Col and Cirque de l'Encombrette

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Explore the Cirque de l'Encombrette and its pass at an altitude of 2,500 metres in the heart of the Mercantour National Park.

Details

n°48380035
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.25 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 35 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,368 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,365 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 8,291 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 6,923 ft
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Photos

Lake Allos
Signage: Col de L'Encombrette

Description of the walk

From Val d'Allos le Village, you will need to head to the Laus car park, which is accessed via a small mountain road open to traffic from mid-June to mid-October (weather permitting).
During the peak summer season, this car park, on the uphill side, is regulated, has limited spaces and charges a fee; please do not hesitate to contact the Tourist Office.

(S/E) The start is simply by following the path at the end of the car park. Climb a few stone steps and you’ll reach a path. On your left, you’ll find the Laus Forest House

(1) Keep going straight, cross a small wooden bridge to continue your walk and you’ll reach a viewpoint overlooking the Sepentine.

(2) This is a magnificent peat bog. Continue to the next fork.

(3) Carry on straight ahead for the rest of the walk and follow the path to a junction.

(4) Continue along the path straight ahead: you may be able to hear and spot the first marmots. You’ll reach a viewpoint overlooking Lac d’Allos.

(5) Stay on theGR® de Pays Tour du Haut Verdon trail all the way to the Col de l'Encombrette.

(6) This is a special spot where wildlife, particularly ibex, thrive; then return to your starting point by following the same route back to (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 6,923 ft - Laus car park
  2. 1 : mi 0.13 - alt. 6,991 ft - Laus Forest House
  3. 2 : mi 0.37 - alt. 7,037 ft - View of the Serpentine
  4. 3 : mi 0.53 - alt. 7,106 ft - Fourche
  5. 4 : mi 0.9 - alt. 7,352 ft - Crossroads
  6. 5 : mi 1.72 - alt. 7,746 ft - View of Lake Allos
  7. 6 : mi 2.62 - alt. 8,291 ft - Col de l'Encombrette (2527m)
  8. S/E : mi 5.25 - alt. 6,926 ft - Laus car park

Notes

Bring drinking water and a packed lunch.
At certain times of the year, a herd is present in these pastures.

This route passes through a protected area, which may be subject to special regulations:

Worth a visit

In the summer season, take the time to stop off at the village of Allos with its bars and restaurants.
For activities, enjoy the leisure park, archery, tennis, riding centre, paragliding, etc.
And, of course, plenty of other hiking trails.
Information: Val d'Allos Tourist Office: 04.92.83.02.81

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

4.3 / 5
Based on 6 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.2 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
Val d'Allos
Val d'Allos

Dear User 21976924,

Thank you for your feedback. Indeed, the Col de l'Encombrette hike is not a circular one; there is no path leading back down to Lake Allos. On your return from the hike, you will find the path leading to Lake Allos on your right. Have a lovely day

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Val d'Allos
Val d'Allos
• Edited:

Thank you, 24990287, for your review and appreciation. Have a wonderful stay in Val d'Allos :-)

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Val d'Allos
Val d'Allos
• Edited:

Thank you, 24990287, for your review and appreciation. Have a wonderful stay in Val d'Allos :-)

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User 24990287

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 15, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We left the path leading to Lake Allos, where apparently everyone was heading, to continue towards the Col de l'Encombrette. Almost no one else around, breathtaking scenery (with a view of the lake nonetheless!!) Plenty of plump marmots, a few chamois.
A magnificent hike that comes highly recommended👌

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User 21976924

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful scenery with a lovely view at the top if you decide to push on a little further. Enjoyable to do but less interesting than a loop. And we couldn't find the path back down to the lake, so we had to take the same route back, which was a shame.
Be careful if you're afraid of heights, as the "summit" is steep (I enjoyed it but stayed seated)

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Val d'Allos
Val d'Allos

Good evening, mam06. It’s true that the sunny autumn weekends have sparked a real enthusiasm for mountain walks.
You’re absolutely right; it’s best to go during the week whenever possible.
See you soon

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Val d'Allos
Val d'Allos

Good evening, Papiluc06, thank you very much for your interest in this hike and for your information.
Have a lovely evening

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Papiluc06
Papiluc06

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

From the upper car park, follow the signposts pointing towards the pass. If you’re doing this route in early summer, you may still encounter snowfields. We crossed nine of them on the round trip. So make sure you’re well equipped just in case. There are no other difficulties on this well-marked route. But don’t forget that you’re at an altitude of 2,500 metres. Bring water and a snack. At the summit, there is a breathtaking view of the lake.
Descend via the same route, then walk around the lake.
Best regards

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Mam06
Mam06

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Hello everyone
We did this route on Sunday 10 November as we wanted to make the most of the last (long) weekend that the Laus car park was open and the lovely weather.
We arrived early so had no trouble parking. An easy route, a magnificent setting and a breathtaking view of Lake Allos with the larch trees ablaze with colour. However, from 10 am onwards, there was practically a queue of hikers making their way up! A large (22-strong) and very noisy group at the summit.
We came back down around 2 pm and there were plenty of people heading up then too.
The car park was absolutely, absolutely full, and I won’t even mention the manoeuvring on the narrow road when vehicles passed each other.
So, a lovely hike to do during the week

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Papiluc06
Papiluc06

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely hike starting from the Cluite car park. It’s a long climb, but not particularly difficult if you’re not bothered by the altitude. The summit is at 2,600 m! We crossed nine snowfields on the round trip. At the summit, you’ll catch sight of the Lacs de l’Encombrette. You can make your way down via the marked path.
For the return journey from the lake, walk past the chapel and continue along the flat path to a large clearing where, at a junction, you’ll see a small yellow sign pointing you back towards the car park.

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Val d'Allos
Val d'Allos

Thank you, Pascal Thizy, for your review and feedback. We hope you had a lovely stay in Val d'Allos :-)

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pascal thizy
pascal thizy

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 28, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A hike for the fit

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