Lake Laus

To reach the start point in Réallon, take the D241. After the hamlet of Le Villard, there is a small car park on the left, towards Les Gourniers.

(S/E) Take the forest track on the right, just before the car park, which follows the Torrent de la Souche. Ignore the track that turns almost immediately left, crossing the stream via a ford, but continue straight on along the^GR® for about 200m.

(1) Leave the^GR® and turn left (heading north, 1,520m above sea level) onto the small path through a meadow.

(2) Cross a small stream then climb up the path. When you reach the mountain pasture and the path disappears into the many drovers' roads, if you cannot see the small cairns, climb up alongside the piles of stones on the left. The destination is a small water collection point (concrete cube with a door). 100m below the collection point, i.e. just before it, there are iron drinking troughs.

(3) Do not go all the way to the water intake, but take the small path at the drinking troughs, which heads due east (1,615m above sea level). The destination is the small copse of trees a little further up along the ravine. This path is marked by small cairns. You will also sometimes find white ribbons tied to the trees, so that the shepherd can find his way (in the fog?).

(4) This copse contains a collapsed barn. The next destination is the ‘lower sheepfold’, which is half-abandoned. To reach it, follow the flat area near the barn (heading north-west, 1,675m altitude), which turns into a narrow path.

(5) Go round the ‘lower sheepfold’ and head back towards the ravine. The next destination is now the ‘upper sheepfold’, the Cabane du Laus. Head due east as you climb. The easiest way is to look for a line of trees with a small flat area. This is the path the shepherd takes. Sometimes ribbons are tied there. Just after this line of trees, a small path leads uphill. Don’t panic; whichever drovers' road you take, you’ll reach a path before the ravine that climbs up and runs alongside it, marked by cairns. Simply follow them to the Cabane du Laus.

(6) At the Cabane du Laus, look out for a prominent cairn 300m to the north-west, clearly visible against the hillside. Head towards this cairn.

(7) From this cairn, the path is clearly marked all the way to the lake. It winds through the forest, passes over small scree slopes, then crosses two ravines.

(8) Cross the second ravine, La Pissarote, at the blue-white-red markings. Follow these markings to climb up to La Coste. You will see a small cirque containing the lake.

(9) From Lac de Laus, the return journey follows the same route (S/E).

Alternative route:
For the return journey, those who dislike walking back the same way can take a short circular path and follow the path that starts at La Coste, passing beneath the cliffs above the scree slopes. Cross to the other side of the ridge to descend towards the Cabane du Laus. Personally, I find this less scenic and the descent very tiring on the legs. If you return via the same path, you get a different view of the valleys and the Gourniers.

The slight difficulty of this hike is the climb up through a mountain pasture criss-crossed by numerous cattle tracks. Which one to choose? In any case, you can’t get lost. I’ll point out a landmark each time and the best way to get there.

Mountain hiking is best done in the morning, before the risk of early afternoon thunderstorms. The morning climb is in the shade, so it’s pleasant with superb views, as if you were standing on balconies. Wear trousers, or if you’re in shorts, put on gaiters: the spines of the tall grasses love to find their way into your shoes. This saves you the trouble of picking them out of your socks.

Where there are mountain pastures, there are herds. Take wide detours (there’s plenty of room) so as not to disturb them. The Cabane du Laus is a sheepfold inhabited during the summer months. Respect the shepherd’s privacy too by taking a detour.

You are hiking in the heart of the Écrins National Park.

The Écrins massif is an exceptional area, open to all, with a natural, cultural and scenic heritage that is truly unique. To protect these treasures, the heart of the park is marked by blue-white-red flags, where certain regulations must be observed. Please familiarise yourself with these rules when planning your hike to help preserve this shared heritage, at https://www.ecrins-parcnational.fr.

Route signposted since 2017. See here for the new route

Les Gourniers is a superb village at the bottom of the valley, not yet spoiled by tourism. In summer, you can visit the small exhibition at the Parc des Écrins. There is a small campsite and a water source for swimming (brrrrr!).

There is plenty of wildlife around this village. In spring, from the Chapelle Saint-Marcellin, you can see numerous chamois basking in the sun on the snow, on the slope whose ridges we are about to traverse.

During this hike, I saw chamois, a vulture perched on a rock at the edge of the track, surveying the valley, marmots and... flies.

Indeed, this valley has been the subject of reintroduction programmes for birds of prey (eagles) and scavengers.