Straddling the Isère and Hautes-Alpes départements, Écrins National Park covers a central mountainous area of 91,800 hectares ranging in altitude from 800 to 4,102 metres. A favourite destination for nature lovers, this vast unspoiled territory is home to a very rich flora and fauna, including chamois, ibex, golden eagles, foxes, squirrels and marmots, and plants like edelweiss, blue thistle, genépi and gentian. The Écrins mountains are also a paradise for hikers, with no fewer than 740 km of waymarked footpaths, as well as for climbers: it's considered the second mountaineering site in France.
Not to be missed: the Park Visitor Centre (Maison du Parc) located in the Domaine de Charance estate on the outskirts of the town of Gap in the Hautes-Alpes, as well as the Maison du Parc in Le Bourg-d'Oisans, in the Isère, have a large amount of information about the mountains available for visitors and puts on regular exhibitions.
