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- Barre des Écrins & Glacier Blanc — The park’s highest massif (4,102 m) and a real alpine drama: jagged ridges, big hanging glaciers and long views. Glacier Blanc is one of the most accessible big glaciers here — you can day-hike from the Refuge du Glacier Blanc and get a close feel for crevassed ice and high-mountain scenery.
- La Meije and the Brèche de la Meije — A raw, sculpted granite skyline that climbers worship and photographers chase. The ridge and the famous Brèche offer striking panoramas; even if you don’t climb, the approach through La Bérarde is one of the park’s most characterful walks.
- GR54 — The Tour of the Écrins — A proper multi-day high route that circles the park through glaciers, cols and remote valleys. It’s rugged and varied: expect long ascents, alpine huts, and some
- Barre des Écrins & Glacier Blanc — The park’s highest massif (4,102 m) and a real alpine drama: jagged ridges, big hanging glaciers and long views. Glacier Blanc is one of the most accessible big glaciers here — you can day-hike from the Refuge du Glacier Blanc and get a close feel for crevassed ice and high-mountain scenery.
- La Meije and the Brèche de la Meije — A raw, sculpted granite skyline that climbers worship and photographers chase. The ridge and the famous Brèche offer striking panoramas; even if you don’t climb, the approach through La Bérarde is one of the park’s most characterful walks.
- GR54 — The Tour of the Écrins — A proper multi-day high route that circles the park through glaciers, cols and remote valleys. It’s rugged and varied: expect long ascents, alpine huts, and some of the most consistent high-alpine scenery in France — perfect if you want a serious backpacking challenge.
- Lac du Lauvitel — A glassy, steep-sided mountain lake tucked into an almost untouched basin and protected as a nature reserve. Short hikes here feel unexpectedly wild and quiet; the reflections, cliffs and nearby woodland make it a lovely, low-effort nature fix.
- Valgaudemar and Vallouise valleys — Two very different but equally gorgeous valleys: Valgaudemar is wild, narrow and waterfall-filled, while Vallouise and Ailefroide are open, flowered meadows with huge views of the big peaks. Both have great day-hikes, wild camping spots (where allowed) and classic mountain villages to refuel in.
- Alpine lakes and high passes — Scattered turquoise tarns and high cols give the park its postcard look: crystal water, scree slopes and alpine flowers. Hikes that chain a few lakes and a pass will reward you with solitude and those unforgettable blue-green panoramas.
- Wildlife — ibex, chamois, marmots and raptors — The park is one of the best places in the Alps to spot mountain mammals and big birds. Early morning or late afternoon on grassy ridges is prime time for seeing chamois and marmots, and cliffs often host eagles and other raptors.
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Hi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past 3 decades, I’ve backpacked through 90+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.