Camping de Fontcouverte - Lac de Ponsonnière - Refuge des Drayères

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Randonnée de 3 jours en bivouac sur le GR®57 en passant par les plus beaux lacs de la vallée de la Clarée : Grand Lac, Lac de Ponsonnière, Lac des Cerces, Lac de la Clarée, Lac Rond et Lac Long... Une pause par le Refuge des Drayères ou l'on profitera d'un bon diner...

Details

n°3572771
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 19.22 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3 days 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 5,308 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 5,325 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 8,658 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 6,099 ft

Photos

Lac du Grand Ban
Vue sur le grand Lac
Vue du Col Chardonnet
Au Col du Chardonnet

Stages of the route

This route needs several days, find the details below:

  1. S
    Camping de Fontcouverte - Lac de la Ponsonnière

    Fontcouverte Campsite - Lac de la Ponsonnière

    ↔7.08 mi ↗3,691 ft ↘1,391 ft
    For this first three-day stage, the route offers magnificent views of the Écrins Massif at the Col du Chardonnet and then of the Grand Lac. We have chosen to camp at Lac de la Ponsonnière, but it is entirely possible to camp on the heights of the Grand Lac, near the pastoral house. This allows you to shorten the duration of this first day slightly and, above all, reduce the elevation gain by around 200m.
    View the route
  2. 2
    Lac de la Ponsonnière - Refuge des Drayères

    Lac de la Ponsonnière – Refuge des Drayères

    ↔5.88 mi ↗640 ft ↘1,909 ft
    This second, slightly easier stage takes us past four magnificent lakes: Lac des Cerces, Lac du Grand Ban, Lac Rond and Lac de la Clarée
    View the route
  3. E

    Refuge des Drayères - Camping de Fontcouverte

    ↔6.25 mi ↗981 ft ↘2,018 ft
    Cette randonnée est la 3e et dernière partie de notre circuit de trois jours du Camping de Fontcouverte - Lac de Ponsonnière - Refuge des Drayères. Pour ce retour vers le camping de Fontcouverte, nous faisons un petit détour vers le lac Rond et lac Long afin de découvrir ses deux magnifiques lacs d'altitude et permet également d'éviter la descente monotone par la piste.
    View the route

This route passes through multiple protected areas, which may be subject to special regulations:

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.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 1 review
Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4 / 5
Route interest
5 / 5
User 22013161

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 02, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

I didn’t follow the route for a bit, relying on the IGN map instead, and I regretted it. The route involved a greater elevation gain, but it was much more accessible....

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Other walks in the area

Walking Fontcouverte Campsite - Lac de la Ponsonnière

Visorando Member
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For this first three-day stage, the route offers magnificent views of the Écrins Massif at the Col du Chardonnet and then of the Grand Lac. We have chosen to camp at Lac de la Ponsonnière, but it is entirely possible to camp on the heights of the Grand Lac, near the pastoral house. This allows you to shorten the duration of this first day slightly and, above all, reduce the elevation gain by around 200m.

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