Queyras Regional Natural Park is the highest regional natural park in Europe. Created in 1977, it covers around 600 km² in the Hautes-Alpes, between the Guil Valley and the Italian border, with Monte Viso on the horizon. At 2,042 metres, Saint-Véran is its highest village.
The park follows the boundaries of a former mountain republic, the Escarton of Queyras, which brought together the valley’s villages from the Middle Ages onwards. It was created at the initiative of Philippe Lamour, then mayor of Ceillac, who also launched the GR 58, the Queyras circuit, and the valley’s village resorts.
The area is organised around four valleys and eight villages: Abriès, Ristolas, Aiguilles, Château-Ville-Vieille, Arvieux, Molines, Saint-Véran and Ceillac. It is home to the Ristolas–Monte Viso National Nature Reserve, a cross-border biosphere reserve recognised by UNESCO, and two Vauban sites, Fort Queyras and the fortified town of Mont-Dauphin, listed as World Heritage sites.
The climate does the rest. Little rain and 300 days of sunshine a year. The flora includes nearly 1,450 species, and forests cover almost a third of the area. The park in figures, followed by what to do here according to the season.
The park in figures
Established | 1977 |
Area | Approximately 600 km² |
Villages | Eight, from Ceillac to Ristolas |
Landmark peak | Monte Viso, 3,841 m, just across the Italian border |
Highest village | Saint-Véran, 2,042 m |
Climate | 300 days of sunshine a year |
What can you do in the park in summer?
First and foremost, hiking. The GR 58 circles Queyras in a week, from refuge to refuge, with stages between 2,000 and 2,800 metres and views of Monte Viso. Starting from Saint-Véran, day hikes lead to the Chapel of Clausis, Lake Blanche or the former copper mines, via the Mine Road, which is closed to cars in summer and served by a shuttle bus.
The mountain passes attract cyclists and motorcyclists. Col Agnel, at 2,744 metres, crosses into Italy. Col de l’Izoard, at 2,360 metres, leads to Briançon. Between the two lie villages, their sundials and fountains, high-altitude lakes and, on clear nights, one of the purest skies in France—the sky that earned Saint-Véran its observatory.
What about winter?
Four intimate Alpine ski resorts—Molines-Saint-Véran, Abriès-Ristolas, Arvieux and Ceillac—are linked by a single lift pass, along with the valley’s largest ski area, starting from Saint-Véran: 35 kilometres of slopes between 1,750 and 2,800 metres. One of the largest Nordic ski areas in the Southern Alps, offering cross-country skiing, ski touring and snowshoeing from the villages.
Above all, there is a light and silence no longer found in the major resorts. The slopes start from the villages, you sleep in houses and dine on local valley produce. The park protects its night sky and limits lighting: the stars are part of the stay.
Which village should you choose, and where should you stay?
Perched at over 2,000 metres above sea level and listed among France’s Most Beautiful Villages, Saint-Véran shares the Queyras’s largest Alpine ski area with Molines-en-Queyras. Here, slopes and trails open directly onto the mountains in an unspoilt setting.
In the heart of its valley, Ceillac reveals a vast plateau surrounded by peaks, particularly well suited to Nordic skiing, while its north-facing Alpine ski area benefits from better-preserved snow.
Further east, Abriès and Ristolas invite you to discover the wild landscapes of the Haut-Guil, at the gateway to the Mont Viso massif. Arvieux stretches out at the foot of the legendary Col de l’Izoard, while Château-Ville-Vieille, overlooked by the silhouette of Fort Queyras, marks the meeting point of the valleys.
From one valley to the next, each village reveals another facet of the Queyras, combining heritage, wide-open spaces and mountain traditions.
For a first stay, Saint-Véran is the easiest choice: everything is within walking distance, and the view is everywhere. The 4-star Alta Peyra hotel offers 59 rooms and suites, a Nuxe spa with indoor and outdoor pools, and the Le Célestin restaurant, open from 18 December to 28 March and from 11 June to 19 September. The park encourages car-free stays: take the night train to Montdauphin-Guillestre, then a shuttle to the village. It also recognises committed accommodation providers with the Valeurs Parc naturel régional label.
Also discover: Skiing in the Queyras, the guide · When to visit the Queyras, month by month · Ten things to do in the Queyras
