The Écrins National Park
Breakaway In the heart of the Écrins
Welcome to a world where glaciers, peaks and forests intermingle to offer unspoilt and spectacular nature. Discover its history, its organization, its rules of life and the must-see sites to explore, before setting off to explore this grandiose natural territory.
The Jewels A protected natural heritage
A national park is a protected area classified to preserve its ecosystems, biodiversity and landscapes while allowing the public to be welcomed. It combines a “core” where protection is maximum and an “adhesion zone” where human activities are regulated but authorized.
The origins of the Écrins National Park
The origins date back to 1913 with the creation of the “Parc national de la Bérarde”, first managed informally to fight against erosion and deforestation. After several intermediate statuses (Pelvoux National Park, State Park), it was finally by decree of the Prime Minister on March 6, 1973 that the Écrins National Park was officially created, on the initiative of mountaineers, naturalist associations and the French Alpine Club.
The National Park How does it work?
A public institution under the supervision of the Ministry of Ecological Transition, the Écrins National Park is administered from Gap. It is divided into four sectors (Champsaur-Valgaudemar, Embrunais, Vallouise-Briançonnais, Oisans-Valbonnais) each with a Maison du Parc for reception and land management. Its missions: protection of environments and species, scientific research, environmental education and reception of the public.
The Écrins National Park is structured into several complementary zones to reconcile preservation and human use: a terrestrial core of nearly 92,000 ha where the regulations are the strictest, including a 700 ha integral reserve in the Lauvitel valley left to evolve freely for scientific research, and a membership area of 180,000 ha composed of the 61 municipalities that have signed the park’s charter, which sets a scope for study and commitments for sustainable development. In addition, there are several nature and biological reserves spread over the adhesion area, protecting rare environments and species while completing the conservation system of the massif.
Regulation
In order to ensure the sustainable protection of its unique ecosystem and to preserve the integrity of its landscapes, here are some essential rules within the park:
- Bivouac authorized from 7 p.m. to 9 a.m., more than an hour’s walk from any road suitable for vehicles and the limits of the park.
- Prohibited : open-air fires, wild camping, traffic and parking of all vehicles in the heart of the park, plant and fossil samples without exemption.
- Good practices : respect the flora and fauna, take your rubbish with you, stay on the marked trails.
The must-sees of the Écrins National Park
- The Barre des Écrins (4,102 m): the highest point in the park, visible from the Bérarde valley.
- The Glacier Blanc : glacier hike then refuge at 2,542 m, view of the Meije and the Pelvoux.
- The GR 54 : tour of the Oisans, more than 600 km of marked trails around the massif.
- The Valgaudemar Valley and its waterfalls : waterfall route to discover the Bride’s Veil.
- Lake Lauvitel : a Natura 2000 classified site, accessible by forest track, perfect for swimming in summer.
- The Vallonpierre Strict Biological Reserve : strictly protected area for scientific study.
Your high-altitude refuges
With about forty refuges spread throughout the heart of the park, the Écrins offer accommodation at altitude, from simple unguarded shelters to comfortable refuges with a caretaker. Open mainly from June to September, they allow you to split up the long hikes and explore the high peaks serenely in all seasons.
