C r o s s i n g t h e alpsMap > Art’ graphi Creations - Randonnée Créations - © Via Alpina 11/2004 C r o s s i n g t h e Legende > Leggenda > Légende Legenda > Legend alps on foot Autobahn, Schnellstrasse/Autostrada/Autoroute, voie rapide Avtocesta/Motorway, dual carriageway Tunnel/Trafforo/Tunnel Predor/Tunnel Hauptstrasse/Strada principale/Route principale Glavna cesta/Main road Nebenstrasse/Strada secondaria/Route secondaire Stranska cesta/Secondary road the great crossing of the European Alps Eisenbahn/Ferrovia/Voie ferrée Železnica/Railway Metropole/Metropoli/Métropole LYON Metropola/Metropole Stadt (grosse)/Città principale/Ville principale Bergamo Glavno mesto/Main city Stadt (andere)/Città secondaria/Ville secondaire Lecco Manjše mesto/Secondary city Dorf, Ortsteil/Altro comune, frazione/Autre commune, hameau Spuglën Druga občina, vasica/Other town, hamlet E#9¼6cVgdhV E#9¼6cVgdhVE#9¼6cVgdhVE#9¼6cVgdhV(%%% E#9¼6cVgdhV Gipfel/Cima/Sommet E#9¼6cVgdhVE#9¼6cVgdhV Vrh/Summit E#9¼6cVgdhV(%%%(%%%EVhhd E#9¼6cVgdhV(%%% (%%%YZaBjgZiid(%%% (%%%EVhhd E#9¼6cVgdhVEVhhdEVhhd YZaBjgZiid(%%%EVhhd EVhhdYZaBjgZiidYZaBjgZiidYZaBjgZiidEVhhd Pass/Colle/Col YZaBjgZiidYZaBjgZiid Prelaz/Pass YZaBjgZiidYZaBjgZiid(%%%G^[Od^VEVhhd YZaBjgZiidEVhhd YZaBjgZiid EVhhdG^[Od^V G^[Od^V YZaBjgZiidG^[Od^VG^[Od^V G^[Od^VG^[Od^V Hütte/Rifugio, capanna/Refuge, cabane G^[Od^V Koča/Mountain hut G^[Od^V G^[Od^V Staatsgrenze/Confine di Stato/Frontière internationale Državna meja/State border Regions-, Landes – oder Kantonsgrenze/ Regijska, deželna ali kantonska meja Confine de Regione, Land o Cantone/ /Region, land or canton border Limite de région, land ou canton Departements – oder Provinzgrenze/ Departmajska ali pokrajinska meja/ Confine di Dipartimento o Provincia/ >hgZ Department or province border Limite de département ou province >hgZ >hgZ >hgZ >hgZ >hgZ Fluss/Fiume/Rivière EVaVYgj>hgZ Reka/River www.via-alpina.org >hgZ>hgZ>hgZ >hgZEVaVYgj EVaVYgj EVaVYgj EVaVYgjEVaVYgj See/Lago/Lac EVaVYgj Jezero/Lake EVaVYgj association grande traversée des alpes % &% '% EVaVYgjEVaVYgj (% )% *%`b EVaVYgj % &% '% (% )% *%`b % % &% &% '% '% (% (% )% )% *%`b*%`b % &% '% (% )% *%`b % &% '% (% )% *%`b %% % &%&%&% '%'% (%(%(% )%)%)% *%`b*%`b*%`b You want to be independent? Signposting • Tignes lake: access from Tignes. How to prepare for your trip The Via Alpina logo appears on the signposts indicating which path to From Bourg-St-Maurice railway station. take, making it easy to follow the trails (especially at junctions). In each Autocars Martin: +33 (0)4 79 07 04 49 A few simple checks before you start out case the logo includes the trail colour and will accompany you on your • Leisse hut and Termignon. There are regular shuttle buses to Always check the weather forecast ! journey through the varied landscapes. Termignon from the TGV station in Modane. • Modane: Modane railway station. Tel: 0 892 68 02 XX weather forecasts for each département Transport: try to use public transport where possible (replace XX with the département’s code: 74 for Haute-Savoie, etc.) For information about train stations and bus connections to the start of Hautes-Alpes www.meteofrance.com your walk • Les Granges de la Vallée Etroite: access via Bardonecchia. Emergency services SNCF – Tel: + 33 (0)8 92 35 35 35 or Shuttle buses from the railway station. European emergency services number: 112 +33 (0)8 92 35 35 39 (in English) • Névache: From Briançon railway station. In summer, there are regular shuttle buses between Briançon Maps and guides Allo TER (regional train information) – Tel: 0891 67 68 00 (calls within France) and Vallée de la Clarée. Plan your route using detailed maps and guidebooks > On the blue trail • IGN maps 1:25 000 (TOP 25 series), In winter, there is a coach service which ties in with train arrivals Savoie & Haute-Maurienne “Alps without frontiers” walking guides with maps and departures (reservation only). There are regular shuttle buses to Termignon from the TGV station in Tel: +33 (0)1 43 98 80 00 • Monêtier-les-Bains: Modane. See www.altibus.com Website: www.ign.fr Regular shuttle buses from Briançon railway station. • Libris maps 1:60 000 Alpes-de-Haute-Provence • Vallouise: Tel: +33 (0)4 76 84 25 00 • Regular bus service to and from Larche, links to railway stations and Shuttle buses from the Argentière-les-Ecrins railway station. Website: www.libris.fr regular services between Gap and Barcelonnette, Digne-les-Bains Tel: +33 (0)4 92 23 10 27 • Didier Richard maps 1:50 000 and Barcelonnette and Marseille to Barcelonnette. • Freissinière: Tel: +33 (0)4 76 99 20 20 For information and reservations, contact SCAL: From the Argentière-les-Ecrins railway station. Website: www.glenatlivres.com - Barcelonnette: +33 (0)4 92 81 00 20 Tel: +33 (0)4 92 51 50 50 • Guides FFRP - Gap: +33 (0)4 92 51 06 05 • Mont-Dauphin (Guillestre): For full details, see www.ffrandonnee.fr - Marseille: +33 (0)4 91 62 10 22 From the Mont-Dauphin Guillestre railway station. Tel: +33 (0)4 92 45 07 05 Essential equipment Alpes-Maritimes (Tinée valley, Vésubie valley & Sospel) Bus service to and from Nice: • Furfande hut: Wear stout shoes, take suitable clothing and a well-designed rucksack One-day walk from Guillestre. containing essential items only (but remember to pack spare clothes). Alpes-Maritimes transport network: 0 800 06 01 06 (calls within France) • Ceillac: Take a water bottle, snacks (e.g. cereal bars), sunglasses with UV filter, Shuttle bus connection from Mont-Dauphin-Guillestre railway A gentle natural world of music and scents hat, sunscreen, warm clothing (fleece), waterproof jacket. Walking > On the red trail station provided by Transports Favier. From the Ubaye valley to the Mercantour National Park, the blue trail poles can be useful; a head torch may come in handy (in case you find Haute-Savoie Tel: +33 (0)4 92 45 07 71 leads through a flourishing natural world of Alpine and Mediterranean yourself still walking at dusk or if you are staying in huts). A first-aid kit • From the Aiguilles Rouge to Sixt-Passy: access from Chamonix is essential (remember to include something for blisters and sunburn). Alpes de Haute-Provence wonders: 2,000 of the many known plant species in France can be found Railway line from Saint-Gervais (TGV). • Maljasset: in the Mercantour National Park, including 220 rare and 40 indigenous Accommodation • Tornay-Bostan hut: access from Samoëns SCAL bus (+33 (0)4 92 51 06 05) from Gap railway station to species. The Park also plays host to almost the full range of Alpine birds Before you leave, book rooms in each mountain hut to avoid any nasty Direct bus service (SAT) from Cluses railway station Barcelonnette, then by taxi. and mammals. It is so hospitable that Italian wolves invited themselves in surprises. Tel: +33 (0)4 50 34 40 09 Alternatively, taxi from the Mont-Dauphin railway station. a few years ago, generating a certain amount of unease. The Alpha 250 accommodation facilities have been listed in collaboration with existing Website: www.altibus.com Alpes-Maritimes Scénoparc, just a few kilometres from Saint-Martin-Vésubie, is a visitor brands (Gîtes de France, Rando Accueil). All the contact details for planning • Salvagny: access from Sixt. • Madone de Fenestre hut: access from St-Martin-Vésubie. C r o s s i n g t h e centre dedicated to wolves with stunning 3D images and three packs each stage of your journey can be found at www.via-alpina.org and in Direct bus service (SAT) from Cluses railway station TAM bus (Tel: 0800 06 01 06) from Nice railway station. living more or less wild. the GTA accommodation guide (www.grande-traversee-alpes.com). Samoëns bus station: • Nice hut: access via Belvédère. From the Elena Soria hut or the Madone-de-Fenestre hut to Tel: +33 (0)4 50 34 40 09 A prehistoric and historic heritage of incredible riches Via Alpina accommodation: 33 different factors TAM bus (Tel: 0800 06 01 06) from Nice railway station. Limonetto: the Mercantour National Park in all its glory Website: www.altibus.com Surrounded by the pink rock of the mountains, the Vallée des Merveilles The “recommended by Via Alpina” brand is a new concept that has • Valmasque hut and Castérino: access via Tende. • Moëde-Anterne hut: access from Sixt or Servoz-les-Houches. is home to several high-altitude lakes and contains over 36,000 prehistoric Five delightful short stages without too much climbing put the “marvels been developed for the Via Alpina trails in France. It has been in Tende railway station. Tel: +33 (0)4 93 04 65 60 SAT: +33 (0)4 50 53 01 15 rock carvings which are currently being considered for inclusion in the of the Vallée des Merveilles” within everyone’s grasp. operation since summer 2007. The selection criteria focus on three • Breil-sur-Roya: • La Flégère: access from Argentière and Chamonix. UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. In prehistoric times, the Mercantour main areas: Breil-sur-Roya railway station. Tel: +33 (0)4 93 04 40 15 From the mont Gélas which towers above the path, to the lac de la Railway line from Saint-Gervais (TGV). was already a place of trade and cultural interaction. Fous, lac Vert and lac Noir lakes, the Vallée des Merveilles with its - Facilities and services specifically designed for walkers • Sospel: It continued in that role, acting as a true pivotal point for trade between 36,000 prehistoric rock carvings and pink rocks, the Madone-de- - Promotion of the area (local area and the Alps) and local traditions Savoie Sospel railway station. Tel: +33 (0)4 93 04 00 17 neighbouring Italy, the county of Nice, and Provence. The villages in the Fenestre abbey and the Giaure fort, the Mercantour National Park - Contributing to environmental awareness • Archeboc hut and Le Monal: access from Ste-Foy-Tarentaise.