# Gargas, France: what it is and when to go

> Gargas is a summit in France, at 2,208 m above sea level. Interests: Nature and Mountains. The best time to visit is July to September, a short season because of the altitude. In June there are 15 h 23 of daylight, and in December, 8 h 37. It has an article in one Wikipedia, so it is not one of the busiest places in France: one to enjoy at a calmer pace. Here is what it is, where it lies, when to come, how to get there and what else is nearby to turn it into a trip.

- Address: https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/le-gargas/
- Reviewed on: 2026-10-02
- Language: en

## In a nutshell

- **What it is:** Summit · Nature, Mountains
- **Where:** France
- **Elevation:** 2,208 m
- **Best time:** July to September.
- **Nearest airport:** LYS Colombier-Saugnieu, Rhône, 118 km as the crow flies
- **Coordinates:** 44.86444, 5.97018

## What it is and where

Gargas is a summit in France, at 2,208 m above sea level. It has an article in one Wikipedia, so it is not one of the busiest places in France: one to enjoy at a calmer pace.

Its coordinates are 44.86444, 5.97018; the nearest main airport is Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport (LYS, Colombier-Saugnieu, Rhône), 118 km as the crow flies. How to get around France (train, car, bus) is covered in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/#moverse).

- [Where it is](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=44.864441%2C5.970176)
- [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=44.864441%2C5.970176)

It is one of the [Nature](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/naturaleza/) and [Mountains](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/montana/) places in France. In [Kokai](https://kokai.app/en/) it is already on your trip map next to the places you save yourself, and it goes into a day's plan with one tap.

## When to go

The best time to visit Gargas is **July to September**, and the season is short because it sits at 2,208 m: above 1,800 m there is snow until June and it returns in October.

| Mes | Época | Hours of daylight |
| --- | --- | --- |
| January | Better not | 8 h 58 |
| February | Better not | 10 h 11 |
| March | Better not | 11 h 38 |
| April | Better not | 13 h 16 |
| May | Better not | 14 h 38 |
| June | Possible | 15 h 23 |
| July | Best time | 15 h 05 |
| August | Best time | 13 h 53 |
| September | Best time | 12 h 18 |
| October | Possible | 10 h 43 |
| November | Better not | 9 h 18 |
| December | Better not | 8 h 37 |

In June there are 15 h 23 of daylight, and in December, 8 h 37. Daylight hours are calculated from the site's latitude for the 15th of each month; when planning a full day on foot they matter as much as the weather.

| What you come for | Best time | Possible |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Nature | July to September | June and October |
| Mountains | July to September | June and October |

It is not the same trip whatever you come for: Gargas has a different season depending on what you want to do here, and [Kokai](https://kokai.app/en/) puts it in the right month for you.

When to go to France in general, with its festivals and peak seasons, is in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/#cuando-ir).

## Before you go to France

To enter France there are 6 things to sort out before you leave, starting with “Valid ID card (DNI) or passport”: they are all, with their deadlines, in [the France checklist](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/#antes-de-salir). Currency: Euro (EUR); plugs: Type C and E · 230 V · 50 Hz; emergencies: 112 · 15 ambulance (SAMU) · 17 police · 18 fire brigade.

In [Kokai](https://kokai.app/en/) you tick off the checklist inside your trip, and each item reminds you when it is time to do it.

## What is nearby

- [Basilique Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/basilique-notre-dame-de-la-salette/): Basilica located in Isère, in France · 909 m
- [Gite - Refuge](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/gite-refuge/): Mountains · Hiking · 912 m
- [Sommet du Colombier](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/le-colombier/): Summit · 2.6 km
- [Cabane du Bois du Serre](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/cabane-du-bois-du-serre/): Hiking · 3.3 km
- [Cabane de Cumina](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/cabane-de-cumina/): Hiking · 3.5 km

Distances are as the crow flies. Everything else is in [the France guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/).

## More in France: Nature

- [Mont Blanc](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/mont-blanc/): highest mountain in the Alps
- [Chartres Cathedral](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/cathedrale-notre-dame/): medieval Catholic cathedral in Chartres, France
- [Lascaux](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/lascaux-cave/): cave in southwestern France famous for its Paleolithic cave paintings
- [Chauvet Cave](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/grotte-chauvet/): cave in France
- [Champ de Mars](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/campo-de-marte/): large public green space in Paris, France
- [Jardin du Luxembourg](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/luxembourg-garden/): urban park in Paris, France

Every France place under Nature, each with its season, is on [its page](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/naturaleza/).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is Gargas?

It is a summit in France. It has an article in one Wikipedia, so it is not one of the busiest places in France: one to enjoy at a calmer pace.

### When is the best time to visit Gargas?

July to September, and it is worth checking carefully: at 2,208 m the season is shorter than lower down. In June there are 15 h 23 of daylight, and in December, 8 h 37.

### How do you get to Gargas?

The nearest main airport is Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport (LYS), 118 km as the crow flies. From there, [directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=44.864441%2C5.970176) opens the route on the map, and how to get around France is explained in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/#moverse).

### How do I add it to my trip?

With one tap. In Kokai it is already on the France map, next to the places you save yourself: add it to a day's plan, give it a time and, if you like, get a reminder when you pass nearby.

### What else is around here?

Nearby you have [Basilique Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/basilique-notre-dame-de-la-salette/), [Gite - Refuge](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/gite-refuge/), [Sommet du Colombier](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/le-colombier/). The rest is in [the France guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/francia/).

Data from [OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/1860876356), licensed under the ODbL, and from [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q31643692), CC0. Daylight hours are calculated from the latitude. More in [credits](https://kokai.app/en/aviso/#creditos).