Duration
Hiking in the Southern French Alps
From $1,175 pp
Bookable From
May - October
Trip Style
Self-Guided
Country
France
Physical Rating
Average
Overview
Embark on a self-guided hiking adventure through the exquisite Dévoluy limestone massif in the Southern French Alps, armed with our essential tips for discovering the most spectacular spots!
This really is a self-guided walking adventure like no other. Select from an array of thoughtfully curated trails, suitable for all abilities, to explore the breathtaking vistas and secluded gems of the Dévoluy massif. Tailor your ideal walking holiday with the duration and hiking styles you prefer, leveraging our local insights and expertise. This walking holiday is entirely adaptable to your preferences.
Highlights
- Selection of meticulously chosen trails for the finest paths and most splendid views
- Tranquil routes, distant from popular walking spots
- Diverse landscapes to explore, including forests, gorges, and peaks
- Freedom to walk at a pace and difficulty that suits you
- Guidance from enthusiastic local walkers, offering their expertise and advice
- Enjoy a hearty home-cooked meal every evening, with a substantial breakfast and picnic lunch daily
- Convenient train access from across Europe; no personal vehicle needed at the destination
- Accredited by a sustainable tourism certification
We have personally tried and tested every trail proposed on this self-guided walking holiday in the stunning Dévoluy Massif.
Each day, choose from half or full-day hikes for your self-guided adventure, some starting right at your doorstep, and others a short drive away. Your hosts will take you to and from the trailheads so you can enjoy walking without worrying about logistics, equipped with a paper map, GPX tracks, weather updates, and route info on your smartphone app.
Discover the Dévoluy Massif's unique limestone geography, like a wild undiscovered version of the Dolomites, offering diverse experiences for all levels of walkers. Challenge yourself on steep slopes and rocky scrambles for panoramic views, or opt for gentler walks through gorges, alpine meadows, and serene forests. Encounter rich wildlife, from chamois and golden eagles to maybe even a wolf!
Over 20 exquisite walks and hikes in the dramatic Dévoluy Massif have been meticulously selected for your exploration. These range from routes starting directly from your accommodation to those that necessitate a brief transport to the beginning and back at the end, all conveniently scheduled throughout the week to streamline transportation logistics.
Once your booking is confirmed, you'll receive an app for your smartphone loaded with GPX tracks and detailed descriptions of each walk. Additionally, paper maps and face-to-face advice will be provided on-site, enabling you to tailor your walking and hiking itinerary to your preferences.
The following itinerary showcases a glimpse of the walks on offer to give an idea of the variety of walks available. Ultimately, it will be your decision what duration and difficulty of walks you choose to do each day.
See the FAQs to understand our walking and hiking grades.
Seasonal Notes
For a walking holiday in the Dévoluy Massif, the best times to visit would typically be late spring to early autumn. This period usually offers the most favorable weather for hiking.
- Late spring (May to early June) can be delightful with fewer crowds, blossoming flora, and a fresh mountain atmosphere. However, some higher-elevation trails might still have snow, so it's wise to check trail conditions.
- The summer months (late June to August) are generally warm and sunny, making them ideal for hiking. This is the peak season, so popular trails might be busier. It's also important to start your hikes early, to avoid the midday heat and potential afternoon thunderstorms.
- Early autumn (September to October) is another great time, with cooler temperatures, fewer tourists, and the chance to see the fall colors. The weather can be more unpredictable during this period, so be prepared for variable conditions.
We recommend walking during the shoulder seasons (late spring and early autumn), if your schedule allows, to help combat overtourism and promote tourism dispersal.
Itinerary
Day 1 Veynes [France] (arrival day)
Day 2 Hiking in the Dévoluy - Easy or Moderate
Day 3 Hiking in the Dévoluy - Moderate or Difficult
Day 4 Hiking in the Dévoluy - Moderate or Difficult
Day 5 Hiking in the Dévoluy - Easy or Very Difficult
Day 6 Hiking in the Dévoluy - Easy or Difficult
Day 7 Veynes (departure day)
Customization
Route Map
Inclusions & Exclusions
7 nights of half-board accommodation at La Tourtette guest house
Breakfasts, Picnic Lunches, and Dinners
Return transfers from Veynes train station
Transportation to and from the start and finish points of your selected hikes and walks
Maps, GPX tracks, and route guidance for a variety of self-guided walks and hikes suitable for all levels
Access to a smartphone app containing all walk routes, GPX tracks, weather updates, maps, and local information for your convenience
The planting of a tree to help offset the carbon footprint of your trip.
Your journey to Veynes (we can help you organize this)
Drinks and spending money
Any additional activities, eg Via Ferrata (we can help you organize this)
Guiding services if booked
Pricing
Prices exclude flights to/from the destination.
Prices are for double room occupancy unless indicated otherwise.
Deposit per person
25% of the trip price
Group of 4 Travelers - price per person
$1,175 pp Contact us for pricing for your exact group size.
Sustainability
We are Travelife Certified and we plant a tree with our partner, Mossy Earth, for all our travelers as part of their rewilding program in Europe.
