The car-free Pays des Écrins, departing from Argentière les Écrins station
How to get to the Pays des Écrins without a car?
Students or young professionals without a car? Are you concerned about going to the mountains with the lowest possible carbon footprint ? Discovering the most beautiful peaks of the Écrins without a car, with eco-responsible practices, is now possible!
Gateway to the Pays des Écrins, the town of Argentière-la-Bessée is served by trains from Valence, Marseille, Paris, or Gap, or Grenoble (shuttle from Grenoble to Briançon then train from Briançon to Argentière). It is also possible to reach the Pays des Écrins by TGV, via Oulx station. Finally, for night train enthusiasts, one of the last night trains in France runs regularly between Paris and Briançon, stopping at L’Argentière.
Getting around the area with ease
From there, shuttles take you to La Vallouise, the resort of Puy-Saint-Vincent and the hamlet of Ailefroide. Throughout the summer, these shuttles leave at 7:20 am, 9:05 am, 2:50 pm and 7 pm. Find these shuttles on this link.
You also have the possibility to rent electrically assisted bicycles for the duration of your stay, by contacting our activity provider 60-40.
You will also find places to recharge your electric bike batteries.
For lovers of alternative transport, many carpools are available throughout the country, especially from Grenoble.
Which activitiesare accessible without cars?
Many hikes, for the day or for itinerancy, are starting from L’Argentière, for all levels and all practices.
For lovers of hiking over several days, the Pays des Écrins has prepared three special itineraries, in 3, 6 and 7 days that you can start in L’Argentière:
- The tour of the Pays des Écrins in 3 days (departing from the station)
- The tour of the Pays des Écrins in 6 days (departing from the station)
- The tour of the Pays des Écrins in 7 days (from the station)
- Crossing the Pays des Écrins by mountain bike (departing from Briançon station)
It is also possible to join the GR54 from L’Argentière, to discover the whole of the Écrins massif, on this superb hike that takes about ten days.
If you want to warm up before going on a longer hike, or if you are only here for a few days, take advantage of these short hikes that are easily accessible from L’Argentière, still without a car:
- The Miners’ Trail (3h30, 384m of elevation, from the station)
- Walk of the Industrial Circuit (1h30, departure from the tourist office, 5 minutes from the station)
- Randoland L’Argentière (2 hours, departure from the Chapelle Saint Jean, 5 minutes from the station)
- The Argentière greenway (1 hour, departure from the tourist office, 5 minutes from the station)
- Les Chardons Bleus (mountain biking, 3h30, 675m of elevation, starting from the kiosk, 5 minutes from the station)
- The Tour des Têtes (mountain biking, 3h15, 871m of elevation, starting from the kiosk, 5 minutes from the station)
- Les Eyssuches (mountain biking, 1h45, 287m of elevation, starting from the kiosk, 5 minutes from the station)
- Vertical Kilometer of Argentière (Trail, 1h30, 1054m of elevation, starting from the Turbine roundabout, 5 minutes from the station)
- Les Têtes par la Pignée (Trail, 5 hours, 1084m of elevation gain from the Turbine roundabout, 5 minutes from the station)
- Around the Mines (Trail, 3h, 425m of elevation, starting from the Turbine roundabout, 5 minutes from the station)
