Around Lake Pétichet via Le Crey

de fr

This short hike allows you to explore part of the Matheysin Plateau, including one of its four lakes, Lake Pétichet. With no particular difficulty, this route is suitable for families and can be enjoyed in any season as it is well shaded. You’ll discover some lovely views of the lakes and the Grand Serre massif, the Thabor and the Piquet de Nantes.

Details

n°30380483
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.95 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 256 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 251 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,173 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 924 m
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Photos

Lake Pétichet
Lake Pétichet
The Grand Lac

Description of the walk

The starting point is at the Miradou car park in the hamlet of Pétichet; please note that the car park can sometimes be full during the summer months. The commune of Saint-Théoffrey, where the hamlet of Pétichet is located, is accessible by bus from Grenoble via the T90 route operated by the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regional bus service.

(S/E) Leave the car park via Chemin du Moulin, located opposite the car entrance, and head towards the N85 road.

(1) Walk back towards the hamlet for about a hundred metres, cross at the pedestrian crossing, and continue towards the hamlet. Just past the town hall, turn left and follow Chemin de la Chapelle. Join a road and follow it for about fifty metres.

(2) Leave the road and continue right along the path. When you reach a second road, take it to the left and follow it downhill for about 300 m.

(3) Take the path to the right of the road and continue climbing towards Le Crey, ignoring, a little further on, the path that heads straight towards Les Berlioux. Cross the D113b for the first time, continue straight ahead to the hairpin bend.

(4) Pass the bend, descend slightly onto the road and take a path that climbs to the left, heading due south. Continue straight on in the same direction, pass the 1124m mark and reach a fork.

(5) Turn left, ignore the first path on the right and then a second one leading uphill opposite, and take a path slightly to the left which winds gently uphill before descending again. Follow it to the Croix des Théneaux and the N85 road.

(6) Cross the road with great care (no pedestrian crossing), follow it to the right for 50 m, then take the road on the left towards Les Théneaux. After just over 300 m, leave the road by turning left (sign for Les Théneaux) and follow a path overlooking Lac de Pétichet. You will arrive at the entrance to the campsite.

(7) Turn left onto a small road which becomes a track after a car park, and follow it to the junction at the Ruisseau des Moulins.

(8) Follow the road to the left until the junction leading to the Miradou car park. Turn left and return to your starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 925 m - Miradou car park
  2. 1 : km 0.23 - alt. 933 m - RN 85
  3. 2 : km 0.89 - alt. 985 m - Junction
  4. 3 : km 1.27 - alt. 987 m - Junction
  5. 4 : km 2.1 - alt. 1,086 m - D 113b
  6. 5 : km 3.38 - alt. 1,147 m - Le Crey. Junction
  7. 6 : km 5.41 - alt. 951 m - RN 85
  8. 7 : km 6.53 - alt. 945 m - Camping les Mouettes - Lac de Pétichet
  9. 8 : km 8.14 - alt. 932 m - Route de la Fayolle
  10. S/E : km 8.95 - alt. 924 m - Miradou car park - Belvédère Olivier Messiaen

Notes

The route follows good paths, although the section between (4) and (5) can be very muddy during wet weather or when snow is melting.

Worth a visit

Not far from the car park is Miradou Beach, perfect for a swim in the summer. Also worth noting is the Oliver Messiaen Lookout, which offers a beautiful view of the large lake as well as an illustrated audio presentation of the artist’s work; his house is located nearby.

On the N85 on your way back to Laffrey, pay a quick visit to the Prairie de la Rencontre, where a statue of Napoleon on horseback stands. This is the site where Napoleon met the king’s soldiers on his return from Elba.

Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5
Based on 5 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
3.6 / 5
ydurand
ydurand

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 08, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A pleasant route, mainly along forest paths. Beautiful views of the Obiou.

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romanche
romanche

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Highlights of the route: brilliant for 75-year-olds – 9 km, admittedly, but with very little elevation gain, stunning scenery, and no difficult obstacles to negotiate, apart from the second crossing of the main road where there’s no pedestrian crossing.
Route traffic: we were alone on the ridge section; busier around the lake, but still very manageable. However, it must be packed in summer!
Thank you very much in any case for this walk

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Bezard Christian
Bezard Christian

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

The route looked particularly promising on paper.
In person at this time of year, the view of the lake from the heights is very patchy, and once you’re down past the campsite, you only follow the lake for a few hundred metres.
Kind regards
Christian Bezard

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orian reynaud
orian reynaud

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 09, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely little walk around the lake. /!\ There’s a bit of a climb at the start of the route (it’s a bit of a slog 😄) but once you’ve got past that little hurdle, it’s a gentle, hassle-free finish.

The route can be done on foot or by mountain bike.

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Claude R3.
Claude R3.

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 06, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

At the 1,127-metre altitude, there are two options: either continue straight on to Les Thénauds, or head down to the left to reach Les Thénauds via Les Berlioux, which also takes you past the ruins of the old parish church—an additional point of interest.

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