The Col de la Mine de Fer and Lac de Crop loop from Pré Marcel

By car: on leaving Villard-Bonnot via the D523 heading north, take the D290 towards Sainte-Agnès. After Sainte-Agnès, join the D280 and turn left towards Col des Mouilles. At the pass, leave the D280 towards Allevard and turn right, before the wooden buildings, onto Route de Pré Marcel. After 850 m, at the fork, follow the road to the right for 2.4 km and, at the fork, join the car park on the left in a shaded meadow.

(S/E) Return to the fork at the car park entrance and turn left onto the forest road (east). Note the track on the right going up in the opposite direction and marked with a hiking sign.

(1) Follow this track towards the Jean Small Pass Refuge.

(2) At the Pré Michu sign, in the wide left-hand bend, ignore the old path leading off to the right (south-east).
The IGN map is not up to date and this path is still shown as the access route to the refuge.
Follow the edge of the woods, take the left turn, continue for 150 m and then turn right. After about 400 m, you will reach an intersection in a left-hand bend.

(3) Leave the track (north). Take the path on the right (south), which shortly afterwards enters the forest for a good two kilometres before rejoining the old path (altitude 1,500 m).

(4) Leave this path on your right and continue straight ahead. After a few hairpin bends, you will reach an intersection on a flat section (altitude 1640 m).

(5) At the "Sous le Rafour" sign, ignore the path on the left towards "Sous Orionde". Follow the path on the right (south-west) towards the refuge. After crossing through the forest and a few hairpin bends, you will reach an exposed rocky area (altitude 1,800 m) and cross (south) several ravines and steep passages, some of which are secured by cables, before reaching the Jean Small Pass Refuge (altitude 1,950 m).

(6) Pass in front of the refuge and continue along the path (south-east) for about a hundred metres to reach a three-way intersection.

(7) Leave the GR®738 on your right towards the Col de la Sitre and take the middle path towards Lac Blanc. Follow^{the GR®738} on your left towards the Col de la Mine de Fer, which climbs diagonally parallel to the lake path. Cross a hillock, then climb up the bottom of a gently sloping grassy valley. At an altitude of 2,150 metres, begin the final climb along a steep path zigzagging through rocks and scree to finally reach Col de la Mine de Fer (2,400 metres).

(8) At the "Col de la Mine de Fer" sign, descend 50 m down the opposite side of the pass (north-east) to an intersection.

(9) At the second "Col de la Mine de Fer" sign, leave the GR®738 on your right towards Pas de la Coche. Continue left on the yellow marked trail towards Lac de Crop. Descend (north-east) between a steep slope on your left and a rock face on your right until you reach a precipice.

(10) Turn left (north-west) and descend the rocky steps via two hairpin bends.

(11) Cross a scree slope, then a pile of large boulders (west). Do not try to descend directly to the lake, but stay level. After a narrower passage between a cliff and large rocks, gradually turn right (north).

(12) On the path, which remains level, cross a wider scree slope and head towards a gap. Once you have crossed it, the path becomes more visible and winds its way down through the scree slope towards Lac de Crop (altitude 1,910 m), which it follows along the eastern shore.

(13) Shortly after the end of the lake, you will find vegetation again. Pass a few switchbacks in the lake's lock and reach an intersection (altitude 1,830 m).

(14) Leave the path on the right towards Habert du Ferrouillet. Continue along the path on the left (west-northwest) for about 800 m. Leave the forest and reach an intersection (elevation 1706).

(15) At the "Sous Orionde" sign, ignore the path on the left towards "Sous le Rafour". Continue along the path opposite towards Pont de la Betta. After 400 m (altitude 1650 m), it turns sharply to the right, descending into the woods. At this turn, notice on the left, behind the hillock and after a bumpy piece of wasteland, a path leading into the woods.

(16) Leave the marked trail on the right and take the unmarked trail on the left (north-west). Follow it for about 1.2 km until you reach an intersection (altitude 1,440 m).

(17) At this intersection, you have two options:
- either take the path on the right, which winds down to the wide track connecting the Pont de la Béta on the right. Take it on the left towards Pré Marcel.
- or continue straight ahead to join the same track further on, as shown on the map. Although overgrown with vegetation, this route through the woods is more pleasant than the long, monotonous track. Continue along this ascending path for about 300 m to reach a crossroads in a small clearing (altitude 1,460 m).

(18) Ignore the two paths ascending to the left. Follow the small grassy path slightly to the right through a gap in the forest (north-west). After 1 km of almost level ground, you will reach an intersection (altitude 1,440 m).

(19) Ignore the path descending to the right. Continue straight ahead for 50 m to reach another intersection (altitude 1,430 m). Leave the path climbing to the left and continue straight ahead along a hollow path. Tackle a steep, stony descent (north-west) to reach a track bordered by a ditch.

(20) Take it to the right (north-east) for 250 m until you reach a hairpin bend to the left (altitude 1,370 m).

(21) Ignore the track on the right coming from Pont de la Betta and follow the track on the left which, after 1 km, joins the car park (S/E).

Route identification

From (1) to (16) conventional markings and from (11) to (12) in the large scree, the path is now well marked with yellow markings and numerous cairns.
From (16) to (21), the trail is unmarked and overgrown with wild vegetation. Note: routeno. 83522714 entitled "Boucle de Pré Marcel au Col de la Mine de Fer, le Lac de Crop et Orionde" is a version of this hike that avoids this section, but adds an extra 150 m of elevation gain and shortens the loop.

From (21) to (1) conventional markings

The route is not aerial or exposed, but it is still a mountain route with rocky terrain and steep slopes where endurance and physical fitness are required.
However, note that there are several ravines and steep passages, some of which are secured by cables, before reaching the Jean Small Pass Refuge (altitude 1,950 m).