lynx. Wolves are once more a threat, so flocks of sheep in the Briançonnais still tend to have a Pastou attached to them. The Pastou is a very large, white, long haired dog which is related to an old Pyrenean breed. It will usually have been raised with the flock from a young age, so it forms a close bond with the sheep.
As they are working dogs whose job is to protect, they will often growl or bark if you approach the flock. Although uncommon, it is not unheard of for visitors to the French Alps to be bitten by a Pastou which felt that its sheep were being threatened. Accordingly, the best advice is to give them a wide berth. If you see a flock then it is wise to assume that there may be a Pastou with them. And be aware that from a distance the colour and texture of their coats makes them hard to spot amongst the sheep.
Notwithstanding the above advice, the author has had the following positive, although initially extremely unsettling, experience with a Pastou on the Col du Vallon in the Écrins National Park:
Early one beautiful morning in September, I sat alone on the top of the Col du Vallon enjoying the quality of light and solitude that can often only be found at that time of the morning. Lost in the splendour of the vista before me, the first thing I felt was light pressure on my back as something sat down behind me, so close that we were touching. Wondering who would have the audacity to invade my personal space in such a manner, I turned round and was shocked to come face to face with a goliath of a dog – a huge, shaggy, white Pastou. We were both seated, back to back, and yet its head towered above mine (or at least so it seemed!). My terror dissipated quickly, however, as he was gazing at me with the warm adoring eyes of a Labrador puppy. He gave me a lick on the cheek and when he lay down beside me; my instinctive reaction was to put my arm around him. We enjoyed ten minutes of the silent companionship that can only be experienced between a man/woman and his/her dog. He then got up and simply wandered away back to his flock, without looking back.
Although heart warming, such experiences are likely to be few and far between, and under no circumstances should you use this anecdote as rationale for trying to pet a Pastou. To ensure that your day in the mountains does not take an unpleasant turn, view the Pastous from afar.
Plants and flowers
Clockwise from left: Alpenrose, gentian, edelweiss and violas
The Haute Alpes is a veritable cornucopia of wild flowers. At the right time of year you will be astounded by the myriad of colours and sheer variety of the flora on display. May and June are normally the best months for flowers, which wait patiently throughout the winter for the snow to clear and then rapidly spring to life. That said, there are still plenty of flowers in other months.
A few of the best known alpine flowers in the Briançonnais include the following:
Alpenrose is a bright pink member of the Rhododendron family and is seemingly everywhere at altitude in late June and July. They are particularly abundant on Walks 32 (Tour du Grand Area) and 20 (Lac Palluel and Lac Faravel).
Viola is a small flower which prefers grassy pastures. There are a variety of colours including yellow, white and blue (or a combination of those colours). Look out for them on Walk 3 near the Col des Thures.
Chardon Bleu is a rare blue flower which flowers between July and September. They are common at the top of the Fournel Valley near the start of Walk 24 (la Grande Cabane).
Edelweiss is probably the most famous alpine plant of all. This striking white flower is rare and only grows at high altitude (1800–3300m). It can be found (if you are lucky) on Walks 27 (Croix de la Salcette) and 40 (Plateau d’Emparis).
Getting there
By air
The Briançonnais is well served by the following international airports and airlines:
Turin (1hr 30min drive to Briançon) – Alitalia, British Airways, Easyjet, Ryanair
Lyon (2hr 45min to Briançon) – Aer Lingus, British Airways, Easyjet
Marseilles (2hr 50min to Briançon) – Aer Lingus, Air France, British Airways. Easyjet, Ryanair
Milan Malpensa (3hr to Briançon) – Aer Lingus, Alitalia, British Airways, Easyjet
Nice (3hr 30min to 5hr to Briançon depending upon the route) – Aer Lingus, Air France, British Airways, Easyjet, Ryanair.
This is not a complete list of airlines serving these airports but it will provide an idea of what is available.
Resalp runs bus services to Briançon from Lyon airport via Grenoble (see Appendix C). You can also get the train to Briançon from Marseille airport and Nice but you will need to change at least once (see www.voyages-sncf.com). However, as you will need a car to access many of the walks, you might prefer to rent a car at the airport you fly into. All the major rental companies operate at the airports and cheap rates can be obtained via a booking website such as or www.holidayautos.co.uk. If you are flying into Italy (Turin or Milan) and propose to rent a car, check that your hire car company allows you to cross into France.
By train
Briançon is easily accessed from Paris by train. At the time of writing there is a daily overnight train in both directions between Briançon and Gare Austerlitz in Paris, but funding cuts may put this service under threat. It is an excellent service which offers reasonably priced sleeper carriages and gets into Briançon early in the morning. There are also a number of trains which run during the day to and from Gare de Lyon in Paris. Any of these train services could be linked with the Eurostar from London or a flight to Paris. Information on train times and tickets can be found at www.voyages-sncf.com.
By car
You can bring your car to France from Ireland or the UK by one of the many ferry services (www.stenaline.co.uk; www.irishferries.com; www.brittany-ferries.co.uk; www.dfdsseaways.co.uk). Alternatively, you can travel with your car on the train from the UK through the channel tunnel (www.eurotunnel.com). The drive to the Briançonnais should take 9–10hr from arrival in France. If travelling from Calais or Dunkirk, take the road to Reims to avoid the busy ring road around Paris.
Getting around
Depending upon where you base yourself, you should be able to access some of the walks in this book by foot. In addition, many of the walks can be reached using local bus services. For example, regular buses travel to Montgenèvre and up and down the Guisane Valley between Briançon and la Grave. There are also daily Lignes Express Régionales buses travelling along the Durance Valley to and from Briançon (see Appendix C).
However, there are some walks in this book which will require you to have your own transport and, if you do, then you will get more out of the region. You could rent a car in Briançon but it is usually cheaper and easier to rent one on arrival at the airport (see ‘Getting there’).
Weather
