The impressive peaks, valleys and undulating hills of the French Alps is truly impressive. Nestled between the regions of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, most first-timers may have heard of Chamonix, and Grenoble as gateways to the region but there’s the undiscovered French Alps of Champsaur Valley that we think you should know about.

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Undiscovered French Alps of Champsaur Valley

undiscovered french alps and going off the beaten track in the champsaur valley

Walking up a steep, rocky zig zagging path with the sound of cow bells decorating the clean fresh air, you arrive, slightly out of breath, at a small rustic hamlet. A cat covered in straw dust rolls on the ground in front of a warped, wooden door of a stone outhouse. The sound of trickling water overwhelms the cow bells and your eyes are drawn to a stone trough with a fountain trickling into it. ‘Eau non-potable’ is hand written on the stone, but it looks clean enough to you and you quench your thirst.

As you look around you notice the stone houses with wooden haylofts and steep rooves. The streets are wonky and disorganised with a tall, intimidating and very pointy church dominating the scene – you could be in a time warp from the 18th century!  Then two children wizz round the corner on top of the range mountain bikes and you remember where you are!

The story

This architecture tells the story of the generations of alpine people and their survival of the long harsh winters in the mountains.

Alpine people lived off the land raising livestock for milk, cheese (of course) and meat, using the rich alpine pastures in the summer months and bringing the animals back to their houses in the winter. The animals would live on the bottom floor of the house and effectively create the heating for the living floor above them. The loft filled with hay served as insulation.

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culture of sheep in undiscovered french alps of champsaur valley

Traditionally these villages would have been the hub of activity in the mountains. With tourism and modernization, large towns and ski resorts have developed all over the Alps and the ease of modern life has drawn locals away from many of the smaller villages and hamlets. The ones that have survived have reinvented themselves with tourist services, hotels and refuges.

traditional bread oven in the french alps
Traditional bread oven in the Alps.

But if you know where to look you can still get a taste of traditional alpine life.

Finding the Undiscovered Alps

tour du vieux chaillol walking in the alps

You just need to head into the Champsaur valley in the Southern French Alps. The main village at the opening of the valley is St Bonnet, a medieval market town. Traditional alpine farming is still very much in evidence as you drive through the scattering of small hamlets and villages along the valley. At the very end of the valley is the village of Prapic, described in the first two paragraphs!  It is still inhabited by just a handful of families all year round.

Tourism is in the Champsaur on a sustainable scale and co-exists with agriculture, celebrating the traditional farming festivals such as the ‘transhumance’ the moving of livestock up and down the mountains at the beginning and end of summer, the goat eating fest in the autumn where weak animals were traditionally sacrificed before having to face the winter and village fetes and festivals throughout the year.

rock climbing in the southern french alps in champsaur valley
Rock climbing in the Southern French Alps.

The numerous outdoor activities, such as mountaineering, rock climbing, canyoning, via ferrata, paragliding, walking and mountain biking marry perfectly with the rustic feel of this undiscovered alpine valley making it the perfect destination for an active and cultural holiday in the Alps.

Sally is married to a high mountain guide from a farming family who still remembers the cows on the ground floor of his grandma’s house! Together they run Undiscovered Alps and specialize in activity, wildlife and adventure holidays in the Southern French Alps.

Travel Resources For Your Next Trip

If you’re in the process of planning your trip and putting together your itinerary, these are genuinely the best resources that the Going Awesome Places team stands by 100%.

Credit cards: Don’t get burned by hidden fees on top of terrible exchange rates. When we travel now, we use the Wise Card. Simply load it with the currency you need before you go and use it as a regular VISA or their digital wallet card. Use their free app to track how much you have and top up when you need to.

Flights: Of all the booking search engines, Skyscanner is the most helpful and easy to use thanks to their Everywhere feature. Kayak is also another that’s we will often check as well.

Car Rental: If you’re looking to save money, these car rental coupon codes will be a true game-changer. Otherwise, DiscoverCars and RentalCars are great places to start.

Rideshare: For new Lyft users, use code WILLIAM4825 to get 50% off your first 2 rides (max $10 USD per ride). Offer valid for 14 days after you take your first ride. For new Uber users, use code psuqbjg4d7rn for the same offer except it’s valid for 30 days.

Airport Parking: You’ll need a spot to leave your car at the airport so why not book a spot at a discount. Use code AWESOME7 to get at least $5 off at Airport Parking Reservations or Park Sleep Fly packages.

eSIM: Lately, we’ve really loved using eSIMs. We’ve tested several over the years and we have access to a few special promotions.

  • AmigoSIM – Use GOINGAWESOMEPLACES to save 25% off. Code is re-useable.
  • Gigsky – Use TANG149 to get $3 USD when you sign up, then use code GOINGAWESOME to save 20% on all eSIM orders.
  • KnowRoaming – Use code GAP10 to save 10%.
  • AloSIM – Use code GOINGAWESOMEPLACES to save 15%.
  • Airalo – Use referral code WILLIA9500 to get $3 USD credit on your first purchase.
  • UbigiAWESOME10 to save 10% on your first order.

Wifi Hotspot: We’ve been a huge fan of wifi hotspot devices such as PokeFi (use code GAP24300) because their rates are are hard to beat and it works globally. Solis is another that we recommend. Pros are that you can share the wifi with your whole group but cons are that you have to invest in a device and you have to charge it every night.

Hotels: Our go-to is Booking.com because they have the best inventory of properties including hotels and B&Bs plus they have their Genius tier discounts. Expedia is also worth using especially with their One Key rewards program which is basically like cash. The exception is Asia where Agoda always has the best prices. Always do a quick check on TripAdvisor as well.

Vacation Rentals: Your first instinct will be to check Airbnb but we always recommend checking VRBO as well if you’re looking for a vacation rental (now eligible for One Key).

Tours and Activities: When planning our trips, we always check both Viator and GetYourGuide to at least see what’s out there in the destination that we’re going to. They often have different offerings and prices so check both.

Travel Insurance: Learn how to buy the best travel insurance for you. This isn’t something you want to travel without.

  • HeyMondo – Popular insurance provider for frequent travelers and comes with great coverage and special perks. By booking through our link to get a 5% discount!
  • RATESDOTCA – Search engine Canadians looking for the cheapest insurance including multi-trip annual policies.
  • SafetyWing – A perfect fit for long-term nomads.
  • Medjet – Global air medical transportation.
  • InsureMyTrip – Best for seniors, families, and those with pre-existing conditions.

If you need more help planning your trip, make sure to check out our Travel Toolbox where we highlight all of the gear, resources, and tools we use when traveling.

William Tang of Going Awesome Places
About The Author

Will Tang

Will Tang, founder of Going Awesome Places, has traveled to 51 countries. He shares his insanely detailed itineraries, travel guides, and packing lists. Will’s travels have been featured on Huffington Post, Men’s Journal, and Entrepreneur.

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