Gourmet Walking Holiday in the French Alps - 8 Days

Your Gourmet Alpine walking holiday starts now!

We will pick you up from Gap train station at 17:00 and transport you to your initial accommodation for the trip, where a delightful evening meal will await you!

The itinerary provided below offers a sample of the planned walks for your holiday, but please note that it may vary based on local conditions. Our knowledgeable guides will make adjustments as needed, ensuring a variety of options for high-quality walking experiences, complete with breathtaking views and opportunities to observe local wildlife!

This walk begins in Prapic, the last inhabited village in the Champsaur valley, nestled among the mountains. Home to just four families year-round, Prapic charms with its closely packed Alpine houses and preserved ancient architecture. Here, traditional life is visible, with animals housed on the ground floor, families living above, and hay stored in the loft for insulation.

The trail leads from this quaint hamlet to a picturesque plateau, follows a swift mountain stream, and culminates at the dramatic Saut du Laire waterfall—named 'The Jump of the Thief,' a story your guide will share.

Watch for marmots, common in this valley, and chamois on the cliffs.

Walk Details:

Starting altitude: 1568 metres Maximum altitude: 2059 metres Ascent: 496 metres Distance: 10km

The Vieux Chaillol, the tallest peak in the Champsaur Valley, offers a fantastic route up to the col just below its summit.

The journey begins in the picturesque ski village of Chaillol, ascending through stunning mixed deciduous and larch forests, then crossing open mountainside to reach the first mountain pass, Col de La Pisse.

Continuing on, you skirt below Pic du Tourond and trace the ancient Canal du Macros, a remarkable water diversion project engineered by Napoleon's forces in the late 1800s. Originally designed to redirect water from the Macros glacier (now a lake) for irrigation in the Champsaur valley, this historical route takes you to the Col de Côte Longue. Here, a cabin once used by the workers still stands, offering a scenic spot for a picnic with sweeping panoramic views before you return via the same path.

Walk Details:

Starting altitude: 1702 metres Maximum altitude: 2698 metres Ascent: 996 metres Distance: 16km

This is a free day for you to unwind at your accommodation, take a self-guided stroll, or explore other available activities in the area. Options include rock climbing, tackling a via ferrata, cooling down with canyoning, or soaring over the valley by paragliding, among others. Most of these activities are half-day experiences, allowing you plenty of time to relax and enjoy your accommodation's facilities. We can arrange any additional activities for you, either in advance or during your stay. Please note that extra activities will incur additional costs.

Today, you will check out of the luxury farmhouse, so please pack your belongings, including your suitcases and day-sacks for the day's adventure.

Your destination is the stunning Pic de Gleize, a limestone ridge offering sweeping panoramic views across the Champsaur, Valgaudemar, Devoluy, and Gap valleys. It marks a scenic transition from the Champsaur to the Valgaudemar valley. The walk begins with a gentle ascent through woods, leading to grassy pastures dotted with wildflowers and butterflies, particularly vibrant in spring and early summer. The path continues to a mountain pass, where you can choose to return the same way or, time and conditions permitting, ascend to the summit. The route to the summit is steep and exposed in parts, and the descent follows a rocky ridge that requires a good head for heights.

Walk Details:

Starting altitude: 1694 metres Maximum altitude: 2161 metres Ascent: 437 metres Distance: 6km If opting for the restaurant, you’ll lunch at a local fromagerie, indulging in a menu rich with Alpine cheeses—a perfect introduction to the region's dairy delights.

Post-lunch offers a gentle walk to aid digestion, before moving on to your next stop, the Val des Sources hotel, where you’ll experience another unique take on mountain cuisine.

This delightful walk takes you from the Valgaudemar valley up to a high-altitude lake, boasting views of nearby glaciers and quintessential alpine scenery, with the option to extend your hike to the “Refuge du Pigeonnier”.

Your journey begins at the Gioberney refuge, where you can admire the famous Bride's Veil waterfall. From here, the path winds through a dramatic valley framed by towering mountains and glaciers, zigzagging up the mountainside past rocky outcrops adorned with blueberry bushes, raspberries, and a variety of mountain flowers and fruits. Along the way, you'll encounter spectacular waterfalls and streams until you reach a hanging valley where the serene Lac du Lauzon lies.

If you're feeling adventurous, continue to the Pigeonnier refuge (open June to September) for a refreshing drink and a snack—the berry tarts come highly recommended! Here, you can experience high mountain refuge cuisine, known more for its practicality than its delicacy. Afterwards, descend back down the valley the way you came, or make a circuit via the Gioberney side.

Walk Details:

Starting altitude: 1642 metres Maximum altitude: 2423 metres Ascent: 795 metres Distance: 11km

Embark on a captivating walk starting in La Chapelle, the final inhabited village at the end of the Valgaudemar valley, leading up to the hamlet of Les Portes. Here, you'll find a stunning hanging valley adorned with meadows of alpine flowers and butterflies.

As you ascend the valley, you'll encounter breathtaking cascades and waterfalls. The route also takes you past the historic ruins of Navette, an abandoned village that once thrived as a farming community in the early 1900s. Life at this altitude was harsh, and after being devastated by floods in 1914, the flu pandemic of 1918, and the losses of the First World War, the community disbanded in 1929 under the pressures of a national reforestation project. The last resident left in 1937, but remnants of the village and its renovated chapel remain as poignant reminders of its past.

The descent offers a different kind of drama as you pass by the Devil's Cauldron, a roaring canyon of waterfalls that underscores the formidable power of nature.

Walk Details:

Starting altitude: 1101 metres Maximum altitude: 1675 metres Ascent: 626 metres Distance: 12 km

This is the sad day we say goodbye but we hope you will be going home with some great memories of your walking adventure in the Alps with some new recipes to add to your collection!