Vallouise valley – Ecrins National Park

Access Gate to High-Mountain

A Unique Terroir

Beyond the natural heritage that surrounds you and offers a very varied sport practice, it is possible, during your stay, to discover our Ecrins massif local terroir, but also more broadly the Hautes-Alpes department.

 

 

 

HISTORICAL HERITAGE – RELIGIOUS

The visit of the villages of the valley and beyond, Vallouise, Puy-St-Vincent, Les Vigneaux, Prelles etc… introduces you to 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 site of THE TOURIST OFFICE.

To fully discover these sites, we recommend visits made by the historian Elsa Giraud : all the informations are on her website : THE HISTORY ATELIER

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 La Durance and Le Guil valleys, stands the Citadel of Mont-Dauphin, to be discovered also.

 

 

Eglise St-Laurent des Vigneaux

INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE

Discover the industrial heritage of another age: dive into the bowels of the Fournel valley to visit the former FOURNEL SILVER MINE and take a jump into the 19th century.The tour begins with the reception at the Museum of Mines in L’Argentière-La Bessée. 

You can even participate in a rather unexpected EscapeGame in such an environment.

 

DISCOVERY OF FLORA

Discover the blue thistle or “Queen of the Alps” in July in the BIOLOGICAL RESERVE OF DESLIOURES which is a unique place, nestled in the superb Vallon du Fournel. Such a concentration is unique in Europe and has earned the ranking of the “Natura 2000” zone.

The LAUTAURET ALPINE GARDEN, also welcomes you to allow you to identify the typical alpine flora of our massifs.

Throughout your hikes, you will have the opportunity to meet orchis, houseleek and pasque flowers…The FLOREALPES website will help you get to discover species, and you can also search for information about of the ECRINS NATIONAL PARK flora.

Chardon bleu - Reine des Alpes
Moutons

WILDLIFE DISCOVERY

Our massifs are habitats of a large fauna, varied and protected by strict regulations to be respected, in the preserved space of the ECRINS NATIONAL PARK. During your hikes you will have the opportunity to meet quite easily CHAMOIS, IBEX AND MARMOTTES

But by looking up a little, scaning the sky, you will have the opportunity, with patience and a little luck, to see EAGLES, VULTURES OR TETRAS-LYRES.

For all the activities and information about the Ecrins National Park, do not hesitate to visit / contact the PARC HOUSE in Vallouise, and which presents a playful and interactive permanent exhibition on the heritage of the valley.