The Frozen Waterfall Circular Trail in Saint-Maurice-en-Valgaudemard

de fr

A short walk at the bottom of the Valgaudemard valley, which is narrow, steep-sided and largely in the shade for three months of the winter. A real treat for anyone who loves snow-covered landscapes and frozen waterfalls – with no significant elevation gain! Starting near Saint-Maurice, this circular route takes you through the snow and amongst frost-covered trees; it’s not Lapland, but there’s a certain family resemblance.

Details

n°67981595
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 3.95 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 256 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 276 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 3,333 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 3,104 ft
Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Photos

Plants caught unawares by the freezing cold
Frozen waterfalls
Frost-covered trees

Description of the walk

Car park at a place called Le Roux.

(S/E) Cross the departmental road with care and take Rue de l’École opposite. Then head right between the houses and follow the path heading north-east. Cross the bridge over the Torrent de Colombeugne to quickly reach a crossroads.

(1) Turn left, then right about fifty metres further on, and walk past a farm.

(2) At the fork in the road, take the path on the right. Further on, leave the houses of La Loubière on your right and carry on straight ahead to join the RD985a.

(3) Cross the departmental road with care, walk a few dozen metres to the left, then turn right to cross the bridge over the Séveraisse. At the end, turn right, heading south-west, to begin the return leg of the circular route. Head towards the frozen waterfalls: watch out for slippery patches.

(4) Continue along the path to Les Garrets, where you’ll rejoin the tarmac road.

(5) Follow the road, passing the chapel on your right, and carry on to the junction.

(6) Take the small road on the right, cross the Séveraisse again at the Pont du Roux and rejoin the departmental road.

(7) Turn right and follow the road carefully back to the car park where you started (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 3,153 ft - Car park at Le Roux
  2. 1 : mi 0.66 - alt. 3,278 ft - Junction, on the left
  3. 2 : mi 1.08 - alt. 3,317 ft - Fork in the road, turn right
  4. 3 : mi 1.5 - alt. 3,287 ft - Junction with the departmental road. Towards the Pont de la - Séveraissette (rivière)
  5. 4 : mi 2.36 - alt. 3,205 ft - Frozen waterfalls
  6. 5 : mi 2.94 - alt. 3,199 ft - Route des Garrets
  7. 6 : mi 3.27 - alt. 3,159 ft - Road junction, on the right
  8. 7 : mi 3.55 - alt. 3,120 ft - Back on the departmental road, turn right
  9. S/E : mi 3.95 - alt. 3,153 ft - Car park at Le Roux

Notes

If you’re doing this walk this summer before I do, please leave a comment to let me know if it’s just as beautiful and if it’s safe to walk near the stream.

Reviews and comments

5 / 5
Based on 1 review
Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
5 / 5
mbabi
mbabi

Good news!
Thanks for letting me know.

Machine-translated

Mathilde1789
Mathilde1789

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I went in mid-March – unfortunately, it was already too hot to see the waterfalls – but whatever the case, this route is really brilliant and absolutely stunning. I highly recommend this short walk.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

Walking Prentiq chalets

Visorando Member
Chalets de Prentiq
↔4.45 mi ↗+1,273 ft ↘-1,276 ft ◔3h 10 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Saint-Maurice-en-Valgodemard (Hautes-Alpes)
An enriching hike to discover the traditions and history of this small valley. Follow a path along the stream to reach Prentiq (near the old houses), a haven of wild beauty with traces of pastoral life. Discover a hamlet where only two huts remain, along with ruins and dry stone walls that bring to mind the traditions of yesteryear. On the way back along the track, you will be treated to beautiful views of the valley.

Walking Cabane du Sellar via the Chalets du Prentiq

Visorando Member
Cabane du Sellar via les Chalets du Prentiq
↔6.49 mi ↗+2,106 ft ↘-2,110 ft ◔4h 50 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Saint-Maurice-en-Valgodemard (Hautes-Alpes)
A wild trail leads you up a gentle slope following the Prentiq valley to the Cabane du Sellar. Surrounded by mountains, this place is a true haven of peace, where only the sounds of nature welcome you.

Walking Rochimont Hut - La Salette Hut

Visorando Member
Cabane de Rochimont - Cabane de la Salette
↔5.38 mi ↗+2,828 ft ↘-2,815 ft ◔4h 55 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Saint-Maurice-en-Valgodemard (Hautes-Alpes)
A wild path leading to a lovely viewpoint over the lower Valgaudemar and Champsaur valleys. The return route via the Cabane de la Salette is well worth the detour.

Walking Les Six Cabanes

Visorando Member
Les Six Cabanes
↔5.03 mi ↗+3,415 ft ↘-3,406 ft ◔5h 15 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Saint-Maurice-en-Valgodemard (Hautes-Alpes)
At an altitude of 2,000 metres, ruined huts and an enclosure emerge from the ground. These stone shelters, built on a vast natural site, are well worth a visit. The remains of these dwellings transport us back to the forgotten history of a former pastoral past, where it is good to let your imagination run wild, following in the footsteps of those who came before, exploring their history and way of life.

Walking Circular route in the Valgaudemar

Visorando Member
Boucle dans le Valgaudemar
↔29.74 mi ↗+15,112 ft ↘-15,098 ft ◔5 days ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Villar-Loubière (Hautes-Alpes)
This 5-day trek is aimed at hikers wishing to camp in tents. The route crosses the Valgaudémar valley and passes through the village of La Chapelle-en-Valgaudémar, where you can stock up on supplies at the local grocery shop. The route crosses the Écrins Massif and offers an optional ascent of Pic Turbat (3,028 m) for the most determined, whilst also providing accessible routes with mostly signposted sections. Ideal for walkers in good physical condition, it offers a complete adventure combining forests, lakes and high peaks, with varied elevation changes and a few short off-trail sections requiring particular attention to navigation.

Walking Villar Loubière – Sebeyras Lakes

Visorando Member
Villar Loubière - Lacs de Sebeyras
↔5.63 mi ↗+4,511 ft ↘-354 ft ◔6h 30 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Villar-Loubière (Hautes-Alpes)
This first stage takes you along the GRP® Tour du Vieux Chaillol trail, linking Villar-Loubière to the Sebeyras Lakes. The route passes by the Pétarel Lakes, with a gradual climb through the Valgaudémar State Forest.

Walking Pic Turbat via the Refuge des Souffles

Visorando Member
Le Pic Turbat par le Refuge des Souffles
↔12.44 mi ↗+6,575 ft ↘-6,578 ft ◔10 hrs ▲Very difficult
⚑Departure from Villar-Loubière (Hautes-Alpes)
A challenging hike that will take you up a superb peak of over 3,000 m, facing the imposing Olan. The scenery is breathtaking, taking in the Refuge des Souffles and Lac Lautier, all with stunning views of the surrounding area!

Walking Refuge des Souffles - Lac Lautier - Crêtes de Colombes

Visorando Member
Refuge des Souffles - Lac Lautier - Crêtes de Colombes
↔10.71 mi ↗+4,888 ft ↘-4,892 ft ◔9h 10 ▲Very difficult
⚑Departure from Villar-Loubière (Hautes-Alpes)
Route at the foot of Pic des Souffles and Pic Turbat to discover Lac Lautier and its surroundings.

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.