• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
MENUMENU
  • Home
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Join us on

Ultimate France

A Thrill-Seekers Guide

MENUMENU
  • Bike
    • Mountain Biking South France
      • Auron-Saint Etienne
      • Le Dévoluy
      • Diois
      • Isola 2000
      • La Moulière
      • Les Orres
      • Montgenèvre
      • Orcières
      • Pra Loup
      • Queyras
      • Riviera Borderlands
      • Roubion
      • Serre Chevalier
      • Sospel
      • Ubaye Valley
      • Valberg
      • Val d'Allos
      • Vars
      • Verdon
    • Mountain Biking French Alps
      • Portes du Soleil
        • Avoriaz
        • Châtel
        • Les Gets
        • Morzine
      • Alpe d'Huez
      • Chamonix
        • Tour du Mont Blanc
      • Courchevel
      • Les Arcs
      • La Clusaz
      • Les Deux Alpes
      • Méribel
      • Sainte-Foy
      • Tignes
      • Val d’Isère
      • Valloire
    • Mountain Biking French Pyrenees
      • Cauterets
      • Luchon
      • Saint Lary
      • Mountain Biking Basque Country
      • Mountain Biking Northern Italy
      • Finale Ligure
    • Cycling Holidays
      • Mountain Bike Hire
      • Cycle Shops & Repairs
      • Airport Transfers
      • Campervan Hire
      • Road Cycling
      • French Alps
      • South of France
      • Cycling Holidays
    • Bike Directory

      • Finale Ligure Freeride - MTB Uplifts & Guiding
      • Whiterides - Private Airport Transfers to the Espace Killy, Paradiski and 3 Valleys
      • France Bike Trips - Mountain Bike & Road Cycling Tours
      • Natureo Surf Camp - Seignosse
      • RIDE ON NOLI - MTB Uplifts & Guiding
      • Bike Alp - MTB Holidays in the Southern French Alps
  • Surf
    • South West France
      • Anglet
      • Arcachon-La Salie
      • Biarritz
      • Bidart
      • Biscarrosse
      • Capbreton
      • Guéthary
      • Hendaye
      • Hossegor
      • Lacanau
      • Messanges
      • Mimizan Plage
      • Moliets Plage
      • Saint-Jean-de-Luz
      • Seignosse
      • Vieux Boucau
    • Brittany
    • Surf Holidays
      • Surf Camps
      • Campsites
      • Surf Shuttles
      • Campervan Rental
      • Basque Country Beaches
      • Surf Webcams
      • Hossegor
    • Surf Events
      • Quiksilver Pro France
      • World Surfing Games
  • Kite
    • Kitesurf Spot Guide
      • Almanarre, Hyères
      • Beauduc, Camargue
      • Cap d’Agde
      • Carro
      • Espiguette, Camargue
      • La Ciotat
      • Lac de Serre-Ponçon
      • Le Jaï-Etang de Berre
      • Leucate-La Franqui
      • Saint-Laurent-du-Var
      • Sète-Etang de Thau
    • Kitesurfing Holidays
      • Campervan Rental
      • Campsites
        • Almanarre
        • Leucate
      • Kitesurf Schools
        • Almanarre
        • Cannes
        • Hyères
        • Leucate
        • Montpellier
        • Sète
  • Snow
    • Resort Guides
      • Les 3 Vallées
        • Courchevel
        • La Tania
        • Les Menuires
        • Méribel
        • Val Thorens
      • Alpe d'Huez
      • Arêches-Beaufort
      • Avoriaz
      • Bourg-Saint-Maurice
      • Chamonix
      • Châtel
      • Isola 2000
      • La Clusaz
    • Resort Guides cont.
      • La Grave
      • La Plagne
      • La Rosière
      • Les 2 Alpes
      • Les Arcs
      • Les Gets
      • Les Houches
      • Megève
      • Morzine
      • Sainte-Foy
      • Serre Chevalier
      • Tignes
      • Val d’Isère
    • Backcountry
      • Off-Piste Skiing
        • Tignes
        • Val d'Isère
        • Les 3 Vallées
        • Vallée Blanche
      • Ski Touring
        • Les 3 Vallées
      • Heli-Skiing & Boarding
      • Extreme Steep Skiing
      • Snowshoeing
        • French Alps
    • Ski Holidays
      • Airport Transfers
      • Chalet Accommodation
      • Ski & Snowboard Lessons
        • 100% Snowboard
      • Ski & Snowboard Holidays
      • Ski & Snowboard Rental
      • Off-Piste Guiding
      • Last Minute Deals
    • Webcams
      • Alpe d'Huez
      • Val d'Isère
  • Adventure
    • Canyoning
      • South of France
        • Gorges du Verdon
      • French Alps
        • Vercors
      • Canyoning Guides
      • Aqua Trekking Guides
    • Hiking
      • South of France
        • Gorges du Verdon
      • French Alps
        • Tour des Ecrins
        • Tour du Mont Blanc
        • Mont Blanc Ascent
      • Hiking Guides
    • Paragliding
      • South of France
        • Saint-André-les-Alpes
      • French Alps
      • Paragliding Schools
      • Tandem Flights
    • Rafting
      • The Ubaye
      • The Verdon
      • Rafting Companies
      • Tandem Kayaking
    • Rock Climbing
      • Gorges du Verdon
      • Climbing Guides
      • Mountaineering
      • Mont Blanc
      • Mountaineering Guides
    • Via Ferrata
      • South of France
      • French Alps
      • Via Ferrata Guides
  • Active Holidays
    • South of France
      • Aix-en-Provence
      • Ardèche
      • Avignon
      • Briançon
      • Cannes
      • Cévennes NP
      • Dordogne
      • Ecrins NP
      • Gorges du Tarn
      • Gorges du Verdon
      • The Luberon
      • Massif de l'Esterel
      • Mercantour NP
      • Mont Ventoux
      • Nice
      • Ubaye Valley
    • French Alps
      • Bourg-Saint-Maurice
      • Chamonix
      • The Vercors
      • Mountain Bike Parks
      • Ski Resorts
      • Last Minute Ski Deals
      • Ski & Snowboard Lessons
      • Airport Transfers
      • Chalet Accommodation
      • Webcams
    • Atlantic Coast
      • Arcachon
      • Biarritz
      • Biscarrosse
      • Bordeaux
      • Capbreton
      • Cap Ferret
      • Hossegor
      • Île d'Oléron
      • Île de Ré
      • Lacanau
      • La Rochelle
      • Royan
      • Saint-Jean-de-Luz
    • Featured Accommodation

