Читать книгу Tour of the Queyras. The GR58 and GR541 in the French Alps онлайн

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Typical carpenter’s cross, Ceillac (Stage 2)

In the Queyras the typical architecture is houses built of half stone and half wood, with high haylofts (or greniers). Many of these were built in the 17th and 18th centuries. There are good examples to be seen in La Rua near Molines-en-Queyras and in Saint-Véran and Aiguilles.

The Catholic religion has always been strong in the Queyras, and there is ample evidence of this to be seen on the walk, in the form of numerous shrines, chapels, ornate churches and ‘carpenter’s crosses’. There was considerable religious intolerance here in earlier centuries, leading to the emigration of many Protestants to the more tolerant German states in the north.

The Queyras is famous for its honey (miel) – it is now a minor tourist industry – and numerous beehives will be seen on the walk. Woodcarving is another speciality of the region. There are plenty of examples of local handicrafts in the shops in the villages and hamlets along the Tour.

Further information on places to visit in the Queyras, and events and activities in the region, are available at local tourist offices (syndicats d’initiative, maison du tourisme or office de tourisme). There are tourist offices in Guillestre, Ceillac, Saint-Véran, Molines-en-Queyras, Abriès, Aiguilles, Château-Queyras and Arvieux.