| Queyras massif | |
 | |
| Landscape of the Queyras massif | |
| Information | |
| Country |  France |
|---|---|
| Region | Alps |
| Location | |
 44 ° 43 ′ 12 ″ N 6 ° 51 ′ 0 ″ E | |
| Official site | |
| Touristic site | |
the Queyras massif is a mass of French alps located in the department of High mountains In the region Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. This massif is located to the east of the upper valley of the Durance, between Briançonnais, to the north, and Haute Ubaye, to the south. It is bordered on the east by the border Franco-Italian. The Queyras massif is drained by the Guil and its tributaries (Aigues, the River and the Cristillan). The Guil flows into the Durance at Mont Dauphin, shortly after leaving the massif via a deep gorge, the Combe du Queyras. Historically, the word "Queyras" only applies to the Guil watershed. The other slopes of the mountains surrounding this river belong to other regions (Briançonnais, Guillestrois, Ubaye Valley, and Val Pellice in Italy)
The Queyras regional park encompasses the entire Guil watershed. It contains more strongly protected areas, including the Val d'Escreins nature reserve. There is also a project to create a national nature reserve in the bottom of the Guil valley, near Ristolas, within the framework of the Natura 2000 program.
Understand
Located in the southern Alps on the border between France and Italy, Queyras enjoys an exceptionally sunny climate. This climate has allowed the settling of villages at very high altitude, including the highest commune in France, Saint-Véran. Today, Queyras lives mainly on tourism, but has managed to preserve traditional activities, including pastoralism and wood crafts.
In summer, Queyras is an ideal destination for hiking, in particular along the GR5 and GR58 hiking trails (tour of Queyras). The hike allows you to admire the fauna and particularly the exceptional flora of this massif.
In winter, several village resorts are open, allowing the practice of cross-country skiing and downhill skiing, but also cross-country skiing and many other activities such as snowshoeing, ice climbing, etc.
The Queyras also bears the traces of its human history in its civil architecture (traditional farms) and military (Château Queyras, Forts de Briançon))
The Queyras is divided into several valleys where the various villages of the massif are distributed. The Valée du Guil, oriented from southwest to northeast, is home to the villages of Chateau-Queyras and Needles. Arriving in the north of the massif, it then curves towards the south-east, along the villages of Haut Guil, Abriès and Ristolas. To the north-west of the massif, the Val D’Azur, where the river flows, is home to the village of ’Arvieux. In the South East, the villages of Pierre Grosse, Molines and Saint Veran occupy the Aigues valley, drained by the Aigue Blanche and the Aigue Agnelle. Further south, the Cristillan and Mélezet valleys form the Ceillaquin, centered on the village of Ceillac. Finally, the southern tip of the park is occupied by the Val d´Escreins, empty of any inhabitants.
the Col de l'Izoard, located northwest of the park, is part of the legend of the passes of the Tour de France.
Geology
The geology of Queyras is extremely complex. This massif is located at the border of different areas of the internal Alps, where the compression of the rocks during the formation of the Alps was very important.
The west of Queyras (sometimes called "limestone Queyras") is made up of sedimentary rocks including limestones, dolomites, but also marls and sandstones. These sedimentary rocks formed in relatively shallow seas on the shores of an ancient ocean that has now disappeared called Tethys. We must imagine these sedimentary formations as a mille-feuille, each leaf of which would be a bank of rock. During the formation of the Alps, these geological layers detached themselves from their substrate and migrated, forming thrust layers. Several layers of this type are superimposed on each other, forming piles of thrust sheets. If we use the image of the mille-feuille, it's like cutting this mille-feuille into pieces and then forming a pile with them. Finally, these piles of cart layers have in turn folded.
The site Geol-Alp explains this complex structure in more detail, and provides a chopped off of the Guil gorges.
The rest of the massif is essentially made up of "lustrous shales ". These rocks come from clay sediments formed at great depth, on the surface of the oceanic crust of the Thétys. These clays became shales following a process of metamorphosis, a "cooking" of the sediments at high temperature and under high pressure, within the earth's crust. During metamorphosis, the boundaries between clay banks disappeared, or became inconspicuous. It is however very probable that these banks are, as in the limestone Queyras, deformed in a very complex way. Conversely, a schistosity plan appeared. The orientation of the schistosity plane is more homogeneous (it generally hangs west in the Queyras). It often determines the asymmetrical shapes of the reliefs in this part of Queyras.
Portions of the oceanic crust (called Ophiolites) are visible in the Queyras within the lustrous schists. These are dark rocks, such as basalt or gabbro, often metamorphosed, and of a greenish color. Harder, they often form summits like Mont Viso, Bric Bouchet or Grande Aiguillette.
This site gives fine examples of lustrous schists and ophiolites near Saint Véran.
Climate, ecology
Queyras enjoys a particular climate, which combines Mediterranean and Alpine characteristics. In particular, there is little rainfall (650 to 850 mm/ year), and concentrated in violent thunderstorms or snowstorms. As a result, the sunshine is very important: it is beautiful 300 days a year in Queyras. Another Mediterranean characteristic, precipitation takes place especially in winter, during heavy snowfalls called "easterly returns" and can reach one meter during the day. Thus, these rare but violent episodes allow Queyras to benefit from both generally good weather and heavy snowfall in winter. Finally, this strong sunshine has a positive effect on the temperature, which has allowed the establishment of villages at very high altitude (Ceillac, 1 640 m, Saint Véran, 2 040 m).
