Hautes-Alpes: discovering the Guil, a wild river in the heart of the Queyras natural park

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Its crystal-clear waters wind through the mountains of the Hautes-Alpes . The Guil is a wild river whose dizzying gorges attract thrill-seekers. Gathered on the same boat, for a family from Marseille, going down the Guil is a small epic. Thibaut Mansuy watches over their safety, at the helm. He has been navigating the torrents in kayaks and rafts since he was 14.

The Guil is one of the most challenging rivers in France. Not all rafting instructors can navigate its choppy waters. "You have to obtain a special diploma to navigate the Guil. It's a high-water environment, classified as grades 3, 4, and 5. You can't take people on it without the appropriate diploma. There's a lot to know about safety," explains the rafting instructor. Each tricky section has a name. For their first rapid, it's the Saignante. Coordination is essential. When you say "Banzai," you have to raise your oars and huddle in the center of the boat. The current calms down. It's a chance to admire the landscape shaped by erosion. Before it was a torrent, the Guil was a glacier that carved out the rock over thousands of years.

The limestone cliffs are a fabulous playground for climbing enthusiasts. Three students came with friends to tackle the wall. A via ferrata allows them to follow the course of the Guil from above and in safety. "It's quite dizzying but very nice," says student Sarah Fargere. Floating above the water, their progress is slow, contemplative, and lulled by the roar of the river below. "The sound of the water behind them is nice," confirms student Elie Dumont. Some of the rafting crews also have to pass through the cliff.

But the Guil can also be deadly. In 1957, the river claimed two lives and caused a great deal of destruction. Some of the scars remain today. "There were 14 bridges on the Guil before. Twelve out of 14 were destroyed during the incident," reports Thibaut Mansuy.

There are also a few suspension bridges for the climbers' enjoyment and thrills. And their vertigo isn't over yet. The exit from their via ferrata is from above, several dozen meters above the void. After two hours of climbing, they will reach Fort Queyras. Its ramparts, redesigned by Vauban, peak above the gorges. Everyone takes away with them powerfully emotional memories.