Queyras
The Queyras Regional Natural Park is in the Hautes-Alpes part of France.
Understand
This is one of the smallest regional natural parks in France, south of Briançon and reaching the Italian frontier. It's hard to see, however, how any other park could beat it on sheer beauty, even though its principal peaks are 300 m lower than the giants of Haute Savoie
History
The area has only been publicly accessible for a short time and is relatively unspoiled.
Landscape
The mountains, though low by Alpine standards, lack nothing in shapeliness.
Flora and fauna
The area is remarkably rich in most of the flora associated with Alpine areas. Marmots abound.
Climate
There is an extremely friendly micro-climate with a lot of sunny days in a year. However campers in June need to expect extreme cold at night. Because of the variation between this and the heat of the afternoon, streams can become rivers during the day and flowers can be seen growing newly where snow has only recently melted.
Get in
Access by road only from Briançon in the north and Giullestre to the west.
See
- Ceillac
- Saint-Veran
Do
As many walks as you can manage. Count the sundials in any Queyras village. They are a speciality of the region.
Eat
- La Cascade. A Logis de France near Ceillac (past the camp sites.)
Stay safe
Be very wary of rising water levels from melting snow.