Pic du Grand Domènon and Grande Lauzière via Lacs du Bois and Lac du Bœuf

A stunning hike that allows you to discover two gems of the Belledonne massif that are almost never visited: the Lac du Bois and Lac du Bœuf are little jewels off the beaten track of the massif. The Pic du Grand Domènon, the highest point of the walk, is a magnificent viewpoint that is much less visited than the Croix de Belledonne, offering views of the Bauges, Mont Blanc, the Grandes Rousses, the Oisans, the Dévoluy, the Taillefer, the Vercors and the Chartreuse and, of course, Belledonne and its lakes.

Please note: this hike is on the borderline between very difficult and extremely difficult.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 20.22 km
  • ◔
    Duration according to the author: 8 hrs 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Very difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,904 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,903 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,769 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,359 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park at the Pré Raymond car park, accessible to all vehicles via Revel and Freydières.

(S/E) Take the steep forest road (passable by vehicle) marked in yellow leading to Lac du Crozet (signposts) and climbing south-east into the forest.

(1) After a short flat section on a ridge in the forest, leave theGR®549a(sign) on your left and continue on the marked path to Lac du Crozet, which continues through the forest and turns into a trail. After a few hairpin bends, the trail heads north-east, remaining level, then leaves the forest and turns south-east again.

Continue on to Lac du Crozet (45 to 60 minutes from the starting point). Follow the eastern shore of the lake; the trail is marked with red and whiteGR®549signs. After crossing a bridge and a few hairpin bends, theGR® reaches Col de la Pra.

(3) Follow theGR® leading south towards the Refuge de la Pra (signposted), but do not continue to the refuge: when the trail reaches the Ruisseau du Domènon, cross it and take an unmarked path heading due south after two hairpin bends and running along the foot of the rocky ridge on your left (east).

When you reach the southern end of these cliffs, turn left towards the east and climb up the slope, then cross or go around the small rocks on the right. This will take you to a small plateau. Then turn left towards the north-east and take the scree-covered valley leading under the Grande Lauzière cliff. Near this cliff, the scree becomes increasingly steep and unstable. Stay on the left (right bank of the gully), or even use the rock to climb more comfortably and exit via a short couloir to reach the summit ridge. Turn right, towards the south-east, and after about 100 metres, you will reach the summit of the Grande Lauzière, covered with slate.

(4) Descend towards the flat pass to the east of the Grande Lauzière. From there, still heading east, you will see Tête Noire, another summit covered in very loose slate and topped with a cairn. Head towards this summit along a clearly visible, almost level path.

(5) From Tête Noire, head due north to reach a very steep scree slope running alongside rocky foothills on your right. Descend this slope until you quickly spot a stream and a lake at the bottom of the valley. Head towards this lake (due east), still on the scree slope.

(6) This will take you to Lac du Bois, which is fed by two streams: the one you have been following, and another stream that flows from Lac du Bœuf, which is your next destination. Follow this second stream along its almost flat section (eastwards) on the left bank to reach the foot of a scree-covered valley. Leave the main stream bed and continue climbing due east. This scree is much more stable and comfortable than the descent to Lac du Bois.

When the slope of the scree flattens out, turn north to reach the foot of the wave-cut rocks. Turn left due west to follow these rocks and step onto the eroded rocks, which are easy to cross. This will take you to Lac du Bœuf or, if you aim a little low, to the stream below its weir; in the latter case, follow the stream upstream to the lake.

Go around Lac du Bœuf via its western shore and find the flat bed of an ancient subglacial river that generally flows north, roughly opposite the spillway. Follow this bed and then head for the clearly visible pass to the north-northeast, Col du Bâton.

(7) This pass is the starting point for the ascent to Pic du Grand Domènon. To reach the peak, stay generally on the ridge that starts from the Col du Bâton heading west-southwest, without ever crossing to the north side of the slopes. This ridge is easy for the first 150 metres. Then, stay slightly below its southern edge to pass under the peak and approach it from its secondary summit slightly further west.

(8) The summit of Pic du Grand Domènon is marked by a cairn. The descent follows the ascent route and rejoins Col du Bâton about 150m lower down.

(7) From the pass, descend the steepest line via the scree or what remains of the Grande Pente snowfield.

(9) Once you have crossed the meagre remains of the snowfield, rejoin the Croix de Belledonne route, which is well marked with cairns and signposts. Make your way through the crowd of hikers to descend along the right bank of the Petit and Grand Domènon lakes.

(10) After the Petit Domènon lake spillway, stay on the right bank of the stream and follow the yellow-marked trail to the Col de la Pra.

(3) At the Col de la Pra, follow the route taken on the way up to descend to Lac du Crozet and then reach the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,359 m - Pré Raymond car park
  2. 1 : km 0.92 - alt. 1,500 m - Intersection of the GR549a
  3. 2 : km 4.02 - alt. 1,974 m - Lac du Crozet
  4. 3 : km 5.55 - alt. 2,160 m - Col de la Pra
  5. 4 : km 7.85 - alt. 2,720 m - La Grande Lauzière (2741m)
  6. 5 : km 8.45 - alt. 2,722 m - Tête Noire (2727m)
  7. 6 : km 9.51 - alt. 2,383 m - Lac du Bois
  8. 7 : km 10.83 - alt. 2,658 m - Col du Bâton (vrai)
  9. 8 : km 11.13 - alt. 2,767 m - Pic du Grand Doménon (2902m)
  10. 9 : km 11.6 - alt. 2,594 m - Grande Pente snowfield
  11. 10 : km 13.53 - alt. 2,365 m - Petit Doménon spillway
  12. S/E : km 20.22 - alt. 1,360 m - Pré Raymond car park

Notes

The difficulty rating is based on the elevation gain, the search for the route and the steep scree off the trail during the ascent to the first summit and the descent to Lac du Bois. The summit of Pic du Grand Domènon is optional, but also very difficult: you have to use your hands on often unstable rocks. Do not attempt this hike in wet weather or after a summer snowfall (see photos in snow below).

