The Grand Lac and the Lac de la Ponsonnière

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20 minutes from the town of Monêtier-les-Bains. A lovely day’s hike with a magnificent view at the end. Views over the Grand Lac and the Écrins massif.
Return to the car park via the same route.

Details

n°9730
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.20 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 2,835 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 2,835 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 8,435 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 5,594 ft
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Photos

Caset Glacier
The Grand Lac
Departure from the Pont des Alpes

Description of the walk

Park your car in the Le Pont de l’Alpe car park.

(S/E) Facing the buildings, the start of the walk is to the left of the car park on the D1091, opposite the Auberge les Amis hotel and restaurant.
Follow the wide path to reach the alpine hamlet of Alpe du Lauzet.

(1) You’ll reach a crossroads with three directions:
- a path to the left (apparently, this is a tricky section),
- a second on the right, which is the Chemin du Roy,
- a third straight ahead, which climbs along the right bank of the Rif torrent.
Take the latter; this is the path linking up with theGR®®57.
Reach the Clot des Vaches junction.

(2) Continue left along thisGR®® trail, marked in red and white. Cross the wide valley before beginning a short climb to reach the junction at the Cabane du Berger

(3) Continue to the right along a very pleasant path through the mountain pastures, ending at Lac de la Ponsonnière.

(4) Return via the same route to reach the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 5,600 ft - The Pont de l’Alpe - Rif (torrent) - Affluent de la Guisane
  2. 1 : mi 0.83 - alt. 6,411 ft - L’Alpe du Lauzet
  3. 2 : mi 1.52 - alt. 7,205 ft - GR57 junction. Near the - Refuge du Clot des Vaches
  4. 3 : mi 2.58 - alt. 7,992 ft - Crossroads overlooking the - Le Grand Lac
  5. 4 : mi 3.6 - alt. 8,435 ft - Lac de la Ponsonnière
  6. S/E : mi 7.2 - alt. 5,600 ft - The Pont de l’Alpe

Notes

We camped above the Grand Lac. The view is simply magnificent.
(1) There is a stopover lodge in the hamlet of Alpe du Lauzet.
There is a drinking fountain at the sheepfold by the Grand Lac.

Worth a visit

You may be able to spot some ibexes. During our bivouac, we saw one walking along a ridge. As the sun set, it stood out beautifully.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

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Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 38 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
ANNE2669
ANNE2669

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 28, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We did this route in two groups. The first group carried on past the lake to the pass, whilst the second stopped at the crossroads. There weren’t many people about on a weekday, there were plenty of flowers at this time of year, and the climb was steady; both groups really enjoyed their walk. We had a nice stop-off on the way at the recently opened Clôt des Vaches lodge.

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Rando Leo
Rando Leo

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike starting from Pont de l'Alp, offering views over Grand Lac (via the GR trail) and continuing to Lac de la Ponsonnière. Stunning panoramic views, particularly on the return journey from Lac de la Ponsonnière. On the way back, you can stay on the right bank of the stream and pass by the new Clos des Vaches refuge. A ford (very large stones) below the refuge allows you to cross back over to the left bank of the stream to reach the valley. Throughout the hike, there are large information panels on various topics (fauna, flora, mountain risks, etc.), which can be great fun for children in particular.

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/adjedj
/adjedj

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 23, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

This hike is a treat...
We continued on to the pass (about half an hour there and back)
I recommend making the extra effort as the view is magnificent
On the way back, we stopped at the Le Clôt des Vaches refuge ... nothing better than a little crêpe to round off a beautiful day.

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patou04
patou04

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 20, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

a very beautiful hike done on 15 August 2025, so there were a lot of people.
Be careful not to arrive too late if you want to find a parking space.

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Jeepers38
Jeepers38

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 16, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very well-detailed route to Lake Ponsonnière. We continued the hike to the pass and began the descent via this route to the large lake. We chose the challenging route option. There is a passage through a chimney for about 50 metres. The chimney is equipped with a cable. I strongly advise against this route if you are afraid of heights or if you are not sure-footed.
The rest of the descent is uneventful. We rejoined the original trail at the hamlet of Lauzet.

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bergen38
bergen38

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

still as beautiful as ever

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Alain dubos
Alain dubos

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 05, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

shaved

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bebert38
bebert38

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful hike, lots of people in the mountains (August). The large lake is superb.

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BernieG
BernieG

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Beautiful views of the Oisons massif and parts of the Cerces massif. Ideally, you would do a loop via the passage under the Grand Lac, but little information is available about its difficulty. A refuge is currently being built by the municipality of Le Monétier under the Bruyère ridges along the hiking trail.

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jl1309m
jl1309m

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 31, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Please note that the steep climb from Chambran is easy and on a good path. From the Col des Grangettes, the descent is steep and for experienced hikers.

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~Justine~
~Justine~

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 06, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, easy hike that can be done in a day.
The view from the top of the lake and the Ecrins massif is magnificent!

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Bruno "CNIEG"
Bruno "CNIEG"

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 23, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful hike, you have to push on to the pass for the magnificent view.
View of the large lake, you can avoid the chimney if you wish.
It's best to wear good walking shoes.
Drinking water available at the start of the trail at "Pont de l'Alpe"

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JP307
JP307

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 01, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

We climbed up to the pass, which is very short and offers a view of the other side, towards Galibier

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Germonneau
Germonneau

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 27, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Initially, we wanted to start from Plan Lachat, but the Galibier was closed for maintenance work (Tour de France), so we started from Pont de l'Alpe. We stopped at the Col de la Ponsonniere. It was very hot due to our late start.
A beautiful and challenging hike
Alain

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Randophil57
Randophil57

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 21, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

One of the most beautiful hikes we have ever done in the Briançonnais region...From the shepherd's hut, the views of the Grand Lac and the Ecrins glaciers are magnificent... The hike continues through alpine pastures in a peaceful atmosphere... We extended the pleasure by continuing the hike to the Col des Béraudes after the Col de la Ponsonnière...

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Walking Lac et Col de la Ponsonnière via the Grand Lac

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