Self-guided · Southern French Alps
The highest villages
in Europe, walked
col to col.
Sometimes called Little Switzerland — a circuit of the wild, sun-baked Queyras massif on the Italian border, over high cols and through some of the highest permanently-inhabited villages in Europe.
- Days
- 7
- Distance
- 95 km
- Ascent
- 6,100 m
- Grade
- Moderate to challenging
“An amazing and very memorable experience”Bhagyashree & Akhil · Tour du Mont Blanc
Read the reviewsTrip Essentials
The walk
A quieter alternative
to the Alps' famous circuits.
The Queyras sits on the French–Italian border south of Briançon — a whole regional natural park of high pasture, larch forest and traditional stone-and-wood villages that most walkers have never heard of. It's the driest part of the French Alps, with reliable summer weather and a light quality that reminds people more of the Mediterranean than the mountains.
This circuit crosses seven passes in seven days, links up villages that sit above 2,000 m — Saint-Véran claims the title of highest permanently-inhabited village in Europe — and dips briefly into Italy at the foot of Mont Viso, the second highest peak in the country. Marmots, chamois, eagles, and the wooden fountains and painted sundials of hamlets that haven't changed in a very long time.
It's the same shape of trip as the Tour of Mont Blanc — good waymarked paths, mountain gîtes each night, dinner around a shared table — but far quieter, cheaper, and with more sun.
The route, day by day.
A fixed self-guided package: every stage, every night's accommodation and every luggage transfer is arranged before you set off.
- 01
Ville-Vieille → Col Fromage → Ceillac
5 h · +1060 m / −810 m · 15 kmMeet at Ville-Vieille, the historic gateway to the Queyras valleys under Fort Queyras. A long climb through the forest and pastoral massif of the Bûcher to the Col Fromage (2,300 m), then descent into the lively village of Ceillac (1,640 m) at the head of the Cristillan valley.
- 02
Ceillac → Col des Estronques → Saint-Véran
6.5 h · +1140 m / −800 m · 12 kmUp over the Col des Estronques (2,651 m) — the gateway to the true Haut Queyras — and down into the Aigue Blanche valley to Saint-Véran, one of the highest permanently-inhabited villages in Europe at 2,040 m.
- 03
Saint-Véran → Col de Chamoussière → Refuge Agnel
5 h · +930 m / −385 m · 12 kmFrom Saint-Véran, climb to the upper Clausis valley (2,350 m) and pick your way along the Italian border ridge — Blanchet lakes, Col de Saint-Véran (2,850 m), an optional summit of Pic de Caramantran (3,000 m), and the Col de Chamoussière (2,880 m). A big alpine day. Marmots everywhere.
- 04
Refuge Agnel → Valley of the Lakes → L'Echalp
5.5 h · +260 m / −1140 m · 11 kmDescend the Guil valley via the Pain de Sucre (3,200 m, optional) and Col Vieux (2,850 m), then walk through the Foréant and Egourgéou lakes nature reserve down to the hay meadows of the Haut Guil valley (1,700 m).
- 05
L'Echalp → Colette de Gilly → Abriès
5.5 h · +900 m / −1000 m · 15 kmOne of the most beautiful ridge walks in the Queyras — the Peyra Plata ridges (2,500 m), the flower-rich Colette de Gilly, and the almost-lost hamlet of Valpréveyre. Descend to the lively valley village of Abriès.
- 06
Abriès → Lacs Malrifs → Refuge des Fonts de Cervières
6 h · +1270 m / −770 m · 14 kmThe most challenging day. Cross the Malrif massif (2,550–2,900 m) to reach the Malrif lakes with a memorable view of Mont Viso, then descend into the remote Fonts de Cervières valley in the Briançonnais.
- 07
Les Fonts → Col de Péas → Col de la Crêche → Ville-Vieille
6 h · +570 m / −1250 m · 15 kmLeave the pastoral hamlet of Les Fonts for the Col de Péas (2,600 m) under the Rochebrune — one of the four pillars of the massif. Return to Ville-Vieille via the canal, the Col de la Crêche and the Astragales path. Trip ends in the afternoon.
Where you'll stay
A good bed at the end of every day.
Small mountain gîtes and one B&B in Ceillac. Classic accommodation is a shared dormitory for four to twelve; comfort upgrades you to a twin room where available, and a hotel-style option provides private rooms with en-suite for most nights. Bring a liner — bed linen isn't always provided.
Getting there
Nearest station: Guillestre-Mont-Dauphin. Regular trains from Paris via Valence and Briançon. Private taxi from the station to Ville-Vieille costs around €80 for two to four people.
What's included?
A fixed self-guided package — accommodation, luggage transfer and route notes all taken care of before you arrive.
Six nights on a half-board basis (dinner at your own choice in Ceillac)
Route notes, IGN maps and a printed roadbook for the group
Digital route notes on your phone
All planning, booking and support before and during the walk
Luggage transfer between accommodations (optional add-on, minimum 2 people)
Not included
- Tourist taxes, which some accommodation may ask you to pay locally
- Picnic lunches (bookable at each accommodation)
- Dinner in Ceillac (village restaurants — pay direct)
- Taxi and bus transfers
- Personal expenses, drinks, cancellation insurance
- Guiding — self-guided, you are responsible for your own safety
Reviews from walkers
What it's like to travel with us.
