

Member of Agir pour un Tourisme Responsable (ATR)

Since 2012, Grand Angle has been a member of ATR, the leading association for more responsible tourism. We design our trips – on foot, by bike and on snow – to invite everyone to discover the world in a different way: with curiosity, respect and kindness.

As a member of the board of directors since 2018, we actively help the sector adopt more meaningful practices. In practical terms, we are committed to:

• Transparency in our practices and prices
• Respect for our partners and local communities
• Protecting the environment on every trip

We also share the values of the Traveller’s Ethical Charter, which encourages everyone to take simple steps to protect the places they visit and make meaningful connections with the people they meet.

Travelife Partner

Grand Angle lists its Travelife Partner recognition in our company history. See that page for the current status and our approach to responsible travel.

In this section, you will find links to products from our partner Alpinstore, a French online retailer specialising in outdoor equipment, based in Annecy.

For carrying your belongings

• A comfortable 30 to 50 L backpack with a hip belt to carry your personal belongings and picnic lunch during the day
• A bag for luggage transfers: a backpack, a travel bag in good condition or a reasonably compact suitcase. One bag per person, with a 15kg weight limit

Find out how to pack your hiking backpack in our magazine.

For hiking

For maximum comfort, choose a layered clothing system: warm thermal underwear (leggings + top), such as “Carline” or “Capilene” (hollow fibres that wick away perspiration) + a sweatshirt or fleece jacket + a mountain jacket and overtrousers with a waterproof, breathable membrane (such as Gore-Tex or equivalent) for bad weather. As a general rule, except in hot climates and countries, avoid cotton, which traps moisture close to the body (and takes a long time to dry), and choose suitable synthetic fabrics instead.

• Hiking boots with ankle support, a sturdy, deeply treaded sole, a reinforced heel counter and good waterproofing
• Comfortable hiking socks (at least 3 pairs)
• A fleece
• Comfortable walking trousers (quick-drying technical fabric)
• Comfortable shorts in technical fabric
• Technical T-shirts or base layers (quick-drying fabric)
• A long-sleeved shirt
• Walking poles (telescopic), which are very important for making walking easier. Discover all the benefits of hiking poles in our dedicated article or how to choose your hiking poles
• 1 emergency blanket
• Toilet paper; follow local waste rules and carry out used paper where required

Note: synthetic technical clothing performs very well. New merino wool clothing is also available; it performs very well, is comfortable to wear and has the advantage of resisting perspiration odours!

For your lunchtime picnic

• Your eating kit: a plastic bowl, container or plate, and cutlery (spoon, fork, knife)
• 1 or 2 water bottles (at least 1,5 L in total) – compulsory –; an insulated flask for winter

For protection from sun and rain

• Sunscreen (high protection)
• Sunglasses
• A hat, cap or bucket hat
• A rain poncho or a waterproof jacket, such as a softshell or Gore-Tex jacket, and optionally waterproof trousers

After your activities

• A pair of running-style trainers for the evening
• A change of clothes and underwear
• A toiletry bag and a small towel
• Swimwear and a towel for wellness facilities (where specified) or swimming
• A small first-aid kit and your usual personal medicines; ask a qualified professional for advice on any medication you may need
• Check whether your confirmed accommodation requires a sleeping bag liner

Find these tips in our article #"what to take on a hike".

This list is provided as a guide and should be adapted to your trip and the season in which you are travelling.

Documents

Check the current entry and travel-document requirements for your citizenship before departure.

• Queyras Regional Natural Park, route de la Gare, 05600 Guillestre: 0492450623
• Abriès-Ristolas Tourist Office: 0492467226
• Château-Ville-Vieille Tourist Office: 0492467070
• Saint-Véran Tourist Office: 0492458221

Many guidebooks are available in bookshops to help you prepare for your stay. For example, you could consult “Parc Naturel Régional du Queyras”, published by Gallimard, which is well illustrated and easy to read. For a taste of the atmosphere of the Queyras, “L’Autre Versant”, from Éditions Hesse, features superb photographs by Christophe Sidamon-Pesson accompanied by texts by Michel Blanchet.

Several titles in the outstanding “Les Cahiers du Patrimoine” series, published by Éditions du Queyras, offer an introduction to the distinctive features of local heritage (“Dentelles du Queyras et des vallées voisines”, “Ceillac au fil du temps”, “Fort Queyras”, “Cadrans Solaires du Queyras”…).

Several books written by older local residents also evoke life in the region, past and present. These include the books by Céleste Fournier published by Éditions du Queyras, the memoirs of Philippe Lamour, an iconic figure in the Queyras, entitled “Le Cadran Solaire”, and Albert Borel’s collection of recollections, “Les Pieds en Queyras”.

Finally, for literature lovers, the valleys of the Queyras have provided the setting for many novels. Examples include “Les Hauts Pays” by Philippe Lamour, the novels of Raymonde Meyer-Moyne and, for a contemporary work, “Le Dernier Refuge” by Nicolas Crunchant.

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LIBRIS “Queyras Ubaye” map at a scale of 1/60000.