la Fruitière

From Villargaudin, follow Chemin du Queyron from the top of the village. After about an hour you'll come to the Queyron plateau. Follow the path above Les Escoyères and facing Bramousse. This takes you to the Col de la Lauze. After a few hairpin bends, turn left towards Les Fonds and Col Garnier (sign). The balcony path above the Guil gorge takes you to Furfande. You'll then be walking towards the chalets of Les Fonds (a district of Furfande). Cross Les Fonds and head up to the Valette chalets to reach the Col de Furfande (2,500m). Enjoy the view over Izoard and Ecrins to the north, and Ubaye in the south. Go down to the refuge and return via the Col de la Lauze. Furfande is a high mountain pasture dotted with 80 chalets. This extraordinary place is worth stopping to contemplate for a while. Some of the surrounding peaks are easy to reach, such as Pic des Chalanches or Pic du Gazon.

From Villargaudin at the bottom of the village, head for La Maravia. You'll arrive at Arvieux in less than an hour. As you enter Arvieux, between the Presbytery and the Temple, turn right onto Route des Maisons. You are now on the GR5 hiking trail where you'll discover Villargaudin on the opposite slope. At Lake Roue, leave the GR5 to turn right towards ‘Belvédères' as indicated on the sign. The path above Villargaudin and Château-Queyras takes you back to the GR5 trail. A little further along, turn right towards ‘Les Moulins - Villargaudin”. Walk down to Les Moulins, take a look at the mill, then return to the Pont du Déserteur (bridge) and leave the Villargaudin road to follow a path that also leads to Villargaudin.

From Villargaudin, take Chemin de Montbardon from the bottom of the village. Cross the road and continue to the Espezières forest track. Turn right and follow this track for 200 metres. Just after Bric la Combe, turn right onto Chemin des Escoyères. When you arrive at Les Escoyères, follow the road to Le Chatelard. You can also reach Le Chatelard via the Marie-Madeleine chapel. From there, take Chemin de Furfande and, after a few hairpin bends, leave this lane on your left and head for Le Queyron, then return to Villargaudin via the larch forest.