      • Seignosse Surf Villa
      • Christiania Hotel - Valloire
      • Camping International Giens, Campsite - Almanarre
      • Camping Huttopia Gorges du Verdon
      • Chalet du Mont d'Arbois - Megeve
      • Camping La Ferme de Castellane
      • Camping Huttopia Lanmary - Dordogne
  • Events
    • Mountain Biking
      • Raid VTT
      • Terres Noires Enduro
      • CRANKWORX – Les Gets
      • Megavalanche
      • Pass'Portes du Soleil
      • MTB Instructor Course
      • Roc d'Azur
    • Outdoor Sports
      • Spadtribu - Ubaye Valley
      • Natural Games
    • Skiing & Boarding
      • La Grave Off-Piste Adventure
      • Snow & Rock Backcountry Skiing
      • Val d'Isère Photo Comp
  • Gear
    • Waterproof Cycling Jackets
    • Expedition Duffel Bags
    • Backpacks under 30l
    • Mountain Bike Helmets
    • Snowboard Boots
    • Snowboard Helmets
    • Base Layers
    • Waterproof Jackets
    • Shimano CM-1000
    • Lapierre X-Control
    • Soft Roof Racks
    • Wetsuit Buying Guide – Everything you need to know to choose the right wetsuit
  • Magazine
You are here: Home / Hiking in France / Hiking in the French Alps / The Tour des Ecrins (GR54) Multi-Day Trek

The Tour des Ecrins (GR54) Multi-Day Trek

A long distance multi-day mountain trek in the largest and highest National park in the French Alps. With its stunning snow capped mountains and tumbling glaciers the Parc National des Ecrins and GR54 footpath offer an unrivalled mountain journey.

View of the Ecrins National Park
© ecrins-parcnational.fr

Tour des Ecrins Overview

For breathtaking views of glacier lakes and a real sense of remoteness, take time out to hike the GR54, or the Tour des Ecrins. A classic circular trek, it covers 180 km and is one of the most challenging routes in Europe. Reasonably fit backpackers will comfortably complete this trek in the summer without the need for mountaineering skills or equipment in around 7-12 days.

Highlights

Renowned as one of France’s wildest GR treks, the highlights for us are the amazing views of the main peaks of the Ecrins Massif and Lac Lauvitel which blew our mind. High, steep and remote in places, it helps if you have a good head for heights and good scrambling ability, but this adds to the feeling of achievement at the end. The route tops out at 2735 m so shouldn’t cause problems for regular walkers.

Route Map


The Walking

The Tour des Ecrins (GR54) has a reputation for being one of the most challenging multi-day mountain treks in the Alps. This circular 10+ day trek in the Ecrins National Park is over 180 km long, includes 12,800m of ascent and crosses 14 high cols. Although the trek is considered one of the toughest in the Alps, the nature of the paths and availability of numerous mountain refuges and valley gites means it can be undertaken by anyone of reasonable walking fitness, experience and enthusiasm.
French Alps Trekking also offer a 6-day version which takes in the most remote southern section of the GR54.

