Lac Sainte-Anne tour

de fr

A place of pilgrimage on 26 July on the feast day of Anne, this lake at the foot of the Col Girardin is an obligatory stop-off point for pilgrims on the famous GR®5.

Technical sheet

n°84461
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.58 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 770 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 772 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,410 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,683 m
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Photos

Mirror Lake
Lac Sainte-Anne
Mirror Lake
Le Lac Ste Anne

Description of the walk

Park in the ski resort car park.
(S/E)Cross the Mélézet on the footbridge and follow the GR®5marked BR (Blanc Rouge). Through the forest, reach a footbridge that allows you to safely cross a passage that would otherwise be difficult.

(1) Continue to climb gently, passing over the Cascade de la Pisse, and after a final ascent reach the Lac Miroir mountain pasture.

(2) Walk along the left side of the lake and stay on the GR®5(ignore the yellow-marked path to the right that leads to Lac des Rouites, see link in Practical Information section).
After the lake, at the first crossroads turn left onto the GR®, and at the second crossroads turn right onto the GR®. Climb slowly up to the small pass at hill 2408 and follow an almost constant gradient to reach Lac Sainte Anne.

(3) Leave the GR®5to take the PR® to the left, signposted Yellow (very pale) and Parking de Chaurionde, which through the combe and forest joins the Mélézet stream.

(4) Cross the stream, join Fond de Chaurionde, then Prés de Chaurionde and the crossroads at Cime du Mélézet.

(5) Continue along the Mélézet to easily reach the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,685 m - Ski resort car park
  2. 1 : km 0.6 - alt. 1,825 m - Gateway
  3. 2 : km 2.58 - alt. 2,216 m - Lac Miroir
  4. 3 : km 5.25 - alt. 2,410 m - Lac Sainte-Anne
  5. 4 : km 7.01 - alt. 2,156 m - Torrent du Mélézet
  6. 5 : km 10.31 - alt. 1,805 m - Cime du Mélézet, near the - Refuge de la Cime du Melezet
  7. S/E : km 11.58 - alt. 1,683 m - Ski resort car park

Practical information

Spring water beside the path leading up to Lac Miroir.
Shelter at Chapelle Sainte-Anne.
This hike can be completed with this one

In the nearby area

Ceillac: a typical village nestling at the bottom of the Mélézet and Cristillan valleys.
Above Lac Sainte-Anne and above Ceillac are 2 optical posts that face each other and which enabled former soldiers to pass optical signals that gave information about the presence of enemies. These signals were relayed from Briançon to Nice by this type of post on the high points of the Alps.

 Always stay careful and alert while following a route. Visorando and the author of this walk cannot be held responsible in the event of an accident during this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

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Reviews and comments

4.9 / 5
Based on 86 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Clarity of route map
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
raymond2A
raymond2A

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

A very beautiful hike in the sunshine, just following the trail, walking along the top of the waterfall, which is magnificent, the wild mirror lake, and Lake Sainte Anne with snow at 2,500 metres, which was great. The weather was perfect for everyone. It took me four hours from the campsite, and I'm a good walker.

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User 19143516

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Superb tour with a short section on the ski slopes that is less interesting.
Lovely lakes to discover.

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nomisimon
nomisimon

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

A very pretty loop with 2 lakes.

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eb91
eb91

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 07, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

A relatively difficult route, with a steep first ascent and a long descent to the car park.
Quite a few people at Lac Miroir.
Lac Ste Anne is superb!
If you're brave enough, climb up a little to admire it from higher up.

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SEYTRE Gérard
SEYTRE Gérard

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Easy to spot. Lots of people, young and very young, not weighed down by equipment. Mirror Lake deserves its name and is a feast for the eyes. A touch of the Rockies. It's a shame, environmentally speaking, that it seems to be being smothered by vegetation. The picnic took place on the banks of Lac Ste Anne, another beautiful site. We weren't alone, but that didn't bother us at all. This was our farewell walk before heading back down to the windy and stifling Rhone valley.

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bernardino
bernardino ★

Hello and thank you for your message of total satisfaction with this tour, which is indeed very pleasant in all seasons.
However, you note the following: I have the impression that this route has more kilometres than advertised, as is often the case on many hikes undertaken by many walkers. Nowadays, almost every hiker has a pedometer, a smartphone with multiple applications and, of course, different brands of GPS. On group outings, where everyone measures km and gradients, these devices all give different indications. Who's right and who's wrong, that's the question.
For my part, I suggest that to get a more or less accurate idea of the distance, you use the good old method of :
- a 1:25,000 scale map,
- mark the circuit on this map,
- take a sewing thread, for example, and measure the distance covered,
- Then measure the cm and multiply by 250 to give the length in m.

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La ponette
La ponette

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 26, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

I have the impression that this circuit has more kilometres than advertised, especially if we do the loop.
We do the loop because we arrive at the car park at the top and then we have to go back down to get the car parked at the bottom or take the shuttle bus, I think it's possible.
This hike is sublime and I never tire of it.

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cmylene
cmylene

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Hello everyone,
The mirror effect of the lake is at its best before the wind rises, so before 8am. Don't hesitate to leave Ceillac early, it's really worth it.
Once you've passed the mirror lake, make sure you take the upper track (wooden sign and yellow track) and not the GR which goes down to the ski slopes and back up again (uninteresting).
Have a good hike!

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bebert38
bebert38

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

This is a very nice walk, not difficult but very busy, especially around Lac Sainte. Only the part between the 2 lakes, on the tracks, isn't very pleasant, but it's short enough. The rest is magnificent! A variety of landscapes (waterfalls, rivers, lakes, forests and an Alpine atmosphere) that delighted us.

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Alie13
Alie13

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Magnificent hike. It's a feast for the eyes. The climb is rather steep, but in the forest. You just have to go at your own pace. Lac Miroir is very beautiful, surrounded by greenery. Ideal for a family picnic. Lac Ste Anne has to be earned. Just breathtaking with its turquoise water! The descent is easy, but can seem very long (red markings on a white background, easier to find than the pale yellow ones we only spotted at the end of the descent). You can climb up to Lac Miroir via the Chaurionde car park, which shortens the walk, but is certainly even steeper!

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Tiliviou
Tiliviou

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 05, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

superb hike, with a steep start, then a refreshing break near a stream, then no major difficulty, the lake is just splendid, and the descent through the forest pleasant.
On arrival, we pass close to the waterfall, which is impressive and provides a welcome cooling after walking in the heat.

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E. MULLER
E. MULLER

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jul 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Very nice tour!

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jmv M'
jmv M'

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jul 22, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Beautiful walk

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contemple
contemple
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 26, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Magnificent hike, to be done in its entirety and as suggested, because
- the two lakes are well worth the effort (mirror effect for both, in light winds) - you could spend hours admiring them...
- The descent is easy/gentle AND beautiful, as suggested.

In fact, as another hiker pointed out, only the part between the 2 lakes, on the tracks, is not very pleasant, but it is quite short.

In June, a lot of snow reverberates in the lakes - which makes them even more magnificent.

Lots of people even in June...

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Théo54
Théo54

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jul 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

A hike with superb scenery that's worth the effort! A beautiful route that can be started from the Les Mélèzes campsite. The route is accessible to all levels despite the difference in altitude.

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