Created in 1980 as the Tour of the Haut-Dauphiné, the GR50 encircles the Écrins massif at mid-height, from village to village, lower than the GR54 and its high passes.
373 km 231.8 mi22 stages16,900 m 55,446 ft ascentHigh point 2,363 m 7,753 ftLe Bourg-d'Oisans · Loop
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Elevation profile: from 720 m to 2,362 m over 373.1 km.
The GR50 at a glance
The GR50, called the Tour of the Haut-Dauphiné when it was created and also known as the Tour of the Écrins National Park, goes all the way around the Écrins massif. It came into being in 1980 on the initiative of the National Park and the hiking committees of the Isère and Hautes-Alpes, and was officially approved in 1984 according to the Isère committee. Unlike the GR54, which crosses the highest passes in the massif, it stays lower, via the balcony paths and villages surrounding the park.
The loop links valleys with very different characters: the balconies of the Oisans and the Emparis plateau, La Grave and the Col du Lautaret, the Briançonnais and the Vallouise, the Embrunais and the area around the Lac de Serre-Ponçon, then the Champsaur, the entrance to the Valgaudemar, the La Salette area and the Valbonnais, before returning to the Oisans via the Taillefer massif. It can be started in any village along the route; Le Bourg-d’Oisans, linked to Grenoble by coach, is a convenient starting point.
According to the Isère committee, the tour presents no real difficulties compared with the GR54, and the Hautes-Alpes committee considers it accessible thanks to its balcony paths. Its length nevertheless makes it a long-distance trek, which also lends itself to being split into sections. The route is also being overhauled, led by the Écrins National Park and the two departmental committees: some sections are closed or diverted, and the Isère committee does not guarantee the quality of the route along its entire Isère section. Find out before setting off.
Highlights
A complete tour of the Écrins massif, lower and less committing than the GR54.
Balcony paths that link the villages and open up views of the massif’s summits.
The Emparis plateau, between the Oisans and La Grave.
A succession of very different valleys, from the Oisans to the Briançonnais, from the Embrunais to the Champsaur.
A great tour that is still little known, according to the Hautes-Alpes hiking committee.
Practical information
Start and finish
Le Bourg-d'Oisans
Le Bourg-d’Oisans has no station: you get there by coach from Grenoble SNCF station. Another coach line links Grenoble to Briançon via La Grave and Villar-d’Arêne, two villages on the loop.
When to go
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The summer season, from June to September, is the most favorable. The highest areas, such as the Emparis and Taillefer plateaux, can still be under snow in early summer: the Park advises checking with its visitor centers, the Maisons du Parc, about late snow on the passes.
Difficulty
Challenging
A mid-mountain balcony route, with no real difficulty compared with the GR54. Its length and the uneven maintenance of some sections, which are being overhauled, nevertheless call for solid experience of multi-day walking.
The tour passes through many villages, where, depending on the place, you will find gîtes, hotels, B&Bs or campgrounds. Plan your itinerary in advance and book your nights, especially in July and August.
Rules to know
The GR50 mainly runs around the core zone of the Écrins National Park, in its partnership area, where other protected areas have their own rules: on the Emparis and Taillefer plateaux, bivouacking is regulated by municipal orders, and in the Partias regional nature reserve, near Briançon, dogs must be kept on a leash and picking plants is forbidden. Where it enters the core zone of the park, dogs are banned even on a leash, camping and fires are prohibited, and bivouacking is only allowed from 7 pm to 9 am, more than an hour’s walk from road access and from the boundaries of the core zone.
Water and supplies
The villages along the way let you stock up, but always carry water and food for the day. In the high pastures, go around the flocks and close the gates. After the floods of August 27 and 28, 2026, sections of path were washed away and footbridges swept off in the Vallouise, the Oisans and the Valbonnais: expect modified sections or fords.
The GR50 on the map
The 22 stages
TrekGR stage plan: each stage ends where you can sleep. Actual walking time excluding breaks (DIN 33466 standard).
No current alerts for this GR (checked on November 12, 2026). All live updates →
Our advice
Contact the Isère and Hautes-Alpes hiking committees before setting off, as some sections are closed or diverted during the overhaul.
Check the state of the paths with the Écrins National Park, especially in the Vallouise, the Oisans and the Valbonnais after the August 2026 floods.
Plan your route on a recent IGN map and follow the diversion signs on site.
Find out about each municipality’s bivouacking rules, especially on the Emparis and Taillefer plateaux.
Choose a starting point served by public transport, such as Le Bourg-d’Oisans, La Grave, Embrun or Briançon, to make getting there and back easier.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the GR50 start?
It is a loop with no set starting point. The official route descriptions stop at the department boundaries: from La Salette-Fallavaux to Mizoën for the Isère, from the Emparis plateau to Chauffayer for the Hautes-Alpes. Le Bourg-d’Oisans, La Grave, Embrun or Briançon, served by coach or train, are practical starting points.
Which direction should you walk the GR50?
The Isère and Hautes-Alpes committees present their sections clockwise: from La Salette towards Mizoën, then from the Emparis plateau towards the Briançonnais, the Embrunais and the Champsaur. Nothing stops you from doing the loop the other way round.
What is the difference between the GR50 and the GR54?
The GR54 crosses the highest passes in the massif and goes through a large part of the park’s core zone. The GR50 circles lower down, via the balcony paths and villages, and presents no real difficulties compared with the GR54, according to the Isère committee.
Is the GR50 currently open?
The route is being overhauled, led by the Écrins National Park with the Isère and Hautes-Alpes committees, and some sections are closed or being diverted, with no announced end date. Check the Isère committee’s page and the Park before setting off.
Can you walk the GR50 with a dog?
Outside the core zone of the park, yes, keeping it on a leash in protected areas such as the Partias reserve. In the core zone of the national park, dogs are banned, even on a leash; in the high pastures, keep yours close to you because of the flocks and livestock guardian dogs.
Can you bivouac on the GR50?
Outside the core zone of the park, the rules vary from one municipality to another: on the Emparis and Taillefer plateaux, municipal orders regulate bivouacking. In the core zone, it is allowed from 7 pm to 9 am, more than an hour’s walk from roads and from the boundaries of the core zone; see the Écrins National Park regulations.
Route: OpenStreetMap contributors. Elevation: IGN’s RGE ALTI®, one point every 50 m. Text checked on November 12, 2026.