Story
During the Roman invasion, Queyras was the territory of the Quariates, who would have given their name to the massif. The village of Escoyères seems to be the main town of the region during the Gallo-Roman period.
Little information exists on the history of Queyras between the invasions of the Ve century and the 13the century. During this period, the Queyras was controlled by the Dauphin. This century marks in Queyras a period of economic, demographic and commercial development, as well as the acquisition of an increasingly strong autonomy vis-à-vis the central power. This ascent is reflected in the XIVe century by the purchase in 1343 of the privileges of the Dauphin, and the foundation of the Queyras escarton, an independent political unit. The XVe century is marked by disturbances (passage of the Vaudois) and epidemics (in particular the black plague) which reduce the population of Queyras by half.
Flora and fauna
To go
By car
By train
By bus
However, be careful with the size of your vehicle. Some routes, cut out of the rock, have a limited width, in particular beyond a height of 3 m. You are therefore advised to check with the town halls beforehand to find out how accessible their village is to large sizes.
Circulate
The Queyras can be explored by car and on foot. Many local hiking trails will be indicated to you by the tourist offices in each village. Note that in Saint-Véran in the summer season, traffic is prohibited, except residents, and parking is compulsory at the entrance to the village. A contribution from 2 € you will be asked, to allow the village to develop and expand its parking lots.
To see
Do
Hiking
Cross the Queyras by the GR5, which connects Briançon to Nice passing in front of Les Toys du Queyras (SCOP l'Alpin Chez Lui) at La Chalp d'Arvieux before joining the famous Lac de Roux or Lac de la Motte Tremblante, formerly known as the 8th wonder of Dauphiné. If the first glimpse of the park enchants you, you can join the GR58, also called "tour of Queyras" to travel through the different valleys and their villages. The GR58 also passes in front of Les JOuets du Queyras L'Alpin Chez Lui before going up to the Furfande mountain pasture and its popular refuge. Also, many local paths have been developed by the municipalities, do not hesitate to inquire. Queyras is, however, a region which, by virtue of its isolation, has benefited from exceptional conservation of its natural environment. So try never to go off the beaten track, especially to preserve the tranquility of the marmots and chamois, but also because the land you will cross belong to the farmers, and the hay resources that you could damage are essential to them.
Cross-country skiing
Queyras is renowned for its Nordic domain: 100 km cross-country ski trails, 100 km of Nordic hiking trails. Under the sun and dry air, the snow stays dry and soft. nothing to do with the other humid massifs of the Alps. Take the opportunity to come and see "Les Toys du Queyras" in Arvieux en Queyras at the foot of the Col d'Izoard.
Downhill skiing
The Queyras is a great alpine ski area. It is open all winter to the delight of 15,000 holidaymakers (www.queyras-montagne.com). Particularities: Four geographic poles for four areas: Haut-Guil Valley: Abriès en Queyras, Izoard Valley: Arvieux en Queyras and its famous "Queyras Toys since 1920" (www.lesjouetsduqueyras.com), Aigues Valley: Môlines en Queyras and Saint-Véran (2 040 m, highest village in Europe), Cristillan Valley: Ceillac en Queyras. 35 ski lifts, 120 km of slopes for all levels.
Paragliding
Queyras is also a free flight paradise: Ceillac is a very accessible free flight site that is appreciated whatever its level of practice. Neighboring sites around the Col Izoard and the Col Agnel allow you to take off above 2700m for very aerial flights, where on unfavorable days such as at the end of the season, the other massifs remain below the inversion layer and therefore impractical.
Ceillac allows certain flights in relative protection of the breezes of valleys. In all cases it is advisable to fly in Queyras with very little meteorological wind, and preferably from a direction different from the global orientation of the valleys (generally in a South to West extension).
Overview of the Queyras in flight:
General:
Ceillac:
Col Izoard:
Caving, canyoning
A dozen cavities have been listed on the limestone massif, including Aven de la Mortice, located at 2 950 m, above the lake of 9 colors, with an opening of 8 X 12 and a vertical of 110 m arriving on a permanent snowfield. To do after July because of the risk of snow on the starting lips.Also pretty canyons for the summer on the Briançonnais side
Escalation
Nordic skiing
Queyras is a ski touring paradise, why? Sun, dry snow, medium slope (therefore accessible to all), larch forests then alpine pastures, serenity of landscapes not oppressive, four valleys or dozens of all different outings. But still ? The hamlets at the bottom of the valley, the network of stopover or hotel lodges, furnished accommodation with locals.
Hiking, of course, also sightseeing: The artisanal cooperative in Château-Queyras, the sculpted furniture, the cheese factories, the famous wooden toys from Queyras (the Alpin Chez Lui in Arvieux, since 1920, all the small heritage (listed churches, ovens, fountains etc ...).
Without forgetting the highest village in Europe: Saint-Véran, with its barrels in the sun.
Mountaineering
Ice climbing
Many waterfalls are distributed in the Queyras massif, Ceillac a high place of ice climbing.
To buy
- Wooden toys – typical artisanal product of the Queyras region
Eat
Regional specialties
Cheese
Several cheeses are handcrafted in Queyras, either directly from breeders, or in fruit farms, local cooperative dairies. You will find cheeses made from goat's milk, cow's milk, but also sheep's milk.
