Les Ecrins National Park

Les Ecrins National Park mini guide

Les Ecrins is the largest of France’s national parks and contains some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in the whole Alpine range.

Located southeast of Grenoble and unequally split between the départements of Isère and Hautes-Alpes, the Parc National des Ecrins covers an area of 92,000 hectares (227,332 acres), with a peripheral zone nearly twice that size. Across the 911 sq km of its central protected zone there is a good range of altitudes, colours, landscapes and shapes that would appeal to most. The land can be dramatic and wild, or hospitable and soft around the edges, with stunning, breath-taking scenery and views at every glance. There are 170 sq km of glaciers, 300 sq km of forests and 368 sq km of alpine meadows to explore. In the south-east of the park soft chalk, schist, shale and sandstone predominate, whilst in the north and west hard gneiss and granite resist the grinding of glaciers. The parkland climbs from altitudes of 800m to 4,102m, culminating in the peak of the Barre des Ecrins, a focal point for climbing enthusiasts.

Some visitors come to the park for the unruly peaks and off-piste skiing, whilst others wish to enjoy the well-maintained paths, to visit the gîtes, museums and libraries run by the park’s authorities, or to enjoy exhibitions, fêtes and processions.

Easily accessible by public transport or car, and with several charming valleys in which to make a base (including the Romanche, Guisane, Vallouise, Valgaudemar and Vénéon valleys), this largest national park in France offers an unrivalled selection of walks - each one revealing awesome views.