Every review here comes from someone who actually travelled with us — we only ask once the trip's over, and we don't edit what they say.
From walkers on our other trails.
Different routes, same team doing the planning, the bookings and the hand-holding — so these say a lot about what to expect here too.
“An amazing and very memorable experience”
We had a really wonderful experience and are very happy that we went ahead with the trek. It was challenging at times, but overall it was an amazing and very memorable experience. The scenery, the trails and the whole journey were absolutely beautiful. Bhagyashree did have some issues with her knee during the trek, which made a few sections difficult. We didn't let that stop us — we completed most of the trek and, wherever necessary, adapted our plans and took a bus or train for certain stretches rather than putting too much strain on her knee. Managing the trek despite the knee issue made the achievement feel even more special.
Thank you once again for all your help and guidance in planning the trek. Will definitely recommend Big Trail Adventures to all.
“Solo or in a group, I would do this again tomorrow!”
One of the best experiences I have had. I did this solo and felt supported all the way with the BigTrailAdventures team, especially in inclement weather. The vistas were incredible and overnight accommodation was faultlessly organised. Pushing myself during the day ( I ran rather than walked the trail), and then being fed and watered in a hotel in the evening was a treat.
The planning was exceptional and all details were covered.
There is a special time every day when you are overcome with the beauty of the nature that you are seeing, the sweeping vistas and the gratitude for being able to experience this. It rejuvenates your soul.
“Awesome support from start to finish”
The hike, which challenged me in different ways each day, was great. There was so much to see in every direction. The Highlands are simply stunning, clouds and all. The stays were good for the most part, some better than others (one night my room was above the kitchen so it was quite noisy until late into the night and the haunted Inn was a bit much for me :)). The Rowardennan Hotel and Craig Nevis guesthouse were my favorites. All of them offered great breakfasts and most had dinner options with good selections as well.
The planning was amazing. No glitches, except for one minor one at the start where the luggage van changed their drop off location without my knowledge. Thankfully Craig was there in the morning and quickly figured out where they were and even dropped off my luggage for me. Everything else was planned and executed perfectly; my itinerary for each day included great detail of what to expect. The app was awesome and my friends and family loved tracking me every day with the GPS. I had read that the West Highland Way is very popular in spring (when I initially had planned to go) and late summer. It took a lot of back and forth communication about potential dates but Craig very patiently worked it all out. All communication was prompt and thorough. I very much appreciate all the support I received prior and during my adventure!! Thank you Craig!
There are so many moments I will carry with me for a long time, like my first glimpse of the Highlands, all the water everywhere, the coos, day 2 along Loch Lomond when I wished I was a mountain goat and was grateful that it did not rain, arriving at Kingshouse after 19 miles, midges (haha), and so much more.
This route. These nights.
One clear price.
You are booking the itinerary above: your walking days, your overnight stays and the support that carries you between them.
Organising this trail for friends? Build a group trip with individual payments
- Free cancellation to 60 days
- Confirmation within 24 hrs
- ABTOT financially protected
We'll start planning your trip right away. Not happy with anything? We'll adjust it or refund you — no questions asked.
The Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT) provides financial protection under The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 for Big Trail Adventures (member 5690). Protection is provided for non-flight packages. Full details in our booking conditions.
Things walkers ask us.
Is the Queyras really quieter than the rest of the French Alps?
Yes. It's tucked away in the south of the range, has no big-name mountain like Mont Blanc drawing crowds, and the whole area is a regional park with a hard cap on new development. Even in August you'll walk for hours between people.
How fit do I need to be?
Level 3 out of 4. Roughly five to seven hours of walking a day with about 800 m of ascent, on good waymarked paths. If you're comfortable with a long Lake District day, you'll be fine here. Regular cardio in the months before helps.
Can I book for one person?
Yes. There's a single-person supplement of about €55. Classic dormitory accommodation is fine for solo walkers. Tell us on the enquiry form and we'll quote accordingly.
Six-day version?
Yes — a slightly shorter version with the Peyra Plata ridge day either compressed or dropped. Tell us on the enquiry form if you'd prefer this.
Do you handle payments and refunds?
Yes. You book with Big Trail Adventures, pay us, and we handle everything. Cancellation terms are set out in our booking conditions.
Is the Haut Queyras tour self-guided?
Yes. This is a self-guided trip: you walk the 95 km route independently, with no guide and no group. Accommodation for all 6 nights is booked for you, route notes and maps are provided, and there is local support in the region if anything goes wrong.
Do I need a guide or can I walk it alone?
No guide is needed. The route is walked on marked paths with the notes and mapping supplied in your pack. You choose your own start date within the season (1 June to 25 September) and walk each day at your own pace.
Who arranges the accommodation?
We do. Small mountain gîtes and one B&B in Ceillac. Classic accommodation is a shared dormitory for four to twelve; comfort upgrades you to a twin room where available, and a hotel-style option provides private rooms with en-suite for most nights. Bring a liner — bed linen isn't always provided.