(1550m), where there's a tiny chapel, some pretty renovated stone houses, and a view of Bourg d'Oisans.
Walk through the hamlet and continue on a tarmac road to Maronne, beyond which you come to Le Châtelard (1448m) in which there's a restaurant, La Fôret de Maronne. Keep on the road below this village, turning a few bends until about 15mins from Le Châtelard, waymarks on a tree direct you down a series of wooden steps to a forest path which you then follow to the left. About 7mins later come to the road again at a hairpin bend. Do not go onto the road, but take the continuing path descending the wooded slope.
At a path junction by a wooden cross, take the lower route curving to the right. It's a mostly well-graded path that eventually brings you to the road again. Cross directly ahead, and in a few paces you will arrive beside the mairie of La Garde d'Oisans on the ledge of La Ville (1031m). Note the plaque on the wall of the mairie recalling the burning of the village in 1944 by occupying troops.
Turn left along the narrow road, and passing the village washplace, it eventually becomes a track leading to a house. Just before the house, take a narrow footpath descending among trees on the right. Twisting across grass slopes, among trees and over rocks, it soon provides a direct view of Bourg d'Oisans. Then you come to a series of rock slabs where the path is protected in places by lengths of fixed cable that offer a degree of support where the slabs are perhaps smooth from use, or outward sloping – caution required. The path is exposed here and there, with a campsite swimming pool directly below, suggesting that should you slip you will land among the swimmers!
Cascade de la Sarenne, Bourg d'Oisans
At the foot of the slabs note the lovely Cascade de la Sarenne on the right as you wander along a footpath to the main road. Turn left and follow this road to a roundabout, beyond which you cross the Romanche and soon enter Bourg d'Oisans.
ROUTE 2
Barrage du Chambon (1044m) – Cuculet (1289m) – Mont-de-Lans (1280m) – Barrage du Chambon
| Start | Barrage du Chambon (1044m) |
| Distance | 6km |
| Total Ascent | 236m |
| Grade | 1 |
| Time | 2½–3hrs |
| Location | South of Lac du Chambon |
This undemanding walk provides views across and along Lac du Chambon, visits a small hamlet and also the village of Mont-de-Lans. Although much of the way is on tracks and minor roads, there should be very little traffic (if any) to contend with.
Leave the barrage by walking south along D213 in the direction of Mont-de-Lans, but shortly break off on a track sloping downhill to the left where a sign gives 1hr to Cuculet. Occasional blue waymarks will be seen. Crossing a stream the way turns north, then when it forks you take the upper path which swings uphill heading south. After crossing a meadow enter woodland and, twisting uphill in and out of woods, eventually come to a road leading directly into Cuculet. (It's possible to take a path from here down to the lake shore and follow this upvalley to a bridge beyond the lake at 1091m, where you join the main N91 road. Another option is to follow a path climbing southeast to the Chalet de la Fée some 900m or so above the hamlet, reached in about 3hrs from Cuculet.)
The continuing minor road out of Cuculet slopes downhill heading south to cross a stream (Ruisseau de la Pisse) by a bridge at 1247m, then snakes round the hillside to gain Mont-de-Lans. Walk out of the village along D213, which returns to the Barrage du Chambon, but note the signed path which breaks off to the right for a short cut down to the dam. On the way there's a fine view, not only along the lake, but across to Mizoën and its splendid little church.
ROUTE 3
Barrage du Chambon (1044m) – Chalets du Fay (2258m) – Dôme du Lac Noir (2456m)
| Start | Barrage du Chambon (1044m) |
| Distance | 13km (+ 3km) |
| Total Ascent | 1412m |
| Grade | 2–3 |
| Time | 5–5½hrs (+ 45mins) |
| Location | Northeast of Lac du Chambon |
| Accommodation | Mizoën, Les Clots and Refuge duChalet du Fay |
The Dôme du Lac Noir is a cairned viewpoint overlooking the Lacs Noir and Lérié on the famed Plateau d'Emparis high on the north bank of the Romanche. It's an understandably popular area, although most visitors either drive part way or walk to it from Le Chazelet, above La Grave. While the amount of height to be gained on the walk described makes it a tough day, the trail, which is a variante of GR54 (as well as being a section of GR50), is mostly straightforward, but with one or two exposed sections. It's recommended to spend a night at the Chalet du Fay gîte, either before or after visiting the lakes. As an alternative to returning to the barrage you could join the main GR54 and continue to La Grave.
A steep path rises from the Barrage du Chambon to avoid the first two hairpins of the minor road which twists up to Mizoën (30mins: accommodation, refreshments), a small village at 1186m.
Gîte d'étape l'Emparis: 40 places, open all year (
Le Panoramique: 10 rooms, open except May and Oct-mid-Dec (
In the centre of the village waymarks direct the route between houses, then to the right before rejoining the road very briefly. Take a path on the right once more. This leads to the hamlet of Les Aymes, clustered above the lake, but on leaving you come onto a waymarked path which develops as an exposed trail along the hillside aiming roughly eastward. Eventually cross a small pasture near Les Clots (1540m, 13?4hrs).
Refuge des Clots: 15 places, open in summer, meals provided (
Now the way climbs the grassy hillside in zigzags, then crosses above the impressive Cascade de la Pisse and, curving east again, joins a dirt road. Either follow this or the path nearby, which will bring you to the Refuge du Chalet du Fay (2258m, 4hrs: accommodation, refreshments).
Refuge du Chalet du Fay: open June to end Oct (
The way now slopes down a little over pastureland and alongside a stream until coming to a junction (2211m) with the main GR54. Here you turn right and rise easily to gain Col du Souchet (2365m) about 45mins after leaving the Chalet du Fay. Here you'll find another path junction. Bear right and soon reach Lac Noir, a beautiful tarn with reflective views of the Meije and Le Râteau cast in the water. Lac Lérié lies a short distance to the east, sunken slightly in a hollow, while the Dôme du Lac Noir is marked by a cairn between the two tarns. The grass hummocks and limestone ribs around the lakes are starred with Alpine plants such as edelweiss, gentians and alpine asters. Other small tarns, pools and dried lakes lie northwest of Lac Noir.
Either return by the way you came (45mins to Chalet du Fay), or retrace your steps to Col du Souchet and there turn right to follow GR54 to Le Chazelet and La Grave (2½-3hrs to La Grave).
Lac Lerié on the Plateau d'Emparis
ROUTE 4
La Grave (1481m) – Les Terraces (1782m) – Le Chazelet (1786m)
| Start | La Grave (1481m) |
| Distance | 3km |
| Total Ascent | 375m |
| Total Descent | 70m |
| Grade | 1–2 |
| Time | 1hr 15mins |
| Location | Northwest of La Grave |
Writing of the Meije in 1871, Edward Whymper commented: ‘The view of this mountain from the village of La Grave can hardly be spoken of too highly. It is one of the finest road-views in the Alps… But from La Grave one can no more appreciate the noble proportions and the towering height of the Meije, than understand