Etroite Valley
Parallel to the Clarée valley, this valley is French on paper, but Italian at heart. Come to the Hautes-Alpes and discover the little-known charm of the Etroite valley.
narrow valley a Franco-Italian valley
Like the Clarée valley, the Etroite valley has a charm all of its own. Discover its hiking trails. If you're feeling brave, you can set out to conquer Mont Thabor. Walks near the hamlet of Les Granges, such as the one to Lac Vert, will give you a taste of the authentic, unspoilt beauty of this Franco-Italian valley.
Listed as a Natura 2000 site like the Clarée valley, nature is sacred here. Preserving it is a top priority.
Mount Tabor, emblematic summit
Mont Thabor is Névache's highest peak, rising to 3,178 m above sea level.
Until 1947, Mont Thabor marked the border between Italy and France.
In fact, this summit is ideal for a "3,000 m" climb, easily accessible via the GR 57. Several options are available for a one-day ascent or a multi-day tour. One-day departures are usually via the Vallée Étroite or from the Laval parking lot.
From the summit of Le Thabor, the lunar landscapes are of rare beauty. The meadows and lakes of the Clarée region adorn the 360° view from Mont Viso via La Meije to Mont Blanc.
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Coming to Vallée Etroite
How to get here
Heritage and tours
Discover the history of the valley
Natura 2000
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the col de l'échelle at the heart of history
The Col de l'Échelle is a must-see in the Briançonnais region, on the border with Italy. Reaching an altitude of 1,762 meters, it leads to Bardonecchia through forests and vertiginous hairpins.
La richesse de cette vallée franco-italienne a été façonnée continuellement par les événements historiques des siècles passés. Le traité de Paris de 1814 décrète le col de l’Échelle comme frontière naturelle entre l’Italie et la France mais après la seconde Guerre Mondiale, suite au traité de paix de 1947, la Valle Stretta devient française.
In 1970, a freeway project linking Bardonecchia to Fos-sur-Mer promised to radically change the wild, unspoilt landscape of this mountain pass.
After a fierce battle with the locals andEmilie Carles, the project fell through. The valley retains its character and remains a less-frequented alternative to the Montgenèvre pass.
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