Le Pays du Guil

your choice to get away from daily routine

More than meets the eye

First impression as you arrive in le Pays du Guil … the light.  And then, the sky, pure and blue,… the sun, the mountains and these overwhelming landscapes.   
A vibration, a special kind of atmosphere, the promise of an extraordinary holiday.

Upon your arrival in the Guillestrois, you’ll notice the massive rock on which you’ll find the fortified village of Mont Dauphin.  At the foot of this rock, the confluence of the Guil and the Durance has created a wider part in the valley.  You’ll pass Guillestre, a pretty little town at the entrance of the valley of the Queyras. 

And then you’ll enter the canyon of the Guil, the beginning of the Queyras. A canyon that has been carved in this mountain range by the Guil over the course of several centuries.  As you progress through this canyon, you’ll arrive in a wider part of the valley again where you’ll discover the villages and hamlets of the Queyras.  And all the time you’ll find yourselve submerged in the sheer beauty of nature and of the mountains, impressed by the force of nature in the Queyras and the Guillestrois. 

Situation Pays du Guil

Le Pays du Guil is right in the middle of the triangle Aix-en-Provence / Grenoble / Turin, in France’s Southern Alps.  A region with 300 days of sunshine each year, a preserved nature far away from mass tourism, far away from daily routine.  

My holidays in le Pays du Guil

Plenty of things to do in le Pays du Guil.  Strong sensations or emotions guaranteed.  Whether you prefer to do some sports, a hike in the Hautes Alpes, in breathtaking mountain sceneries of the Queyras and the Guillestrois, a family style walk, some white water rafting and kayaking on the Guil or the Durance river, going for alpine ski on the slopes of Vars or Risoul, or in the family resorts of the Queyras, or rather go cross country skiing, or dog sledding, you’ve got the choice of all this and plenty more.  One thing is for sure, once you’re back home, you’ll have plenty of things to tell your friends !

Plenty of ideas for my holidays in the mountains.  

Plenty of things to discover

And of course those who are a bit less into sports will also find more than enough things to do in le Pays du Guil.

The villages of the Alps, full of charm and authenticity, such as Saint Véran for instance, the highest, year round inhabited village in Europe, the petrified fountain of Réotier, the fortified village of Mont Dauphin, a UNESCO world heritage site, here as well, the options are numerous. 

Small mountain villages and hamlets, that have kept their authenticity and charm.  Some of them are easily accessible, others require a bit more effort.  All of them are well worth a visit.  
An area that you’ll want to come back to, to explore in every season.  You’ll have plenty of things to do in the Guillestrois, in Guillestre and in the Queyras.  In summer and in winter you’ll really have plenty of options.  In autumn and in spring, the area is far more quiet, but still offers a lot of possibilities for some splendid holidays, with plenty of things to see and do.  

Le Pays du Guil is just next to the Parc des Ecrins and close to the valley of the Haute Ubaye, in the vicinity of the lac de Serre Ponçon, and is as such the ideal base camp to discover this wonderful area.  You’ll find all the information on the page exploring le Pays du Guil.  

Submerged in nature

Nature is everywhere in le Pays du Guil.  There is the Parc Naturel Régional du Queyras, with a vast choice of hiking paths.  
And then there is the Val d’Escreins, a small nature reserve in Vars, a preserved valley of spectacular beauty.  

On the other side of the valley of the Durance, there is a multitude of hiking paths in the Parc National des Ecrins.  The valley of Freissinières and the valley of Fournel are only two exemples of places to start your discovery of the Parc des Ecrins.  
And when you cross the col de Vars, you’ll enter into the valley of the Haute Ubaye, where the scenery is again totally different.  

Four spots close to your base camp, four areas to submerge yourself in the beauty of nature during your holiday in le Pays du Guil.  And each time you’ll be overwhelmed by the spectacular scenery, by the exceptional light in this area, by the silence and the tranquillity, and just sometimes, with a little bit of luck, by the encounters with wildlife, such as marmots, mouflons, deer or bouquetin.  And when you are lucky enough to be able to capture that unique moment on film, we’re convinced it will get a special place in your photo album as a reminder of your splendid vacation in le Pays du Guil.  

Eté au Pays du Guil
Val d'Escreins été
Vallée de Freissinières
Haute Ubaye vue depuis le col de la Serenne

The Parc du Queyras

The Val d’Escreins

The Parc des Ecrins

The Haute Ubaye

#paysduguil

Follow us on instagram.  And while you’re here, tag your photos with #paysduguil and @paysduguil to share your wonderful moments, experiences and discoveries with us.

There’s nothing better to describe the beauty of our area better than a short video…

Territoire Alpes from Tourisme PACA on Vimeo.

How to get here

When you come by car, there is the highway until Grenoble when you’re coming from the north, from there on there is the route nationale via La Mûre or via the col du Lautaret.  Coming from the south there is the highway until Gap, and then the route nationale in the direction of Briançon.  

TGV railway stations are in Aix-en-Provence, Grenoble or Oulx (in Italy).  

When you’re coming by plane, you’ve got the choice of the aiports of Lyon, Turin (in Italy) or Marseille.  

The best hikes in the Hautes Alpes

Cycling in the Alps

Villages in the Alps

A BnB in the Alps