Is the Val d'Escreins accessible all year round?

The Val d’Escreins is accessible from late spring to autumn. Its opening dates depend on snow conditions and generally run from when the snow melts until the first snowfalls. Please remember to check access conditions before your visit.

How do I get to the Val d'Escreins?

The Val d’Escreins can be reached via a cliff-top road accessed from the northern side of the Col de Vars (D902). Free shuttle buses run from the villages of Vars during July and August.

What to do in the event of rain

The weather in the mountains can sometimes be changeable. In the event of rain, it is advisable to postpone high-altitude hikes and opt for activities suited to the current conditions. Before setting out, check the weather forecast and find out about trail conditions. Rain can make certain sections slippery and cause mountain streams to rise rapidly. However, if you do find yourself caught in a storm, click HERE for advice on what to do.

We need some advice on the Val d'Escreins – where can we go?

A visitor centre has been set up in the car park at the far end of the nature reserve. It is open from 4 July to 30 August, every day from 9.00 am to 1.00 pm and from 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm. You can also visit our other tourist information offices, which are open daily from 4 July to 30 August: Vars Tourist Office Les Claux: Monday to Friday from 9.00 am to 6.00 pm, and at weekends from 9.00 am to 6.30 pm. Sainte-Marie Tourist Office: every day from 9.00 am to 12.00 pm and from 2.00 pm to 6.00 pm.

I’d like to do an orienteering course – how do I go about it?

To take part in the orienteering courses in the Val d’Escreins, please go to the visitor centre, which is open in July and August. A map, a compass and a key will be lent to you there so that you can complete the various courses.

Le Val d’Escreins | Vars: Hautes-Alpes ski resort

Not to be missed

Little Canada in Varsinc

Just a few kilometres from the villages of Vars, the Val d’Escreins reveals a wilder side of the mountains. This area has been a protected site since 1964. In total, it covers 25 km² of natural landscape, ranging in altitude from 1,600 to 3,3385 metres at the summit of Font Sancte, the highest point in the reserve. Nestled between the Vars and Queyras valleys, it forms a link between the two thanks to its jagged, airy peaks – a true masterpiece crafted by Mother Nature.

Here, nature sets the pace. The sound of running water accompanies walkers, the wide open spaces invite contemplation, and each season reveals a new facet of this exceptional natural heritage.

Why is it known as ‘Little Canada Varsinc’?

It’s a comparison often made by visitors. In the heart of the Val d’Escreins, the vast larch forests, the fast-flowing torrents, the sun-drenched clearings and the sense of vastness are reminiscent of certain North American landscapes.

This unique atmosphere is what gives the place its charm. Here, the spaces seem endless, the rolling hills stretch as far as the eye can see, and nature fills every corner of the landscape.

©
Val Descreins Drone Vp Ot Vars 7bd
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Victor Pauget

©
L'automne et ses couleurs flamboyantes au Val D'Escreins
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Tim Arnold

A land

of discoveries

The Val d’Escreins offers plenty of opportunities for exploration.

Hiking trails allow you to explore the valley and take in some of the most beautiful views in Vars. Trail runners will find varied terrain here. Families can enjoy orienteering courses or themed walking trails.

/ All the walks in the Val d'Escreins

Explore the walking map18MB

/ Trail running routes in the Val d'Escreins

LE VAL’VERT / BEGINNER LEVEL

Distance: 3.937 km – Elevation gain: 121 m

LE VAL’BLEU / INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

Distance: 9.218 km – Elevation gain: 319 m

LE VAL’ROUGE / ADVANCED LEVEL

Distance: 9.125 km – Elevation gain: 788 m

/ Three orienteering courses not to be missed

The Val d’Escreins offers three fun trails of varying difficulty, which you can explore on your own, in a group or with your family. Pick up a map and a compass from the visitor centre (open during the summer season only) and set off in search of the wooden markers dotted around the Val. Whenever you find a marker, punch your map in the corresponding box using the clip built into the wooden marker. An activity that combines analysis, observation and fun!

Do you know the legend of Font Sancte?

The story goes that a young shepherdess from Escreins used to lead her flock into the Font Sancte valley. To get a drink, she had to go further down towards the stream, but she noticed that one of her goats always went to the same spot and came back a few moments later. Intrigued, the shepherdess followed the goat and discovered ‘a beautiful spring of crystal-clear water’. Thus was born the legend of the Font Sancte, or holy spring – the name given to this miraculous spring, a place of pilgrimage for locals who, in days gone by, would pray for rain when the land was too dry.

Observe, understand, preserve

Val d'Escreins

The Val d’Escreins is a fragile natural area.

Every visit is an opportunity to discover an exceptional natural heritage whilst helping to preserve it. By staying on the paths, observing wildlife from a distance and behaving responsibly, we can ensure the long-term preservation of this remarkable site for future generations.

Because the best way to experience the Val d’Escreins is to leave it untouched.

Adopt the right attitude

Follow the route and heed the signposts on the marked trails
The Val d’Escreins nature reserve is a zero-waste area. You must take all your rubbish back with you and dispose of it at the recycling points in the villages of Vars. Information boards are located at each site; please check for any restrictions regarding fire bans at the entrance to the Val.
Wild animals and livestock need peace and quiet. Please avoid making unnecessary noise
Dogs must be kept on a lead.
Do not roll stones down the slopes; you could injure someone without realising it.
Flowers, fruit and berries are protected. Picking them is prohibited.
Do not light fires outside the designated areas: 33 fire pits are available
Vehicles other than service vehicles are not permitted beyond the car park
Wild camping and campsite camping are prohibited.

The Val d’Escreins in figures

1 nature reserve
Hundreds of hectares of protected areas
Dozens of plant and animal species: eagles, ptarmigan, black grouse, chamois, mountain hare, Scots pine, spruce, larch, gentians, edelweiss and even the blue Alpine aster.
Kilometres of footpaths in the heart of the Southern Alps
33 fire pits for enjoying a barbecue with friends or family

We answer your questions

Is the Val d'Escreins accessible all year round?
How do I get to the Val d'Escreins?
What to do in the event of rain
The weather in the mountains can sometimes be changeable. In the event of rain, it is advisable to postpone high-altitude hikes and opt for activities suited to the current conditions.
Before setting out, check the weather forecast and find out about trail conditions. Rain can make certain sections slippery and cause mountain streams to rise rapidly.
However, if you do find yourself caught in a storm, click HERE for advice on what to do.
We need some advice on the Val d'Escreins – where can we go?
A visitor centre has been set up in the car park at the far end of the nature reserve. It is open from 4 July to 30 August, every day from 9.00 am to 1.00 pm and from 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm.
You can also visit our other tourist information offices, which are open daily from 4 July to 30 August:
- Vars Tourist Office Les Claux: Monday to Friday from 9.00 am to 6.00 pm, and at weekends from 9.00 am to 6.30 pm.
- Sainte-Marie Tourist Office: every day from 9.00 am to 12.00 pm and from 2.00 pm to 6.00 pm.
I’d like to do an orienteering course – how do I go about it?