La Vallouise – Ecrins National Park
Gateway to the High Mountains
An exceptional terroir
Beyond the natural heritage that surrounds you and offers a very varied sporting practice, it is possible for you, during your stay, to discover our Pays des Ecrins, but more broadly the territory of Hautes-Alpes.
HISTORICAL & RELIGIOUS HERITAGE
Visiting the villages in the valley and beyond, Vallouise, Puy-St-Vincent, Les Vigneaux, Prelles etc., will allow you to discover a preserved and authentic high-mountain habitat, whose churches and chapels will tell you a part of history.
An overview of the villages and churches to visit is presented on the TOURIST OFFICE WEBSITE
To fully discover these sites, we recommend the visits carried out by Elsa Giraud, historian: all the information on her site: THE HISTORY WORKSHOP
Don't forget to take a few hours for a visit to BRIANCON and the Vauban citadel.
A little further south, at the junction of the valleys, stands the Citadel of Mont-Dauphin, also worth discovering.
INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE
Discover the industrial heritage of another age: delve into the depths of the Fournel valley to visit the old FOURNEL SILVER MINE and take a leap into the 19th century. The visit begins with a welcome at the Mines Museum in L'Argentière-La Bessée.
You can even participate in a Escape Game quite unexpected in such an environment.
DISCOVERY OF FLORA
Discover theand blue thistle or “The Queen of the Alps” in July in the DESLIOURES BIOLOGICAL RESERVE which is a unique place, nestled in the superb Vallon du Fournel. Such a concentration is unique in Europe and has earned it the classification of the “Natura 2000” zone.
Le LAUTAURET ALPINE GARDEN, also welcomes you to help you identify the alpine flora typical of our mountain ranges.
Throughout your hikes, you will have the opportunity to encounter orchids, houseleeks and pasqueflowers... the site FLOREALPES will help you get to know each other, and you can also search for information about the flora of the ECRINS NATIONAL PARK.
DISCOVERY OF WILDLIFE
Our massifs are the habitats of a large and varied fauna, protected by strict regulations to be respected, in the preserved space of ECRINS NATIONAL PARK. During your hikes you will have the opportunity to meet quite easily CHAMOIS, IBEXENS AND MARMOTS.
But by looking up a little, scanning the sky, you will have, with patience and a little luck, the possibility of seeing EAGLES, VULTURES OR RED GROUSE.
For all activities and information on the Ecrins National Park, do not hesitate to visit / contact the PARK HOUSE in Vallouise, which presents a fun and interactive permanent exhibition on the heritage of the valley.