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VALLOUISE lies under a steep wooded spur at the junction of two valleys, the Gyrond (or Gyr, as it is called upstream of Vallouise) and the Gerendoine, about 10km from Argentiere. The great glaciered peaks visible up the latter valley are Les Bans; up in front is Mont Pelvoux. The nucleus of the old village - narrow lanes between sombre stone chalets - is again its church , fifteenth-century with a characteristic tower and steeple and a sixteenth-century porch on pink marble pillars. A fresco of the Adoration of the Magi adorns the tympanum above the door, itself a magnificent object, with carved Gothic panels along the top and an ancient lock-and-bolt with a chimera's head. Remains of an enormously long-legged figure, partially painted over, cover the end wall of the apse. Inside are some more frescoes, and at the back of the church six naive statues of painted wood. The GR54 , which does the circuit of the Ecrins park, passes through Vallouise: the stage on from here to Le Monetier via Lac de l'Eychauda is one of the best. Another good walk is to the hamlet of PUY AILLAUD , high on the west flank of the Gyr valley. The path starts just to the right of the church and zigzags up the steep slope behind it with almost aerial views of the valley beneath. Vallouise has a campsite and some gites , and several hotels : the Edelweiss is the least expensive (tel 04.92.23.38.58, fax 04.92.23.33.46; 300-400F/?46-61 half-board; closed mid-Sept to mid-Dec), but all rooms in the village are likely to be full in July and August. The Vallouise Maison du Parc des Ecrins provides hiking information and there is a tourist office in place de l'Eglise that opens sporadically (tel 04.92.23.36.12). There is a minibus service as far as Ailefroide in summer, starting from the bar next to the Edelweiss hotel; to walk takes two hours or so.
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