From the Lake to the Village

Starting from the beach at Saint-Vincent-les-Forts (800m), this route will take you to the village of Saint-Vincent-les-Forts and then back down via Lautaret, the second largest hamlet in the commune. This hike, with its sumptuous views of Lake Serre-Ponçon, is suitable for average walkers.

Details

n°139686

Creation:
04 Aug 2015

Last update:
–

Last review:
15 Sep 2025

Activity: Walking
Distance: 8.85 km
Average duration: 3h 55
Difficulty: Moderate
Back to start: Yes
Ascent: + 475 m
Descent: - 474 m
Highest point: 1,265 m
Lowest point: 791 m

Country: France
Areas: Alps, Ubaye Valley, Dauphiné
District: Saint-Vincent-les-Forts (04340)
Start/End: N 44.457096° / E 6.364245°
IGN map(s): Ref. 3438ET, 3438ETR
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Description of the walk

Yellow PR® markings

(S) From the campsite reception, enter the camp on the right at Le Lac.

(1) Opposite, slightly to the left, take the tarmac road for 150 metres. The trail starts at the hairpin bend and climbs up the embankment. Clearly marked on the ground, it climbs through the pine trees for approximately 1.8km to the Femme Morte point (950m).

(1). Continue along the path opposite towards Le Villaret.

(2) After the chapel (50 metres), take the sunken path that branches off to the right. Follow the markings until you reach the 900B departmental road. Cross it carefully and take the path opposite. Follow it to the entrance to the village of Saint-Vincent-les-Forts at the Ancienne Caserne point (1260m).

(3). Cross the village to the Voie Romaine point (1260m) located at the edge of the village just after the Auberge Montagnarde.

(4) Head towards Lautaret via the Roman road. After 500 metres, the path crosses the D900 road. Take the tarmac road opposite, follow it for 150 metres and then, at the barn, take the path that descends to the right. Follow it to L'Auchette, where it rejoins the road (D857). Turn left and follow the road for 250 metres, then take the path on the right which will take you to Lautaret (1020m), the second largest hamlet in the commune of Saint-Vincent-les-Forts.

(5) Turn right, cross the departmental road (D900b) and continue downhill on the tarmac road opposite (D7) for 250 metres to Bologne (990 m).

(6) Take the path that descends to the left and follow it for 800 metres. Return to the road (D7) for 250 metres (old hut in the field) then take the path that leads into the trees on the right. Follow it until you reach the beach at Saint-Vincent-les-Forts (E).

Alternative: Route Les Balcons du Lac

A shorter version is possible, covering a distance of 6.7 km with an elevation gain of 350 metres. At the Femme Morte point (950 m), take the path on the right towards Bologne for 2 km, then continue on the tarmac road until you reach the Bologne point. The return to the starting point is the same as for the full route.

Waypoints

S/E : km 0 - alt. 791 m - Lac de Serre-Ponçon
1 : km 1.65 - alt. 951 m - Femme Morte
2 : km 2.37 - alt. 1,018 m - Le Villaret
3 : km 3.89 - alt. 1,262 m - Former barracks
4 : km 4.16 - alt. 1,265 m - Roman road
5 : km 6.52 - alt. 1,015 m - Le Lautaret
6 : km 6.81 - alt. 990 m - Bologna
S/E : km 8.85 - alt. 791 m

Notes

Please note that the map and GPS track may be inaccurate. Hikers should follow the route as it appears on the ground, including trails, marked paths, signposts and cairns. In all cases, a good sense of direction and experience are your best assets.
Be sure to adapt the route to the most limited abilities within the group.

Worth a visit

Serre-Ponçon Lake is an artificial lake. It was created by building a dam on the Durance River, 2 km downstream from its confluence with the Ubaye River. It is the second largest artificial lake in Europe in terms of capacity (1.272 billion cubic metres) and the third largest in terms of surface area (28.2 km²). Its filling in 1961 resulted in the disappearance of several villages, notably Ubaye, which occupied the right bank of the Ubaye river just opposite the beach. It was completely demolished before being flooded. In winter, when the lake level drops by more than 30 metres, it is possible to find some traces of it. On the beach, a sign commemorates Ubaye.

Former barracks: now owned by the town of Aubagne and converted into a holiday centre, this building was once used as a prison. Jean Giono was imprisoned there on 27 September 1944, having been blacklisted by the National Writers' Committee and banned from publishing.
At this point, the more adventurous can take a detour by taking the road up to the right towards Fort Saint-Vincent and its Vauban Tower, built in 1696 (3/4 hour round trip, + 100 metres elevation gain). Please note that part of the route is private, so please take extra care to respect the premises.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5

Based on 9 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5

Ease of following the route
4.9 / 5

Route interest
4.6 / 5

MMY

15 Sep 2025 at 09:33 7200 • Edited: 15 Sep 2025 at 11:06 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

Nice single track for the first 3 km, then very challenging in terms of elevation.
Magnificent view from the watchtower, and perfect for a picnic.
Coffee available at the paragliding launch site.
The only downside is the constant noise of motorbikes (even in September) on the road from Barcelonette to St Vincent des Forts

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Guillaume D

03 Mar 2025 at 19:09 3600

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely winter walk without encountering a soul. Certainly much busier in the summer months. Many interesting viewpoints.

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magali.per1

08 Jul 2024 at 12:12 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

I made a variation by adding a hook to the fort.
Then there is a tower a little further away.
The view of the lake from there is breathtaking.
MAGNIFICENT

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Laurent 37

08 Jul 2024 at 08:49 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very interesting and educational route with a beautiful view of the lake. Easy to access, I highly recommend it.

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JeanJo68

28 Jun 2021 at 16:10 7200

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 28, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

In order to reduce the positive and negative elevation gains, I started my hike at the junction of the D900 and LAUTARET.
I took the marked path towards Bologne-Femme Morte on the right at point 6 and rejoined the normal route at point 1. 300 metres of elevation gain and loss on a steep slope.

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juju69780

16 Aug 2018 at 07:59 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 16, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A lovely walk for a pleasant half-day outing.

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fakarava

15 Jul 2016 at 18:28 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 13, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Hello,

The first part of this route, up to St Vincent les Forts, is very pleasant. The climb is sometimes steep, but there are some false flats that allow you to recover. A 150-250 metre section of log steps before "La Femme Morte" is a bit tedious but not difficult. The route is well marked.
Crossing the D900 road is dangerous, especially at this time of year, as the route rejoins the road just after a bend.
Next, the climb to St Vincent has the steepest gradient.
The descent after the village to the lake is less interesting, even though the view remains exceptional, due to a few sections on the road.
It took us 3 hours and 45 minutes, including a snack break and photos: allow 3 to 3 hours and 15 minutes without stops for average walkers... like us.
A beautiful hike, highly recommended for its views of the lake and the Ubaye Valley.
Thank you.

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nonolerobot

08 Mar 2016 at 16:46 3600

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 08, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

It would be a shame not to climb up to the fort and the watchtower.

Nonolerobot.

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domju

10 Sep 2015 at 21:23 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 10, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Superb hike, well signposted.
In the village, don't hesitate to climb up to see the well-documented botanical trail , where you will also enjoy a superb view.

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Author

Guillaume SAINTHERANT
8 Walks

Visorando member

District: Saint-Vincent-les-Forts (04340)

Machine-translated walk - Original version

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