Why hiking is all Isere out of ski season and why I’m on slightly safer ground when it’s not all slippery underfoot.
The hills and the mountains call us not just in the winter for the thrills of Val D’Isere when the peaks are snow-capped.
But in the summer and the fall when the greenery and brownery give the landscape another hue.
When the Alps transform into a pleasure ground for hikers.
Although tread carefully if the walker coming up behind has a worn-down sole and comes flying towards you on limestone rock.
With my Top Flight party in Ehrwald telling me I ought to have given them a safe word when I passed by.
Now if you’ve been honing up on your fitness over the spring then you’ll be ready for any of those treks over 9,000 km of trails.
There are all sorts of walks – from a chilled stroll with a donkey to downright gnarly routes.
Nice and easy
Escape into the Wild & Unusual This itinerary in the Chartreuse offers a beautiful and easily accessible route (medium level of hiking) for a timeless six-day journey.
The “Escaping into the wild and unusual” tour introduces hikers to the secrets of the Chartreuse with a qualified guide.
Expect unique landscapes, traces of history, tales of life in the past and a visit to the recently renovated Grande Chartreuse Museum.
And explore the Echelles caves, seeing the Sardinian Way and more.
The hike is suitable from 12 years old, for those travelling solo, or as a family / with friends.
Book the Comfort Trip and the accommodation providers will organise transport for the luggage. Six nights/seven days from €855 / £735 pp
Tour de force
Grand tour du Vercors and the Traversée des Hauts Plateaux
And if you want to stretch your legs a bit more then what about a 410 km hiking trail and all its subsidiaries.
The GTV has been slightly modified and is now divided into 22 stages.
The complete hike lasts about three weeks but it can be broken up into smaller sections.
From one day on one stage, a weekend, a week, we’re told this is a majestic limestone citadel if we can keep our feet.
The classic three-day Traversée des Hauts-Plateaux is 52.5 km.
From Corrençon to Châtillon-en-Diois with wild camping. https://rando.parc-du-vercors.fr/en
And your little donkey
Donkey hiking is an immersive nature experience with a panoramic view of the Trièves plateau and the Dévoluy mountains,
Where you’ll be crossing the picturesque village of Mens.
Donkeys carry the equipment, or the youngest children, on this guided hike with overnight camping.
This trip includes one night in a tent at the foot of the Châtel mountain, a guide, donkeys, sleeping equipment and organic meals.
Available until 15 October and costs from €150 / £129 per adult and from €100 / £86 per child (under 15 years old).
Alternatively, a family (two adults, two children) costs from €450 / £387.
And so while we glory in the skiing of Val D’Isere, why hiking is all Isere too.
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