Guided walking holiday - Queyras 2010

First day in the Queyras - setting off from the Arvieux Valley

View across the limestone mountains from the Col Neal at 2500m.

Descending towards the alpine pastures at Calpeyto

Clapeyto in Queyras Regional Park

Traditional Italian influenced farm house at Arvieux

A rare rainy morning in the Queyras, which has 300 sunny days a year. Heading towards the village of Souliers.

The pretty hamlet of Souliers

Alpine pastures and traditional wooden barns near Souliers.

Chateau de Queyras - a magnificent castle in the heart of the region.Morning visit before getting back to some walking.

After a gentle walk to the lovely Lac Souliers, some of the party continued to ascend a nearby mountain.

View of Lac Souliers from a small nearby peak

Climbing away from the lake with views of the French Alps

At the mountain pass, cloud shrouds the nearby Pic de Rochebrune, covered in fresh snow.

Great panoramic views from the summit of Pic Ouest over 2800m.

Conviviality and great food and wine at our guest house, Chalet Viso

A beautiful waterfall - Cascade de la Pisse, at the start of our walk near Ceillac

Views down on terraced alpine pastures.

Beautiful setting at Lac Mirroir, where the mountains of the Fonte Sancte are reflected in its still waters.

Sunny conditions as our group of Australians move off towards Lac Ste Anne

Resting at Lac Ste Anne, where some of the group continued towards the Col Girardin

Looking back to the turquoise blue waters of Lac Ste Anne

Views from near the top of the mountain pass

Returning to the lake with clouds building across the Queyras mountains in the afternoon

A new day and again blue skies at the alpine pastures at Furfande

Ascending towards the Col de Furfande

From the pass, we ascended, the Pic du Gazon at over 2700m

Limestone pinnacles

The following day after climbing to Col Vieux, we descend past some beautiful glacial lakes - Lac Forent.

Descending towards the second lake

Perfect reflections in the still waters of the alpine lakes

Another sunny day, starting out from the Chapel de Clausis.

Pretty clouds above the Queyras alpine peaks

View of the imposing Mont Viso from the col de Chamoussière

View from the summit of Pic de Caramantran et about 3000m, towards the Piedmont in Italy

Admiring the view which included Mont Blanc, and the Mont Rosa mountains in Switzerland

View from our second guest house at Molines en Queyras in the French Alps

Visiting the unusual church at Molines en Queyras

Our last day's walking started at St Veran - the highest permanently inhabited village in Europe

Some late flowers in early September

Returning by the old canal route

View from the main street of the traditional French alpine village of St Veran

Sun dials adorn many of the building in St Veran

View across the chimneys in St Veran