A stream, glacier and high peaks in evening light. Generic AI-generated alpine landscape.

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Things to do in the Écrins

Glaciers, high peaks and wild valleys: the Écrins massif is the department’s high-mountain heartland.

Area at a glance

Towns and resorts
Vallouise-Pelvoux, Ailefroide, L’Argentière-la-Bessée, La Grave, Puy-Saint-Vincent.
Access
Via the Durance valley (L’Argentière-la-Bessée station), or via the Col du Lautaret road for La Grave.
Landscapes
Glaciers, high valleys, mountain streams and major huts.
Best season
Summer for hiking and mountaineering, winter for skiing.

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The spirit of the area

Much of the massif is protected by the Écrins National Park. This is high-mountain country: the Barre des Écrins rises to 4,102 m, and the Meije towers over La Grave.

Yet the Vallouise and Freissinières valleys remain accessible to everyone, with paths leading to lakes, waterfalls and mountain huts.

Key figures

Dates for your diary

  • April 2027La Grave

    Derby de la Meije

    2 and 3 April 2027

    Freeride race created in 1989: start at 3,550 m at the Dôme de la Lauze, mandatory passage through the Col des Ruillans, finish below 2,000 m. Teams of at least three, including one woman.

    Source: Comité régional de tourisme Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (new tab)

  • WinterL'Argentière-la-Bessée

    Ice Climbing Écrins

    Every winter (2027 dates not yet published)

    The ice climbing gathering has existed for 36 years; around 500 participants in 2026, most of them beginners.

    Source: Vertige Media (new tab)

  • SummerVallouise

    Cols réservés

    Every summer (in 2026: climb to Puy-Saint-Vincent on 28 June). 2027 calendar not yet published.

    Roads closed to cars for a few hours for cyclists, free and without registration. Calendar published each spring.

    Source: Hautes-Alpes Développement / Département des Hautes-Alpes (new tab)

What to do, season by season

Hike to mountain huts and lakes, climb at Ailefroide or try an introduction to mountaineering.

Our highlights

  1. Ailefroide

    A major climbing location and the starting point for many mountain routes.

  2. Le Pré de Madame Carle

    The historic start of the path to the Glacier Blanc. Warning: the floods of 27 and 28 August 2026 destroyed the road from Ailefroide to the Pré de Madame Carle (source: Écrins National Park, September 2026). The road is closed with no reopening date and the information chalet is closed for the season; the Park states access will not return to its previous form (a first access plan is expected in December 2026, with a shuttle track to a lower point). The Glacier Blanc and Écrins huts remain accessible via modified routes: contact the hut wardens before setting out.

  3. La Grave and the MeijeSee the address book entries

    High mountains facing the village, with a cable car towards the glaciers.

  4. The Col du Lautaret and its alpine botanical garden

  5. The Freissinières valley

    An unspoilt valley and its via ferrata.

  6. Lac de l’Eychauda

    A classic hike above Vallouise.

The editorial selection

Latest stories

Your questions

Practical information

Getting here
Take the train to L’Argentière-la-Bessée on the Durance line, then continue by car or seasonal shuttle.
Where to stay
High-altitude huts, valley gîtes and hotels, campsites in Vallouise and Ailefroide.
Find out more
The local tourist office can advise you on accommodation, conditions and current events.

Key organisations

Sources

  1. 50 ans du Parc national des Écrins (new tab) · Parc national des Écrins · 2023
  2. GR®54 Tour de l'Oisans et des Écrins (new tab) · FFRandonnée
  3. Derby de la Meije (new tab) · Comité régional de tourisme Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
  4. Ice Climbing Écrins 2026 (new tab) · Vertige Media · 04/03/2026
  5. Cols réservés (new tab) · Hautes-Alpes Développement / Département des Hautes-Alpes · 2026

Figures checked on 19 October 2026. Event dates may change: check with the organisers.