The trek is usually started from near the town of Le Bourg-d’Oisans to the northwest of the park and follows a mountainous route around the Barre des Ecrins (the most southerly 4000 m peak in the Alps) as well as passing the spectacular peaks of La Meije (3983 m) and Mt Pelvoux (3946 m) and numerous other mountains over 3500 m. Main villages en route include La Grave, Vallouise and La Chapelle en Valgaudemar.

The steep sided valleys typical of the Ecrins are rich with wildlife, including chamois, ibex, golden eagles, griffon vultures and marmots. A wealth of plants and wild flowers and impressive physical geography will delight nature lovers on a daily basis.


Tour des Ecrins Trek Profile

Number of days walking: 10+ (or 6 day version along the southern section)
Pace: Each day will involve up to 1000 m ascent, between 10-18 km walking and time of 6-9 hours, including stops for photos, rest and refreshment.
Terrain: Good paths with some exposure and short sections of easy scrambling.
Longest day: 18km
Max altitude: The Pas de Cavale – 2735 m


Typical Tour des Ecrins Itinerary

Day 1: La Danchere or Venosc passing lac du Chambon and on to refuge des Clots (1520 m)
Day 2: Refuge des Clots via the Plateau d’Emparis (2365 m), lac noir and lac lerie to Le Chazelet (1800 m)
Day 3: Le Chazelet to Villar D’Arene, up to Col du Arsine (2451 m) and on to Monetier les Bains (1500 m)
Day 4: Monetier to col de l’Eychauda (2425 m) and on to Vallouise.
Day 5: Vallouise to Pas de Cavale (2735 m) and descent to refuge Pre de la Chaumette (1810 m)
Day 6: Ascent to Col du Vallonpierre (2530m) and on to refuge du Clot Xavier Blanc (1700 m)
Day 7: Pass through La Chapelle en Valgaudemar and up to Refuge des Souffles (1975 m)
Day 8: over the Col de la Vaurze (2500 m) and descent to gite in Le Desert du Valjouffrey
Day 9: Le Desert over la Cote Belle (2290 m) to Valsenestre.
Day 10: Valsenestre via Col de la Muzelle (2613 m) and return to La Danchere


Tour des Ecrins Trekking Guides

Available to all fit and adventurous walkers, guided Tour des Ecrins treks run between June and September. The full tour takes approximately 10 days and you can expect to walk about 15 km per day with 1000 m+ vertical ascent each day. The cost generally includes guiding, accommodation in mountain huts and most meals.

French Alps Trekking - logo
FRENCH ALPS TREKKING - Guided Mountain Treks and Adventures
Le Chazelet, 05320 La Grave, France
+33 (0)6 77 89 46 72+33 (0)6 77 89 46 72
SEND EMAIL
VISIT WEBSITE
Showing 1 result

Practical Information

This is box title

What’s Included

All accommodation during the trek in mountain refuges and comfortable valley based gites. All breakfasts and evening meals.

What’s Not Included

Flights to France, travel to start point, travel Insurance, personal hill food/lunch for each day.

Fitness Level

This is a strenuous and high level trek with days covering over 15km distance with 1000+m ascents but is open to all fit and adventurous walkers.

Group Size

This is a small group adult holiday. The group is usually between 4 and 6 like-minded people booking individually, in a couple or as friends together.

Accommodation

Accommodation is easy with plenty of choice of mountain refuges, valley hotels and gites, but be careful as these fill up quickly from mid-July through August and many are closed by October. Early September is perfect if you can manage it – the crowds disappear and the weather is ideal for walking. Wild camping is also an option but you can’t pitch near the refuges.


You may also like...

Tour du Mont Blanc

Mont Blanc Ascent

Gorges du Verdon

Hiking South France

Hiking French Alps

Trekking Companies

Primary Sidebar

Footer

Ultimate France

About us
Contact us
Advertise
Events
Gear
Magazine
Webcams

For Business Owners

Add your business
Rejoindre l'annuaire

Assoc. Atout France

Top Mountain Bike Resorts

Portes du Soleil
Morzine
Les Gets
Avoriaz
Châtel
La Clusaz
Chamonix
Tignes
Les Arcs
Les 2 Alpes
Alpe d’Huez
Valloire
Val d’Allos
Pra Loup
Roubion
Les Orres
Montgenèvre

Directory

Airport Transfers
Campervan Hire
Canyoning
Cycle Hire
Cycle Shops & Repairs
Hiking
Kitesurf Schools
Mountain Bike Holidays
Rafting & Kayaking
Ski & Snowboard Hire
Snowshoeing
Via Ferrata

Secure Payments

Secure Payments with Stripe and PayPal

Copyright © 2021 Hang Ten Media Ltd. All Rights Reserved | CRN: 12758831 | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions