Closure of Val d’Escreins
The access road to Val d’Escreins is closed to traffic due to winter weather conditions. Reopening planned for next spring.
12/11/2024
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Le Val d'Escreins
Petit Canada VarsincThe Val d’Escreins is the green lung of Vars, with its wild expanses and the Rif Bel torrent, a veritable vein of nourishing water running through the forest and rising from the mineral heights that culminate at an altitude of 3385m.
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Disconnect
at Val d'Eden
Since 1964, Le Val d’Escreins has been a protected nature reserve in the heart of the Vars commune, a veritable haven of peace. On the program: 25km² of natural space from 1600m to 3385m altitude, including the summit of Font Sancte, the highest point of the reserve and park.
The Val d’Escreins can be reached via a corniche road on the north side of the Col de Vars (D902). You’ll soon feel the change in atmosphere, the powerful charge of nature that opens up before you.
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Off to little Canada Varsinc, the Val d’Escreins nature reserve, a veritable haven of peace.
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A glacier shaped the valley, filling it for several hundred meters as recently as 16,000 years ago. The mountains are carved out of thick limestone, with bold peaks such as Font Sancte (alt. 3385m).
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We quickly feel the change in atmosphere, the powerful charge of nature that opens up before us.
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Lovers of hiking, trail running, orienteering and other relaxing walks, the Val d’Escreins offers you itineraries on a natural plateau of enchanting flora and fauna. Add a hint of legend and you’re transported to a wonderful“elsewhere” worthy of the great cinematic epics.
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Originally, the first buildings were erected on the initiative of a few Varsincs who realized that the land in the Val d’Escreins was ideal for growing cereals. Gradually, activity shifted to livestock farming. In winter, its inhabitants returned to Vars or Guillestre.
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The ruins of the ancient village of Basse Rua, burnt down in 1916, bear witness to the last traces of human habitation. In 1982, the chapel was restored using traditional regional methods and materials (larch shingles, stone, etc.). The Grouse Lyre educational trail is suitable for families, and features informative desks for exploring the life of yesteryear.
Your experience
Nature
Le Val at a walk, trot or gallop
Explore the various walks on offer at your own pace. Go for a short, fun hike with the kids, go a little further if you’re a good walker and do a “3000” towards the Pointe d’Escreins via the Col des Houerts!
A lesson in flora and fauna
Immerse yourself in the Val d’Escreins by observing everything that surrounds you. Keep your eyes and ears wide open for eagles, ptarmigan, black grouse, chamois, mountain hare and the “star” of our mountains, the marmot. As for the flora, don’t forget your camera, as your shots will be enhanced by a variety of flowers and other incredible natural species: Scots pine, spruce, larch, gentian, edelweiss and Alpine blue aster.
Put yourself on pause
Time for a picnic, a barbecue by the water in one of the many reserved areas or a good meal on the terrace… and time seems to stand still. The choice is yours!
Immersion
The Val d’Escreins nature reserve is accessible by car from the D902 on the Alpine side.
The access road is currently open until autumn and the first snow.
A multitude of activities are available at Val d’Escreins. Hiking, of course, but also trail running on our various permanent itineraries, orienteering, or simply contemplation and rejuvenation.
The Val d’Escreins is a nature reserve.
Consequently, certain rules must be observed:
-Keep your dogs on a leash
-Do not throw your garbage in the countryside
-Bivouacs and camping are forbidden
-Do not light fires outside the designated barbecue areas.
-Gathering prohibited: protected species
-Do not make unnecessary noise: wild animals and herds need peace and quiet
A free shuttle service runs from the villages of Vars to the Val d’Escreins nature reserve, from July 6 to September 1.
A breath
of nature
That’s how we like to call the Val. A land in the middle that feels a little like a parallel world. Nestled between the Vars and Queyras valleys, it forms a link between the two thanks to its jagged, aerial peaks, a veritable work of art by Mother Nature. The impression of wild immensity with its forests, torrents and altitude, as well as the flora and fauna that inhabit the valley, have earned it the nickname of Petit Canada Varsinc. A nature reserve protected from all human impact, this postcard will remain so, unchanged in its natural purity, allowing every visitor to draw inspiration from it, whether through contemplation or nature sports.
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A day in Escreins
Start your day with a hike in the Val d’Escreins. Discover the beauty of this unspoilt valley as you pass through larch forests and verdant mountain pastures. You may also spot wild animals such as chamois and marmots. For your lunch break, find a peaceful spot for a picnic in the heart of nature. Take the opportunity to relax and sunbathe while admiring the surrounding peaks. And for those who want to make the pleasure of a visit to Val d’Escreins last longer, join the refuge, which offers overnight accommodation in rooms and dormitories, as well as the more unusual tepees for hikers and budding adventurers. A guaranteed change of scenery for all those who try it, with the one and only risk of becoming addicted to this bath of nature and gourmet delights.
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