| Synopsis: |
This guidebook describes 70 mountain walking routes in the Ecrins National Park in south east France. Easily reached from Grenoble, the Massif des Ecrins is one of the most spectacular regions in all the Alps. Most of the area is a national park, containing bold mountains hung with glaciers, and more than 100 summits over 3000m high. The park offers a profusion of alpine flowers, and romantic old villages and hamlets huddle in the valleys. This is mountain country par excellence, but hundreds of kilometres of well-marked trails and a network of alpine huts make it accessible to walkers. The highest peaks form a block at the very heart of the range, with a diverse assortment of valleys surrounding or spreading from it - Vallee de la Romanche, Vallee de la Guisane, Vallee de la Vallouise, Valgaudemar, Valjouffrey and Vallee du Veneon. For this second edition of the guide, Kev Reynolds has chosen the best routes from each of these valley bases. This guide describes 70 full- and half-day walks in France's largest national park, suitable for all experienced walkers, from alpine novices to experts, with useful information on refuge accommodation and all other aspects of walking in the region. |