The road into the Queyras park follows the River Guil from Mont-Dauphin. First stop is GUILLESTRE, a pretty mountain village which only really comes to life in summer. Its houses, in typical Queyras style, have open granaries on the upper floors and its church has a lion-porch in emulation of the cathedral at Embrun. Head for the tourist office on the modern square at the top of the main street for information about the surrounding area (mid-June to Aug Mon–Sat 9am–7pm, Sun 9am–noon & 3–7pm; Sept to mid-June Mon–Sat 9am–noon & 2–6pm; tel 04.92.45.04.37).The village lies at the foot of the long climb southwards to the Col de Vars (2111m), which gives access to the remote and beautiful walking country of the upper Ubaye valley; it's six hours, via Lac Miroir, Lac Ste-Anne and the Col Girardin, to the CAF Refuge de Maljasset (tel 04.92.84.34.04, fax 04.92.84.35.28; closed Jan & mid-May to mid-June). If you want to stay in Guillestre, there's a primitive hostel, Les Quatre Vents (tel & fax 04.92.45.04.32; closed Oct & Nov), in the same grounds as the municipal campsite. For more comfortable accommodation, try the Hôtel Martinet (tel 04.92.45.00.28, www.hotel-le-martinet.com; €40–55; restaurant from €12) or the well-appointed Hôtel Barnières (tel 04.92.45.05.07, fax 04.92.45.28.74; €55–70; closed Oct–May; restaurant from €17).
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