QUEYRAS REGIONAL NATURE PARK

If the Écrins massif marks the boundary between the northern and southern Alps, with the Queyras the Alps tip over to the Mediterranean side of the ^45th parallel. Without losing any of their majesty, with many peaks well over 3,000 metres, the mountains take on a different allure under a sun that shines brighter and longer. In this "privileged" environment, protected by man within a Regional Nature Park, the Queyras has become a veritable Noah's Ark, concentrating species of diverse origins, such as the fox-tailed astragalus, native to the Caucasus, or the Fatio vole, from the southern Italian Alps. It's a Noah's Ark that we'd happily land on the unlikely island of Mount Viso. Located in Italy, but part of this cross-border massif, a magnificent pillar of rock overlooking Piedmont, this mountain is home to some of the world's most unique species, such as Lanza's salamander, as well as insects and plants that seem to have evolved in a world of their own. An exceptional biodiversity to be discovered with the help of a guide. Under an intense blue sky, the Queyras reveals all its splendor only to those who get up early, come back late, are in good physical condition and have a great deal of mountain experience. The altitude differences are considerable, and only experienced hikers can approach all these natural wonders. Even so, man can reach other peaks. Like the village of Saint-Véran, "Where the rooster pecks at the stars", which for a long time was the highest commune in Europe at an altitude of 2,040 metres. Right at the end of the road, Saint-Véran is a charming village where it's a pleasure to stroll among the traditional houses with their distinctive architecture, featuring a stone base used as a dwelling and a larch-wood storey to store the harvest. In addition to these typical houses, Saint-Véran is home to many reminders of rural life: wooden fountains, bread ovens and sundials. Saint-Véran, a village where man has shown over the centuries his ability to adapt to an extreme environment, has managed to preserve the riches of its past by protecting them from visitors - Saint-Véran has only been reachable by road for a century - but is happy to reveal them to all those who love the Alps. Set off on an adventure to discover the Queyras.