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Cirque de Gioberney Hike June 2017
My images of the south of France have always revolved around the beautiful villages and countryside of Provence, the vineyards of the Bordeaux region, and the beaches of Cote d'Azur. Missing from the picture in my head was the French Alps. My friend Frederic treated me to a very nice introduction to this region of France by taking me to Ecrins National Park, where we enjoyed a wonderful hike in the Cirque de Gioberney. Driving from Brussels in his ‘California Van’, we left the motorway near Grenoble to take Route de Napoleon. We stayed the night by the Lac du Fraffrey, before continuing the next day to the Valgaudemar valley. We drove through Ecrins National Park, which was created in 1973 to protect the natural environment of this section of the French Alps. Sculptured by glaciers, the park is filled with snowcapped mountains and craggy peaks, with the highest point at 4102 meters. Covering almost one million square meters of land, Eccrins contains over 700 km of hiking paths. There are several small villages within the park boundaries, but fortunately there’s very little development.

The drive took us around dozens of twists and turns on the steep mountain roads, offering us continuously-changing views of the mountains, valleys, and streams along the way. After reaching the end of the road, we arrived at the Gioberney Chalet-Hotel, which is constructed from local stone and rock, fitting in nicely with the landscape. From there we hiked the Pigeon Loft Loop in the Cirque de Gioberney.

This hike took us on a rocky path up steep switchbacks, crossing several streams with beautiful waterfalls. Above us were high summits, most of them over 3000 meters, and rapidly receding glaciers. At the highest point of the trail, perched at 2423 meters, is the Pigeon Loft Refuge, situated by a small pond and beneath towering cliffs. It offers stupendous views that make it easy to think of oneself sitting in an eagle’s nest. We enjoyed a rest and snack in the late afternoon sun before continuing around the loop. On the descent, we found ourselves on a series of switchbacks, although this time were heading down them, which is harder on the knees and easier on the heart. And although we had thought on the way up that the views couldn’t get any better, in fact they became more impressive. We were nearly eye-level with the Rouies Glaciers that cling to the mountains on the other side of the valley. Their retreat after years of increasingly warm summers left a trail of smooth rock spilling down the steep mountainsides. Again we had to ford several glacial streams. At one point the trail overhangs the Gioberney valley, following what guidebook call a “aerial passage.” Indeed, you are faced with a tall cliff on one shoulder and a straight dropoff on the other side, following a narrow ledge that is not recommended for those with fear of heights.

Eventually, we reached Gioberney valley, where we crossed through a larch forest before arriving again at the Chalet, where we spent the night in Fred’s California van, listening to the sound of a 100 meter waterfall, with the Milky Way overhead. The next morning we woke early to the beautiful sunlight inching its way down the peaks until it lit up the valley at the start of another beautiful day in the French Alps.

The weather was absolutely perfect for our hike. Clear skies, calm winds, bright sunshine, cool mountain air – we couldn’t have asked for more. Every few steps brought another vista that I couldn’t resist trying to capture with my camera, and there were several places that clearly called for a panorama. However, even after stitching together multiple exposures, I felt as if I couldn’t adequately show the vastness of the scene. The grandeur of the mountains was balanced by the early summer flowers that spread on the hillsides and valleys. The summer solstice was only a few days away, so we had plenty of time to complete the hike without rushing, providing plenty of opportunities for photos of peaks bathed in the soft glow of the afternoon light. I was limited by having with me only a fixed-lens camera, but I hope you enjoy my attempt to share with you an amazing hike. Thank you, Frederic, for introducing me to French Alps!