From Roche Rousse to Prapic via the lakes of Orcières and Les Pisses

Date of your route : Jul 27, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello

Actually, we did the circular route from Prapic, heading up to Lac des Pisses and then taking the balcony path. This avoids the hassle of returning to the start but makes the walk longer. It took us 7 hours 30 minutes, including breaks, at a leisurely pace.
We only visited one of the Orsière lakes at a time, partly because we were in the ski area – so it’s not as scenic – and partly because the weather was looking threatening.
We descended via the valley below Lac des Sirènes, starting from the Gnouroud chairlift and following the stream from Lac du Col. We rejoined the ascent path at point 1817 on the IGN map.

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Date of your route : Aug 15, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent and spectacular route, taking in almost all the lakes in the area. I say ‘almost’ because you’d need to add an hour (according to the sign) each way to visit the Estaris lakes, which must be lovely too.
All these lakes are charming and peaceful, with lovely colours and teeming with life. Unfortunately, there are fishermen about, which really spoils the enjoyment of the moment.
Otherwise, taking the Télémix is a real advantage, as the hike is physically demanding; if you had to add that climb (which isn’t particularly interesting), it would be even tougher. The Télémix is expensive, and don’t forget to go back to the ticket office to collect your luggage afterwards.
The scenery is absolutely sublime and ever-changing – bare high mountains (no trees) – so take care if the sun is really strong, as you don’t always feel it with the pleasant, steady breeze. The section linking the first lakes to Lac des Pisses is quite exceptional; be careful on certain sections where it’s best not to fall…
Reaching Lac des Pisses – and thus the Park – is another highlight; it’s also very beautiful, and, best of all, there are no anglers in this area. The water is cool, and the lake flows continuously downwards, creating magnificent waterfalls.
The descent to Prapic is far more challenging, with over 1,000 metres of descent, offering yet more new landscapes and superb waterfalls to discover, but it’s physically demanding – you’ll be eager to reach the pretty little village below.
As for the shuttle bus between Prapic and Merlette, there’s some very bad news: it doesn’t run every day! And yet we’re in the middle of the season. So check in advance, or even book in advance, as seats are limited.
We would have had to add an extra two-hour climb (which would have been tough after everything else), so we had to call a taxi – which was nice but really expensive.
All in all, a lovely hike; you really feel surrounded by nature. It’s a bit busy at the start around the first lakes (with loads of motorised mountain bikes), but all that clears up in the second half. So, there are people about; you might hear the marmots but you don’t see them; the animals we spotted were flocks of sheep heading up to graze at higher altitudes.
Sun, mountains, water – we’d almost have gone for a swim if it hadn’t been for the fishing lines, even though the water was a bit chilly.

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