The Lakes of Orcières and Prapic

To reach the start of this hike, before the Orcières resort, you can park in the car park at the entrance to the hamlet of Les Estaris, a hamlet with traditional chalets.

(S/E) Carry on straight ahead, following the signs for “Merlette O.T.”. Continue until you reach the sign for “Les huttes, alt. 1770 m”.

(1) Turn right onto a wide track before it quickly turns into a lovely little path winding along the slopes before climbing steeply. Carry on to the sign for “Alt. 2030 m”.

(2) Continue climbing until you reach the sign for “Le Balet”.

(3) Take the path that winds down in wide hairpin bends towards Prapic. The descent is straightforward, but crosses some steep slopes before ending at a bridge.

(4) Turn left to reach Prapic, following the tarmac road. At the tourist information office, keep right twice to reach a junction by the signpost indicating “Lac des Pisses 3h30”.

(5) Turn left as indicated by the sign. You’ll come to a Fork in the road.

(6) Continue following the signs for Lac des Pisses by turning left. The path is clearly marked; it’s impossible to go wrong. After a long, steep climb, you’ll reach Lac des Pisses – the perfect spot for a picnic!
Follow the path that runs alongside the lake towards the Orcières resort. The route runs along the hillside but presents no particular difficulty. The end of the path marks a change of scenery as you arrive at the resort near Lac des Jumeaux.

(8) Start the tour of the six lakes of Orcières on the right and head towards the sign for ‘Le Laus’ (alt. 2,520 m).

(9) Keep to the right towards the Refuge des Estaris and its lake.

(10) Turn back to return to the previous junction.

(9) Continue to the right towards Lac Profond.

(11) Head towards Lac Long, keeping to the right.

(12) Walk along the eastern shore, then follow the path alongside the stream to rejoin a 4x4 track which leads to Lac des Sirènes.

(13) Cross the track to go round the lake on the left, then continue along the 4x4 track to reach the Chalet de Roche Rousse.

(14) After the hairpin bend to the left, leave the track and head off-track, then cut across a second track towards the Chalet de Roche Rousse.

(15) Do feel free to stop for a drink on the terrace. With the chalet opposite you, turn left towards the track you left earlier. Once on this track, turn right and then take the wide path on the left. Navigate a right-hand bend and you’ll come to a junction.

(16) Follow the small path on the left to move away from the mountain bike track. Then take the first path on the right, continue straight on, and a little further on you’ll rejoin the signposted path leading back to the Chalet Joubert.

(17) Follow the signs for “Forest des Estaris” by turning right. Then keep left twice until you reach the hamlet of Forest des Estaris.

(18) Do not follow the 4x4 track; instead, take the small path leading downhill, following the sign for “Sentier Joseph”. Continue to the end of the path, where you can see the huts 100 metres away.

(19) Carry on to the left and return to the junction you passed on the way there.

(1) Go straight on and follow the route in the opposite direction to the outward journey to return to the car park (S/E).

You can park at the resort in a car park at a place called “Les Huttes”, which allows you to set off directly onto the circular route.

This hike doesn’t require any special equipment; the path is in good condition all the way.
The^first section up to Lac des Pisses isn’t very busy (apart from the stretch through Prapic), so it’s a real pleasure.
The Lacs d’Orcières, on the other hand, are very busy. To avoid the crowds during the holiday season, follow the paths leading to the Cabane du Gouroud.

If your legs are tired or you’re not keen on the descent, you can take the ‘Télémix’ lift down for free.

The end of the descent takes you across the ‘Jujal’ green downhill mountain bike trail. There’s a marked route with small metal marmot markers; you should follow this one for a smoother ride.

Do take a little time to enjoy the charming village of Prapic. The chalets and streets are lovely. A must-do hike starting from Prapic is, of course, the Saut du Laire; what’s more, this area is a marmot paradise.
At the foot of Orcières there’s a really lovely leisure centre for the little ones.
The Rocher d’Arthouse via ferrata is also a good option, but be warned: the first section isn’t as easy as it looks.