Lac Prévourey and Lac Claret

Whether coming from Grenoble (or Vizille) or from Briançon (or Le Bourg-d’Oisans), at Séchilienne follow signs for “Alpe du Grand Serre”; this takes you to the centre of Séchilienne, from where the road crosses the main Grenoble-Briançon road heading south before climbing the mountain via a series of long hairpin bends.
Once you reach the village of Alpe du Grand-Serre (in the commune of La Morte), first pass the town hall (visible on the left) and then park in the large car park, which also serves as a motorhome area.

(S/E) Walk back past the town hall.

(1) Take the second street on the right, which is Chemin de Champ Bacon; at the entrance to this road are yellow signs indicating hiking trails, including the one to Prévourey. The paved road soon gives way to a rocky path covered in fallen leaves from the beech trees that dominate the area. It climbs steeply, winding its way up, and soon crosses another path that branches off to the right-hand side.

(2) The path to the right-hand rear descends towards the waterfall: this is the route to take on the return journey. For now, continue straight up. About 200 m further on, turn right onto the main path, ignoring the one that continues straight ahead (if it is still visible).

(3) At a three-way junction, head straight on towards Prévourey (yellow signs). Follow this lovely forest path; as you cross a clearing on a balcony-like ledge, you’ll have a splendid view of the resort below and, in the range to the left, the peaks of the Valbonnais.
Continue to the Prévourey cirque. As you approach the hut, at the junction with a path on the left, a sign indicates Prévourey is 200 m away. Follow this direction, staying on the same path, which leads to the Prévourey cirque and allows you to walk around the pretty Lac de Prévourey, crossing the Guiliman torrent (before crossing it, leave the path that heads east towards Lac de Brouffier).

(4) Arrive north of the Cabane de Louvet and, after visiting it, follow the yellow signpost towards Les Fontenettes, which heads north, passing a spring catchment, then veer west onto a lovely forest path.
After changing direction (now heading north-east), the path meets a grassy track at a three-way junction.

(5) Take this track on the left and head north.
When crossing the Ruisseau des Fontenettes, at elevation 1750, turn left towards Le Chênevier for 200 m.
''A sign on the right points towards Lac de Brouffier''.

(6) Leave the track and take a path on the right (Chemin Bégoud). This runs parallel to the road, about 100 to 150 m away. After about 800 m, it crosses another path that joins the road just to the left at a hairpin bend.

(7) Just before the road, near a memorial stone commemorating the Alpine Hunters who were victims of an avalanche in April 1976, turn right onto a path towards Lac Claret (indicated by a yellow signpost). This path starts running parallel to the road, then moves away from it for a while before following it again.

(8) Turn right onto the path you’ll reach shortly before arriving at Lac Claret. Walk along the lake, passing the log cabin, go to the end of the lake and turn back.

(8) Turn right towards the road, which you reach at a signpost reading: "Combe Oursière - 1670 m". Follow the road downhill towards Alpe du Grand Serre.
Just after you come to a track climbing up to the left towards Les Fontenettes, continue for another 150 m along the road until you find a path leading down to the right.

(9) Take this descending path, marked by a post and signposts (towards “Alpe du Grand Serre”). This path crosses the road further down and continues on the opposite side.

(10) After a double hairpin bend, at the crossroads continue straight ahead to the left and descend until you rejoin the path leading to Prévourey.

(3) At the signpost marked "Bérard - 1510 m", turn right onto the path you took on the way up, but in the opposite direction.

(2) This time, turn left and head down through a beautiful beech forest to the waterfall.

(11) After visiting the waterfall, follow the Route de la Cascade, which runs alongside the Ruisseau de Guériment, towards the main road, which it joins at the lake.

(S/E) Turn right and return to the car park (S/E).

We did this hike in August 2016.

This walk is straightforward and can be described as family-friendly.

Although sometimes rocky, the paths are always easy, and thanks to the dense forest cover, it remains pleasant even on fine summer days.

The gear required is therefore standard for a short, easy hike.

I fully agree with the description provided by the tourist office on its website:Alpe du Grand Serre is a family-friendly resort in an exceptional setting. I can’t comment on the winter, but I can confirm that in summer it’s a lovely, peaceful place, far from the beaten track and the hustle and bustle of resorts such as Alpe d’Huez or Les Deux-Alpes, to name but a few.

There are two possible routes for this hike: either a return trip to Lac de Brouffier starting from Lac de Prévourey, or a return trip to Lac de Poursollet starting from Lac Claret.

As the road is passable as far as the Chalets de Poursollet, it is also possible to drive there for a circular route around Lac Fourchu.