We operate a paperless office and all our communication with you and all your trip details will be given to you digitally via a smartphone app.
If you are traveling from Europe, we offer a 3% discount if you travel here by train rather than plane. To claim this please ask at booking. It is not accumulable with other discounts and the train journey needs to be international, eg Eurostar to France and then onward on local French TGV or trains.
Environmental Initiatives
Walking is a low-carbon activity and this tour is 100% accessible by train from anywhere in Europe so there is no need to hire a car. As you are staying in one place there are no baggage transfers, just short grouped lifts to the starts and ends of walks, minimizing transportation pollution.
By staying in one accommodation rather than changing every night, you are also saving on unnecessary washing, cleaning, and linen changes saving water, and energy, and reducing the usage of polluting cleaning products.
This is a great advantage for the environment but also a great comfort for you not to have to live out of a suitcase for a week!
Economic Initiatives
This tour exemplifies economic sustainability in the tourism industry by ensuring that the benefits are directly channeled into the local economy.
By opting for accommodations like La Tourtette guest house, which is independently owned and operated, the tour supports local businesses and contributes to the economic vitality of the region.
The choice of local transportation services further bolsters this approach. Such practices provide a more authentic experience for tourists and help sustain the local communities financially. By focusing on small-scale, locally owned entities, the tour avoids funneling its economic benefits to large, non-local corporations, thereby keeping the economic benefits within the community. This approach also often leads to a deeper and more enriching cultural exchange, as guests can interact closely with local hosts and service providers, gaining insights into the region's way of life, traditions, and values.
Sociocultural Initiatives
The tour demonstrates socio-cultural sustainability through various practices that respect and uplift the local culture and community.
By using local accommodations and services, the tour provides visitors with an authentic experience and encourages meaningful cultural exchanges. This approach helps preserve local traditions and customs, as guests may learn about and engage with the regional culture directly from the people who live it.
By staying in one place you will also get to know the locals much more deeply than a fleeting visit, helping in cultural exchanges and appreciation of each others' cultures.
Health & Safety
Be sure you have traveler's insurance.
It's recommended to be in good physical condition to do this trip.
FAQs
What does the physical rating of "Average" mean?
This tour can be adapted to any level. Whether you are looking for easy 2-hour walks or hard-core full-day mountain hikes, you'll enjoy this trip!
What are the accommodations like?
The accommodation's commitment to sustainability is evident through several key practices. Firstly, the use of ecologically friendly cleaning products significantly reduces the environmental impact. These products are typically made from natural, biodegradable ingredients that are less harmful to ecosystems than conventional cleaning agents. This approach minimizes water pollution while ensuring a healthier environment for guests and staff.
Water-saving devices are another critical aspect. These devices, such as low-flow showerheads and toilets, help reduce the overall water consumption of the hotel. This is particularly important in mountainous areas where water resources can be scarce. By minimizing water usage, the hotel conserves a vital natural resource and reduces its utility costs, creating an economically sustainable model.
Investing in energy efficiency is another key area. Tourtette is currently investing in using energy-efficient lighting and improving insulation. Such measures reduce the hotel's carbon footprint and decrease its long-term operational costs, making it a sustainable choice both environmentally and economically.
Finally, providing options to refill water bottles encourages guests to use reusable bottles instead of buying single-use plastic ones. This practice significantly reduces plastic waste, a major environmental issue, especially in natural settings like the Alps where preserving the pristine environment is crucial.
How should we arrive in Veynes?
You need to arrive at the Veynes train station for this self-guided walking tour. Veynes is on the TER train line from Grenoble, Valence, or Marseille, all of which are accessible by TGV train from Paris.
WE OFFER A 3% DISCOUNT TO ANYONE TRAVELLING BY TRAIN INSTEAD OF PLANE TO GAP FROM OUTSIDE OF FRANCE. To claim your 3% discount, you will need to show us proof of train travel for an international train route of over 3 hours that could have been taken by plane. Please ask when you book.
Please ask us for help to get here - we have become experts at this over the years!
Please note the train discount is not cumulable with other discounts.
What are the Walking & Hiking Grades?
- Easy: Up to 4 hours daily on hiking trails, paths, tracks, or gentle terrain.
- Moderate: Approximately 5 hours of walking each day on trails, with about 600 to 800 meters of ascent and/or up to 15 kilometers.
- Difficult: Up to 6 hours daily, possibly off-trail, with about 700 to 1,000 meters of ascent and/or 15 to 18 kilometers. May include high-altitude routes.
- Very Difficult: Over 6 hours of challenging walking off-trail or in rough terrain, exceeding 1,000 meters of ascent. Potential for high-altitude paths.
Who will love this trip?
If you love walking and hiking, and have a passion for the mountains, you will love this trip. There are a variety of walks for all levels but you do need to be walking fit to enjoy them. We have graded the walks by difficulty in the itinerary to help you choose what walks you would like to do and will also advise on a daily basis when you are here. Some of the more difficult hikes require navigation skills, a high level of fitness and sure footedness on steep slopes and scree. Other moderate and easy walks are on forest trails with 2 to 3 hours of walking at a steady pace. And there are a whole host of other options in between!
