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Located in the highest regional nature park in Europe, north of the Hautes-Alpes, Arvieux and its valley offer their lucky visitors absolutely magnificent panoramas. With its many hamlets and villages between 1300 and 1800 metres above sea level, the Arvieux valley, also known as the Izoard valley, is an excellent family destination, offering many activities all year round for all levels and all tastes. If in summer hiking and via ferrata are a delight for lovers of wild excursions, in winter, the resort of Arvieux is famous for its snow-covered peaks of Queyras, beloved by snow sports enthusiasts.

A small traditional village made of larch shingle houses and beautiful arcaded houses, Arvieux, crossed by several rivers, is the gateway to the Izoard Valley. Divided into many small hamlets, the village has three of Queyras' most beautiful peaks on its land: the Crêtes de Coste Belle, the Beau Traversier and the Grand Rochebrune, perched at an altitude of 3320 metres. Crossed by multiple hiking routes, Arvieux is a delight for walkers and sports enthusiasts alike, with the GR5, GR541, GR85 and Via Alpina.

On the ski side, the ski resort of Arvieux is located in the hamlet of La Chalp d'Arvieux: housed between 1690 and 2105 metres above sea level, this family resort is the perfect place for an introduction to the joys of skiing, far from the crowded ski resorts where the youngest ones sometimes have difficulty finding their way on the slopes. You will find a total of 15 slopes spread over 11 kilometres, and served by 5 lifts. 7 green slopes, 2 blue, 5 red and 1 black will allow children and adults alike to have fun at their own pace and according to their desires. A Nordic area is also very popular with cross-country skiers: the "La Route" itinerary through century-old larch forests and mountain pastures in particular is very popular and will allow you to discover superb panoramic views of the neighbouring passes with the Pic du Grand Rochebrune in the background. The "Route du Col de l'Izoard" and the "Haute Route des Escartons" are also two must-see if you like cross-country skiing or snowshoeing. If downhill skiing is in the spotlight in this family resort, you can also learn or perfect your biathlon technique. The toboggan mats of the Pôle Glisse de Pra-Berdand, but also an ice rink, numerous snowshoeing routes, a paragliding start and a boardercross run complete the picture of the activities offered during the winter in the Arvieux resort.

When the thick white coat of winter gives way to green pastures, the "vallée d'Azur" as some like to call it reveals its superb alpine chalets, Furfande and Clapeyto, which you can reach on hikes or mountain bike rides. If you are a cyclist, then you will absolutely have to try the ascent of the Col de l'Izoard! If by any chance you would rather be a "climbing" enthusiast, then the via ferrât and the climbing routes equipped with the resort will certainly make you happy. Behind an artificial lake, the via ferrata of "Pra Premier" will satisfy the novices in this field, while the more difficult via ferrata of "Les Crêtes de Combe la Roche" will be reserved for experts in the field. If you like whitewater activities, then you will have to discover the tumultuous torrents of the Guil, the mountain river of which Queyras is particularly proud. Known to free-riders, this river with its European reputation is the perfect place to kayak and raft: we advise you to go to Château Queyras, 6 kilometres from downtown Arvieux to raft in the Gorges du Guil, or to Saint-Clément-sur-Durance, 28 kilometres from there. Finally, Lac de Roue is an absolute must see: in this setting straight out of the most beautiful Canadian postcards, Lac de Roue is located at an altitude of 1850 metres and is accessible via the Souliers road, the Chalp road and the GR5 trail. A privileged place for a bivouac, a picnic or a small aperitif by the water's edge, this absolutely magnificent lake is well known to photographers who come to immortalize its panorama, especially at sunset when the mountains are tinged with sparkling colours.

More information about the region :

Alpes

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Queyras