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The Romanche is an important valley of access. Rising over 1300m between Bourg d'Oisans and Col du Lautaret, it is flanked by the glacier peaks of La Meije (see Appendix B) and Le Râteau on the south, and high but gently rolling country to the north.

That northern countryside, which is immensely attractive to walkers, is scooped with shallow valleys leading to summits of 3000m and more, while small tarns trapped below reflect the snow and ice of the southern massif. It's a gentle, pastoral landscape, with a handful of small hamlets set upon terraces that face across the valley to its majestic southern wall. La Meije is the highest of those southern mountains, a graceful peak of 3982m and the subject of intense rivalry during attempts to make its first ascent, which was finally achieved in 1877 by Boileau de Castelnau with Pierre Gaspard, father and son. Despite its focus La Meije is just one of several fine peaks near the head of the valley that form an impressive backdrop to a number of walks, while at the western end of its wall the prime ski resort of Les Deux-Alpes laces the hillside with a series of cableways and tows that remain largely unseen from the valley itself.