Kayak en haute rivière

Séveraisse haute

A magical river flowing through a secret part of the Écrins National Park.
Reaching this area is an adventure in itself. Follow a track and a small road to reach this river in the heart of the mountains.
A dream-like landscape and a very real river, where the rapids and small drops go on for 8 km (or 5 km) and require a great deal of energy.
Get-in point: Le Bourg or Chapelle en Valgaudemar
Get-out point: Villar Loubière
Class: IV then II
Ideal time: May to July

Combes du Guil

You join the river at Les Combes, a kind of natural moat by the fort that overlooks the river, and you are plunged into a world of ‘dungeons and dragons’. The locals say that you can hear voices in the evening in the ange guardien combe.
These 6 km of the Guil require some technical navigation skills. There are no great difficulties in the first ‘combe’ or valley, but there are no escape routes or places to get back into the boat, so dips in the river are not recommended.
There are a few serious rapids in the second ‘combe’ and there is a risk of getting trapped, so take care!
Get-in point: Château Queyras car park
Get-out point: La Chapelue
Class: IV/V (6)
Ideal time: July/August

Le Gyr

Appearances can be deceptive! It might look calm and peaceful on the surface, but the Gyr still has some surprises…
The river falls straight down from the Écrins glaciers and the water jumps, bounces and ricochets around all over the place.
Once you have joined the river, there is no question of stopping as its waters carry you along for 3.5 km.
Get-in point: St Antoine, right bank, Pont Lambeuf
Get-out point: Vallouise car park
Class: IV+
Ideal time: June to August

La Byaisse

The starting point is overlooked by the 40 metre-high Chinchin waterfall, which immediately gives you a feel for the place.
This route passes by wooded banks and is punctuated by sheets of water that become fantastical, ephemeral ice sculptures in the winter. A large part of it is extremely sustained, narrow and technical. There are numerous drops and descents at a constant rate.
Watch out for the large and poorly covered rapids by the village.
Get-in point: Upstream of the Dormillouse car park
Get-out point: the bridge at the entrance to Freissinières
Class: IV-V
Ideal time: May to July

Malafosse

Legendary rapids, the Malafosse is a series of small drops stretching impressively for over 200 m while the water level rises slightly.
Access: Briançon

Le Chinchin

The best extreme descent in the Hautes-Alpes. This will give you a super-adrenaline buzz if you walk up to join the river at the entrance to the village of Dormillouse. Rapids and several large drops that will bring you out in a cold sweat.
Access: Dormillouse car park

Onde supérieur

This Alpine river lies in the magnificent Vallouise valley and has a gradient of 6% and microscopic crosscurrents.
Small team and strong nerves recommended.
Access: Villard de Vallouise, in the direction of the Bans mountain hut.