A 4-day ski touring traverse in the Queyras with André and Patrick, from Refuge Agnel to Val Pellice via Monte Viso, with powder, huts and wild terrain.
We head to the Queyras with André and Patrick for a four-day ski tour along the Italian border... Peace and quiet, great snow and good mountain huts. Hard to complain!
Day 1: Up to Refuge Agnel
Mixed weather today. Not really a problem, as our only ambition for the day is to climb up to Refuge Agnel! And while we're at it, we're hoping the bad weather will at least be productive and leave us a nice little layer of fresh powder!
During a brief break in the clouds, I head off for a quick trip up the Pic de Caramantran above the hut... A little solo run before aperitif time.
Day 2: Across to Refuge du Viso via the Aiguillette d'Asti and the Gorge de Ruine
A beautiful atmosphere when we wake up this morning. 10cm of fresh snow has fallen overnight and the sky is perfectly clear! Not bad at all!
There's hardly anyone at the hut and we're the only ones setting off towards the Viso... A superb climb towards the Brèche de la Ruine in the morning light, with a sea of clouds below us... The wind is blowing hard at the col and all the ridges are streaming with spindrift today! No point hanging around!
We set off on our first descent in absolutely fantastic snow! So I suggest to my companions that we ski a little lower than originally planned... It's just too hard to stop when it's this good! 500m of morning powder—just what we needed!
Then comes a beautiful climb towards the Aiguillette d'Asti through this wild valley, completely untouched by tracks... We have to earn it, though, with a steep final section where the snow keeps slipping away beneath our skis, forcing us to finish on foot...
At the summit, the wind has dropped, almost as if inviting us to stop for lunch! We get to enjoy some crust there too—not just the kind we're eating, but also in the first 150 metres of the descent... The wind has given the snow a bit of a beating in the exposed areas... Suddenly we don't feel quite so good at skiing!
Fortunately, we soon find more flattering snow again, with powder over a firm base! We continue down alongside the Crête de Mouloun. The place is stunning and the route cleverly winds its way through terrain that, at first glance, doesn't look particularly made for skiing...
All the way down to the Gorge de Ruine, the snow is incredible. The gorge is still well filled in, although probably not for much longer. 100m of border-cross through this deep gorge and we emerge beside the Guil, delighted with this descent full of character!
All that's left is the climb back up to Refuge du Viso! 400m in the sunshine to make the beer overlooking the Viso taste even better, followed by the essential little nap in the sun... A fantastic welcome, a wonderfully attentive hut keeper and even a piano to top it all off!
Day 3: Rocca del Castello – Pas du Sellard – Rifugio Jervis
A day in two parts today. This morning, we naturally head towards the Rocca del Castello with the vague intention of skiing a couloir. In the end, the couloir doesn't look all that good—but the slopes we've just climbed certainly do!
500m of pure pleasure, alternating between powder over a firm base and perfect spring snow. We're loving it.
Back at Refuge du Viso, we allow ourselves a proper break: a chance to put the deckchairs on the terrace to good use and sample Paulo's omelettes and chocolate fondant!
Suitably revived, we can now set off peacefully towards the Pas du Sellard, where we'll cross over into Italy. The Pas du Sellard sees less traffic than the Col Sellière, and I'm rather hoping we'll get to make the first tracks... We're getting picky now!
Bingo! The valley opens up in front of us completely untouched. Looks like we'll just have to put up with that!
Good settled powder down to 2300m, where we have to find a way through the rock bands to escape the valley and reach Lago Lungo... Below that, the snow has softened more. To be fair, after our rather generous break at Refuge du Viso, we're a little late for perfect spring corn...
Still, the skiing remains pretty good and we quickly reach the bottom of the Val Pellice. The 3km of flat terrain to Rifugio Jervis go more easily than expected with a bit of skating. There's snow until just 300m before the hut...
We arrive at Jervis to find an atmosphere completely outside of time... We're the only guests in a mountain hut that feels more like a hotel... The sofa, the warmth of the stove, the shower and the beers are all ours, and we make the most of them!
Then comes a magnificent dinner where every plate—three of them, not even counting the antipasti—is a celebration of Italian cuisine, accompanied, as it should be, by a little local wine!
Day 4: Col d'Urine and Valpréveyre
For this final day, the weather is gloomier than expected. We make the most of a gargantuan breakfast before setting off on our last stage.
The day begins with an hour of carrying our skis above the hut. We then climb the valley towards the Col d'Urine with a strong headwind, which isn't exactly pleasant. The snow hasn't refrozen either—not looking particularly promising!
The sky closes in and it quickly becomes obvious that we won't be climbing the Maït d'Amont, our original objective...
Once over the col, we make our escape back towards France, where the skiing on this side turns out to be surprisingly good. We ski all the way down to Valpréveyre without taking our skis off!
Thanks to the car we left there a few days earlier, it's easy to reach our final destination: the charming little restaurant in Ville-Vieille, the perfect way to round off this fantastic week together.
It was a real pleasure to meet up again, this time with skis on our feet. Thanks for all the great times and for completely embracing my make-it-up-as-we-go approach!
Practical Info / Route Topo
Day 1 – Refuge Agnel & Pic de Caramantran
An easy climb to Refuge Agnel in mixed weather. A break in the clouds gives us the chance for a quick trip up the Pic de Caramantran (3025m) and a first solo run before heading back to the hut.
Day 2 – Brèche de Ruine – Aiguillette d’Asti – Refuge du Viso
We leave Refuge Agnel with 10cm of fresh snow. After crossing the Brèche de Ruine, a superb powder descent is followed by a climb to the Aiguillette d’Asti (3287m). A long descent then takes us along the Crête de Mouloun and through the Gorge de Ruine, before climbing back up to Refuge du Viso.
Day 3 – Rocca del Castello – Pas du Sellard – Rifugio Jervis
A short morning out-and-back towards the Rocca del Castello gives us 500m of excellent skiing before returning to Refuge du Viso. In the afternoon, we head for the Pas du Sellard, where we cross into Italy. A wild descent takes us down to Lago Lungo, followed by a traverse of the Val Pellice to Rifugio Jervis.
Day 4 – Col d’Urine – Valpréveyre
We climb through the Val Pellice to the Col d’Urine (2525m). The weather forces us to abandon the Maït d’Amont, so we cross directly back into France for one final beautiful descent to Valpréveyre, bringing our ski tour between the Queyras and Piedmont to an end.
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