Our stay in
upper Provence is at the border of the well known region of southern France
with a more mountainous, less populated area to the north. The long ridge of
the Lure mountain is generally considered to be the actual frontier between two
different worlds. We explore the territory found immediately to the north
of this ridge, a combination of rugged slopes wide rocky riverbeds and tiny
hamlets…
Not very far to
the north, we venture into a higly remote valley of the southern Alps, a region
called “Queyras” with solid farming traditions. Our home is just
down from St Veran, the highest village in Europe at 2000 metres. From our base
the walks will take us even higher towards the border of Italy, over ridges in
excess of 2800 m…. The Monviso, one of Italy’s proud summit at 3841
m will soon become a familiar landmark.
Back to lower
country, we then find ourselves in “Ardèche” a part of the
Cévennes in the Massif Central (we are no more in the Alps) with a
particularly strong identity. Generations of farmers carved the steep slopes
into countless terraces to scrap their survival from this tough but majestic
country. Chestnut trees (bread tree in the popular language) were essential to
the subsistence of local populations for centuries and we don’t leave
this region without a good “roasted chestnut party” !
Finally our
journey allows us to discover some parts of Savoy, further north in the French
Alps. Our base is in the superb town of Annecy, renowned for the breathtaking
beauty of its lake and the picturesque atmosphere of the old districts. Annecy
is only a short distance from Geneva in Switzerland. The lake is surrounded by
tall mountains all around and for obvious reasons, hiking is the favourite
hobby of most locals.
Our Hotels & Cuisine
Our base in
upper Provence is a beautifully located Maison d’Hôtes, the French
equivalent of the british B&B. The owners have patiently and tastefully
turned an old farmhouse into a fine guesthouse. Here we are treated to some of
the region’s specialties, one of them being the Sisteron lamb, renowned
nation-wide!
In Queyras we
make a small but comfortable 2 star hotel our home. The vast outside terrace is
the ideal place to relax and enjoy the late afternoon light after a day up and
down high mountain tracks. Our hosts treat us to some
“serious” mountain dishes, often based on locally produced cheese.
In
Ardèche our home is again in a “Maison d’Hôtes”,
on the side of a roaring torrent with a 20 m high waterfall right at our
doorstep. The keen owners have turned an 18th century silk mill into a charming
accommodation. Their dining table draws respect from all around the place and
offers a range of very inventive and tasty dishes based on local products.
In Annecy we
stay in a cosy 3 star hotel a few steps away from the lake and at walking
distance to the busy town centre. From our home it takes about 15 minutes to
reach the old part of town on foot along the lake. Every night dinner is in
town where a large choice of inviting restaurants is found.
Tour combination
Departure dates have been arranged to allow both the "TIMELESS VALLEYS" and "SECRETS OF PROVENCE" walks to be combined.
TIMELESS VALLEYS
REQUEST THE TOUR PRE-DEPARTURE NOTES 
