Lac Sainte-Marguerite and Source de Jérusalem

A very pleasant circular above Les Orres resort, allowing you to discover a beautiful lake, Sainte-Marguerite, and the springs that feed Les Orres, named Jerusalem.

Details

24445131
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.62 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: No
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 580 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 657 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,226 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,659 m

Photos

Description of the walk

For this hike, it is advisable, if possible, to leave one vehicle at the Pré Paisset car park and park thesecond vehicle in the Route de Bois Méan car park.

(S) Take the wide path opposite that leads to the technical area and immediately turn right onto the path entering the woods. This path is marked by a "Pedestrians only" sign.
Go around the technical area to reach the bottom of the ski slopes (sign: start of hikes)

(1) Turn right onto the path marked with yellow and blue circles. Continue along the path, crossing over the ski slope and continuing on a gentle climb. After a left-hand circular bend, you will reach a crossroads.

(2) Stay on the right-hand branch and continue climbing until you reach the Cabane de l'Eyssalette crossroads.

(3) Continue on, alternating between woods and mountain pastures, until you reach a footbridge. Cross it and you will come to a trail junction.

(4) Continue up a final, slightly steep climb to reach Lac Sainte-Marguerite.

(5) Descend to the previous crossroads.

(4) Turn left and easily reach the start of the wide track leading to the Cabane du Lac.

(6) Take this wide track and further down you will find the crossroads at the Jérusalem spring.

(7) Turn left and follow a gentle climb to reach this captured spring.

(8) Return to the previous crossroads.

(7) Turn left and continue downhill to reach the Bergerie Gautier crossroads.

(9) Continue left along the track and return to the Pra Paisset car park (E).

Waypoints

  1. S : km 0 - alt. 1,744 m - Parking bay on the Route de Bois Méan
  2. 1 : km 0.33 - alt. 1,786 m - Hiking sign
  3. 2 : km 1.55 - alt. 1,947 m - Crossroads of trails after the circular
  4. 3 : km 2.21 - alt. 2,068 m - Cabane de l'Eyssalette
  5. 4 : km 3.96 - alt. 2,168 m - Crossroads of the circular
  6. 5 : km 4.27 - alt. 2,226 m - Lac de Sainte-Marguerite
  7. 6 : km 5.19 - alt. 2,085 m - Track
  8. 7 : km 5.91 - alt. 1,941 m - Crossroads - Sources de Jérusalem
  9. 8 : km 6.42 - alt. 1,963 m - Sources de Jérusalem
  10. 9 : km 8.73 - alt. 1,711 m - Bergerie Gautier
  11. E : km 9.62 - alt. 1,659 m - Pra Paisset car park

Notes

(E) It is possible to do this circular starting from this car park. To do so, go directly to Bergerie Gautier (9). Then turn left to reach the hairpin bend below Pré Claux. However, from this point, to reach (S), you have to take the road without a pavement where there is heavy traffic.

Worth a visit

(8) Source de Jérusalem: Why Jerusalem? Until the 18th century, the sources of Jerusalem, Muretier and other lands belonged to the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem and Malta: Source OT des Orres.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 13 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
sricquier@gmail.com
sricquier@gmail.com

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 26, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We prefer this route up to the lake and extended the hike to the Col de l'Ane (or Eissalete) pass, which takes two hours there and back. At this time of year, there is 10–15 cm of snow on the pass. Great view of the 04. On the way down, the detour to the Jerusalem spring is always a little treat.

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User 18641265
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A beautiful hike, especially on the way there in the recommended direction. The lake and the view at the top are superb. The return trip is a little less pleasant (quite a lot of gravel), but overall it's a lovely walk. I'm very glad I did it.

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User 26443109

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely hike between forest and mountain pastures, beautiful on the way up in the direction shown here, much less interesting and even too slippery on the way back after the lake, which is on a track of small stones that roll very easily. This section is also of very limited interest.

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sylvie couriol
sylvie couriol

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

It's a very beautiful hike, and the view of the lake is superb, with snow-capped peaks. We parked at the Pré Paisset car park and did the circular route in the other direction, descending from the 1800 station by road to get back to the car. It's an easy, well-marked route.

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sisco07
sisco07

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 26, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A pleasant hike with a picnic at the lake. We did it starting from Les Orres 1650 station in the opposite direction to the route described. Contrary to what was said in another comment, the climb was quite pleasant, perhaps because it was the end of August and in the morning. We had quite the opposite feeling and enjoyed doing it via the Jerusalem springs first so we didn't have to go down the stony road.

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Vince50700
Vince50700

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 07, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant hike to do in the direction of the app, as in the opposite direction it must be a long climb to the lake via the stony path
The climb isn't too difficult, but the descent is a bit long, although it's fine
I recommend it, it's peaceful and pretty

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nadinechevallier
nadinechevallier

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful, varied hike, but a little risky at the start as the recommended trail is closed to pedestrians. It crosses the resort's technical area. However, a small path on the right allows you to join the route a little higher up through the forest.
The route starts from Les Orres 1800. Unless you have two cars, avoid parking in the first large car park, which is well below, as walking back up the road is long and tedious. Furthermore, the route is much more enjoyable when starting from the resort, as indicated in the guidebook.
Park at the resort (paid parking in season) and on your return, take the path that branches off to the right at the sheepfold and leads to the hairpin bend 100 metres before the resort.

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Maribssn
Maribssn

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 16, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The route was excellent, very beautiful and partly shaded!

We had a little trouble at the start, as the trail led to a path with a 'no pedestrians' sign. So we took a slight detour to get back on track. For the first part, just follow the blue/yellow markings n°5 to the lake!

We did it at the end of the summer season and it was perfect, there was no one there!

As mentioned below, to return to the starting point, you have to turn right at the sheepfold. There are markings, but we didn't follow them for more than 5 minutes because they indicated a route that seemed too long to us. So we used the Visio Rando map and it was perfect!

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bmeleia
bmeleia

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 07, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

The lovely lake and the springs, whose flow varies, are worth seeing.

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Pascal et Nina
Pascal et Nina

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 06, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A hike accessible to all, with a picnic by the lake and refreshments at the spring on the way back. Ideal for families.

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idkowiak
idkowiak
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 14, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Done on 14/08/2023
Departure at 8:00 a.m

A beautiful hike through forests, clearings and mountain pastures.
A break at the lake is a must after the last climb!

I had a bit of trouble finding the sign for the start of the hikes.
It's at the bottom of the slopes but at the edge of the forest, on the right-hand side (facing the slope...).
It's a yellow directional sign that says "Lac Ste Marguerite".
Once you've found the sign, follow the yellow markings.

The climb is in the shade of the forest. It's pleasant and you also cross open clearings.
The last two kilometres are in open country through the mountain pastures.

The descent is mostly open, following a wide stony track.
I met many tourists climbing up as I was descending.

I was a little disappointed with the Jerusalem springs.
But everyone has their own tastes.

From the sheepfold, you can reach Les Orres 1800 by taking the dirt track that climbs slightly to the right. However, you will come to a fork. Take the right-hand path, which climbs slightly. You will arrive at the last hairpin bend leading to Les Orres 1800.

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lamotodufredo
lamotodufredo

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 09, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike with the reward of the superb Lac de Sainte Marguerite at the highest point. The Sources de Jérusalem are also worth seeing. We only had one car, so we parked at the starting point and took a path to the right at La Bergerie to return to our vehicle.

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Baboo Joe
Baboo Joe

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 03, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Route possible in both directions... The descent towards the sources of Jerusalem and Les Orres is a wide, stony forest track.

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