You can still find a small and protected corner of paradise in France’s Alpes du Sud, on the border with Italy, and it is called the Vallée de la Clarée.

Deriving its name from the crystal-clear river that flows through it, the valley lies in the north of the Hautes-Alpes department, near Briançon. It contains a scattering of small, typically Alpine villages: La Vachette, Le Rosier, Val-des-Près, Plampinet, and Névache (at an altitude of 1600m), the valley’s last village, 18km from Briançon.

Névache is made up of a series of tiny hamlets: Le Roubion (where you will find the Chalet d’en Hô), Sallé, Le Cros, Ville Basse and Ville Haute.

The road continues for a further 12km beyond this point, making its way through the sublime Haute Vallée de la Clarée and finishing up in the heart of the mountains at an altitude of 2000m.

The valley has enjoyed protected status since the 1970s and obtained its ‘Grand Site de France’ label on 16 March 2006, affording it the same recognition as Mont St Michel and the Pointe du Raz, for its outstanding landscapes and protected heritage. It has also managed to preserve its villages in their pure and original state.

The valley’s beautiful, dry climate means it enjoys ‘300 days of sunshine per year’ and its aspect means it has always benefited from excellent snow cover.

Numerous mountain lakes, green pastures and dolomite-like peaks share the landscape in the summer, while in the winter the valley is carpeted with a thick layer of snow.

In the SUMMER this is a walker’s paradise, which you can explore along its 250km of marked paths and admire one of its 30 lakes or one of its raging waterfalls, or wander among its multicoloured carpeting of flowers, or climb one of its peaks…

You can also explore it on a mountain bike, go rock climbing or try canyoning.

Donkeys can also be hired for hikes with children.

Other activities nearby are:

Horse riding, white-water sports, via ferrata, paragliding, the Briançon water sports centre, the Grands Bains de Mônetier…

In WINTER, the valley is more secretive… And you need snowshoes or cross-country skis (80km of cross-country trails) to explore its forests and smaller valleys, to spot animal tracks in the fresh snow, hear the birdsong, and catch a glimpse of a startled chamois or deer at a bend in the path…

The Haute Vallée road is closed in Névache Ville Haute and becomes a Nordic trail open to skiers, walkers, and snowshoers…

In winter you can also try dog sledding with local mushers and their sleds drawn by handsome malamute dogs, as well as ski touring and even a bit of downhill skiing thanks to the valley’s two small ski lifts serving the green and red pistes which are open at weekends and during school holidays.

Other activities nearby are:

35 minutes from the hotel are the 250km of pistes in the Serre-Chevalier area, 450km of pistes at Montgenèvre-Voie Lactée, and the Briançon ice climbs.