Grand Méan glacial lake

A hike in the Cirque des Évettes, with the Grand Méan glacial lake at the foot of the glacier of the same name in your sights. At an altitude of 2,876 metres, the lake and glacier offer a fantastic view of a well-hidden glacial cirque. A real treat!

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.76 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 6h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 3,238 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 3,235 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 9,423 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 6,640 ft

Photos

Description of the walk

Access: From Bonneval, before the climb to the Col de l'Iseran, turn right at the Tourist Office and take the road immediately on the right to cross the Arc. Continue to the Écot car park and park before the Pont Saint-Clair (2027m).

(S/E) At the crossroads of the road and the track, take the path on the right towards the Refuge des Évettes. This runs along a meadow on the right and then joins a track. Follow it for a few metres to the right, then take the path that climbs to the left. Continue south-west, climbing gradually in a large loop and joining theGRP® Grand Tour de Haute Maurienne trail.

(1) Continue straight ahead, leaving the start on your right (steep and stony shortcut). The trail continues to climb gradually, looping to the right, then after a small drop, heads south-east and joins the Col des Évettes.

(2) Turn left towards the Refuge des Évettes. After a few metres, take the descent on the right. The trail follows the middle of the slope, passing between the refuge and the bottom of the Cirque des Évettes. Head south-east towards the Roman bridge and the Cascade de la Reculaz.

(3) Cross the bridge and head towards the bottom of the cirque for a few metres, almost to the bend on the left of the path, following the rocks on your left (turn back if you continue on the path that then passes between two large pointed boulders).

(4) Leave the trail and climb up to the left, onto a rock slab. Here begins a small, fairly well-marked trail, marked by cairns. This trail climbs steeply for the first two-thirds to reach the foot of the scree south of Mont Séti. Continue more easily along the slope towards a moraine. One last short climb before you see the lake and the glacier (pure bliss!).

(5) Continue to the right to reach the lake's spillway. Cross it via a stone ford and reach the foot of the Grand Méan glacier on the right side of the lake.

(6) From the foot of the glacier, return via the same route (S/E)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 6,640 ft - Pont Saint-Clair (2,027 m) - Arc (rivière) - Affluent de l'Isère
  2. 1 : mi 1.32 - alt. 7,648 ft - Continue straight ahead
  3. 2 : mi 2.46 - alt. 8,448 ft - Col des Evettes
  4. 3 : mi 3.06 - alt. 8,205 ft - Roman bridge
  5. 4 : mi 3.15 - alt. 8,212 ft - Leave the trail and climb up to the left
  6. 5 : mi 4.09 - alt. 9,423 ft - Crête de la Moraine
  7. 6 : mi 4.38 - alt. 9,380 ft - Lake and Glacier of Grand Méan
  8. S/E : mi 8.76 - alt. 6,640 ft - Pont Saint-Clair (2,027 m) - Arc (rivière) - Affluent de l'Isère

Notes

You can also do the hike by climbing up the Gorges de la Reculaz:
Refuge des Évettes

The route is easy to follow, the trickiest part is taking the climb on the left after the Roman Bridge (4) because the start is up a rocky slab and the path is not marked at this point.

Worth a visit

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 58 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
Montagnes74
Montagnes74

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 05, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A really lovely hike, with the added bonus of high-mountain scenery featuring this magnificent lake and its ‘icebergs’. Setting off from L’Écot, this destination is well worth the effort, particularly on some rather steep sections after the Roman bridge. This second part of the ascent began just as those who’d spent the night at the Refuge des Évettes were coming down. We came across an almost continuous stream of walkers. But once we reached the lake in the early afternoon, there was hardly anyone left. To minimise the climb, the best option is to spend the night at the Évettes refuge...

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Litutitu
Litutitu

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 24, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Stunning walks – we were delighted to see lots of ibex at the foot of the lake.
I was able to go on the walks with my 7- and 9-year-old children without any problems.
After the Roman bridge, the climb is quite a challenge.
Magnificent views.

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User 18578826

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 17, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

One slight downside: the pay-and-display car park.
Otherwise, a magnificent hike and, above all, a superb view at the end.

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User 10072966

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike!
As some people have said, it's really not easy once you cross the Roman bridge.
The view of the Evettes glacier and its lake is absolutely splendid!

I didn't get to see any ibex at the glacier, but being able to get so close to it is priceless!

Hike done in full sun, so cover up well + sun cream, it burns quite a bit at the top 😅

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shapiro
shapiro
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 15, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Superb hike, magnificent views. The Recullaz Waterfall (just below the Roman Bridge (3)) is particularly impressive. The glacier breaking into the Lac du Grand Méan is a rare and superb sight.

The climb to the Roman Bridge (3) is relatively easy, but it gets much steeper and rockier above that point. You have to earn it!

Starting from L'Écot (free parking from mid-September); the route took 6 hours, including plenty of stops and 30 minutes to walk to and from the glacier (path on the left along the lake). Total elevation gain measured by altimeter: 1,062 m.

Note to the author: on the way up, following the markings, I missed your turn-off for the easier Plan des Roches route. A waypoint should be added: GPS x = 350692, y = 5026199.

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William 01950
William 01950

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

A magnificent hike, thanks to you: perfect explanations, the GPX file was excellent.
Le Grand Méan was a new discovery in Bonneval for my hiking buddy and me.
FINALLY, after several years...
Definitely worth doing again, undoubtedly the most beautiful in the region!
What a sight, and even a family of ibex a few metres away from us, against the backdrop of the glacier.
Sublime.

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quito84
quito84
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Just to confirm that this is a must-see in the area. As fans of loop trails, we went through the Reculaz Gorge on the way there (stunning and quite challenging) and then at the lake we went left to reach the foot of the glacier accompanied by ibexes, STUNNING. We returned via the refuge (very nice) and Plan des Roches (very busy)...

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User 1486528

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 30, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

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User 27318542

Very beautiful hike

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User 27318542

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very good app with superb hikes for advanced road cyclists

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User 19451523

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello, I did this hike on 12 and 13 July. I left Annecy le Vieux at 7 a.m. and arrived at the Ecot car park at 9.30 a.m. I was with my 50-year-old son. I am 75 and not really used to long hikes. Around 2pm, we were at the Grand Mean glacial lake, which was absolutely stunning. It was the first time I had seen a glacier so close, with ibex grazing on the rocks. It was quite incredible. My son's GPS recorded an elevation gain of about 1,100 metres. But my joints weren't too sore, so I can only recommend this magnificent hike! In the evening, we slept at the Evettes refuge and descended to the car park the next morning.

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anninha
anninha

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful route to this splendid lake with its glacier... the climb is quite steep, though, so bear that in mind..

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totolitoto
totolitoto

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Magnificent hike! The climb to Lake Méan is steep but well worth the effort. The times indicated on the signs are accurate. The climb to the refuge is easy and takes 1.5 hours.

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NRBJ
NRBJ
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 29, 2025
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A moment I had been waiting for for three years: climbing up to the Grand Méan!
This is an ABSOLUTE must-do, with magical, unique landscapes.
As a bonus, you get to see ibexes.

The climb to Les Evettes is easy on this side, which is great for saving energy for later (the climb through the Reculaz valley, which I did last year, is more difficult). Then, after the Roman bridge, the path is fairly well marked all the way, except for a few rocky sections. It's a bit steep and technical but it's fine. There were a few places where I wasn't sure which way to go on the way down, but no major problems. At the edge of the glacial lake, I didn't go through the ford on the right, preferring to go around it on the left. There is a large scree slope, then you arrive at the foot of the glacier. You can rest there or climb a little to the left of the glacier. That's where I saw the ibexes.

Wait for good weather and a clear day to get the most out of it. Set off early in the morning (8 a.m.) to be at the edge of the Grand Méan for a picnic and spend as much time there as possible. Once you're up there, you won't want to come back down. On the way back, take a short detour to the Evettes refuge to taste their delicious blueberry juice.

On a beautiful summer's day, you won't be alone, as the beauty of the place attracts many hikers.

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Sophie la Marmotte
Sophie la Marmotte

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 31, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I did this sublime hike on 31 October in glorious sunshine.

I parked at 7:45 a.m. in the Ecot car park (free at that time of year because the area is completely deserted!), i did the first part of the climb on frozen ground (which required a lot of concentration!) and then the rest in the sun. Finding the route proved really difficult after the Roman bridge (lots of people had told me they got lost, so thank you Visorando, because even with the app I sometimes struggled to find my way!
The end of the hike was in the snow, before the final climb.

The lake was sublime, frozen, and the glacier was magnificent! I wanted to get as close as possible to the glacier and went around the lake on the right (Visorando route), but at that point I found myself stuck, so I returned to the starting point and went around on the left, where I was able to reach the glacier.

The scenery is absolutely magnificent from start to finish. The Roman bridge is superb! I cursed the descent in the mud a little because the frost had melted, but it's really easy to do!

A hike not to be missed!

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