Staying at Camping St Jean at Guillestre for a couple of
nights we explored the Queyras regional park taking the road through
several narrow tunnels, crossing fingers that we didn't meet one of the
many logging lorries, and through splendid gorges of the
Combe du Queyras to Chateau Queyras, a commanding fort perched on a hill
but with little roadside parking, then after a couple of kilometres, turning right and a good road climbing to
an attractive church with a wooden tower at Molines-en-Queyras, the
junction of the pass across the Col Agriel to Italy, then on St Veran,
which claims to be the highest village in Europe at 2040 metres.
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Church at Molines en Queyras
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St Veran highest village
in Europe
We parked at the bottom of the village
along with several other motorhomes and coaches. The village has many old
wooden buildings one of which is a fascinating museum packed full of old
items from the house in which the cheerful guide had lived together with
his farm animals until only a few
years ago. After a pleasant walk though the woods below the village we
drove back to the main road and further up the valley to Abries and the
end of the road at l'Echalp surrounded by high peaks of Monte Granero and
le Pain de Sucre before returning to the campsite at Guillestre (which had
wi-fi access at least just outside the office).
The next morning we visited Mont Dauphin, a very large fort with a
complete town inside its walls, built by Vauban.
From the first carpark (on the left) there was a great view across to the Guillestre plateau
with a waterfall over the cliff edge. Admission to the fort was free but
there is a charge for the museum and guided tours.
New. . .
. . . and old information signs
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view from St Veran to mountains
St Veran main street
Waterfall into Gorge du Queyras
(There is a walk into the gorge from Guillestre)
Entrance to Mont Dauphin
(we had to stand back as a beer delivery lorry just squeezed
through the arch)
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