Visual landmarks:

  • (5) Once at Tête Noire, the slope down to Lac du Bois can be daunting, but it is relatively easy to negotiate. The photo taken from the opposite side (from Lac du Bœuf) shows where to go.
  • (6) At Lac du Bois, to climb up to Lac du Bœuf, follow the ravine in the shade in the photo taken from the top of Pic du Grand Domènon (8).

Equipment:

  • Gaiters are useful on the scree slopes below Grande Lauzière and Tête Noire.
  • Walking poles are also useful.
  • A helmet can be useful on the climb below Grande Lauzière and Pic du Grand Domènon: I regretted not bringing one, as the morning thaw released some very large boulders just above me (it had snowed the day before 12 August 2017 as far as Le Crozet).

Water:

  • there are plenty of streams in Belledonne, so there's no need to overload yourself.
  • However, bring a filter (such as a Sawyer) because sheep climb up to the summits.

This route passes through multiple protected areas, which may be subject to special regulations:

Worth a visit

The best place for lunch is the summit of Pic du Grand Domènon (8): just below the summit, on the south side, there is a small platform where two or three people can sit comfortably and enjoy lunch with a view of Oisans and the lakes we have just visited.

A dozen days earlier (on 12 August), I had attempted this route the day after a snowfall, so the landscapes were very different. However, as the snow was melting quickly, I was unable to continue beyond Tête Noire, as the slope was too slippery and crampons were useless on so little snow.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

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

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 5 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
5 / 5
Mbar2
Mbar2

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 04, 2025
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I would like to respond to bouvierjr's comment posted on 29 October 2023 at 22:33. "If you want to cut the trip short, which is a shame, you can also go almost directly from 4 to 8..."

Personally, that's the route I chose (in the opposite direction). Staying on the ridges allows you to fully enjoy the majestic landscape as far as the eye can see, and the ridge section is very fun.

Obviously, this route is for experienced hikers who are properly equipped and in good physical condition, but the entire route between the summit of Doménon and Grande Lauzière is very easy climbing (rated 3, or 4a in some very short sections). Just make sure you test your footing carefully as there are quite a few unstable rocks. For safety reasons, wear a helmet if you are in a group.
The descents are also easy (standing with poles, with almost no need to climb down).

Going clockwise (Grand Doménon towards Grande Lauzière), I preferred to avoid the couloir after point 4 on the descent and return via the correct path that passes by Lake David (take this at the pass just before climbing to the summit of Grande Lauzière)
In the end, it was 1,750 metres of elevation gain and 20 kilometres.

In short, this may be my favourite hike in Belledonne

Thanks to bouvierjr for the route + description, even though I adapted it quite a bit in my case

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bouvierjr
bouvierjr ★

The steep slope makes these scree slopes unstable. The track was recorded on site. Furthermore, as with any GPS track in areas with cliffs or steep slopes, the accuracy of the route is low (this is inherent to GPS technology, as several satellites must be in view of the GPS device to achieve good accuracy); it is not uncommon for the measured track to be more than 30 metres from the actual track (see this article).

On this type of route, nothing can replace human interpretation of the terrain, and under no circumstances should you try to follow the GPS blindly.

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olivierdu38
olivierdu38

Thank you. I don't think it's a track made on site, because when I tried to analyse the route by superimposing it with Google Earth, the GPX track doesn't always stay on the scree.
Is it stable enough to descend to Lac Bois, where there is water? I've already done the scree slope from La Grande Lauzière to Le Grand Doménon, and I don't have fond memories of it because the scree is not stable at all, so combined with the length of the route, it quickly becomes exhausting.

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bouvierjr
bouvierjr ★
• Edited:

Good evening, Olivier. I think that a mid-mountain guide (AMM) can easily lead this hike, which does not require any special mountaineering equipment. A night at the Pra refuge would also make things easier. I have a few guides among my contacts, but this type of hike does not require this type of guide. As I have had several similar requests, I will try to find out more and will add to this reply if I have any interesting recommendations.

Edit: I think François Jourjon (randonner malin) should be able to help you. I'll point him to your message.

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olivierdu38
olivierdu38
• Edited:

Do you know if there are any mountain guides for this type of hike? It's the most beautiful hike I've ever attempted, but you have to be careful when choosing to venture onto such scree slopes. I looked at point 5 before winter arrived, and it's still quite steep, so you have to be careful not to take the wrong path.

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bouvierjr
bouvierjr ★

It is possible to climb up to Grande Lauziere via the less steep "normal" route, which passes by Lake David and then climbs up the SW-NE ridge above Grande Vaudaine, but this makes an already challenging hike even longer.
Furthermore, the descent between 5 and 6, although steep, does not present any particular difficulty.
If you want to take a shortcut, but it's a shame, it is also possible to go almost directly from 4 to 8 via the flank overlooking Lac du Grand Domenon, but the detour around Pic du Grand Domenon to the north-west is tricky and requires sure footing.

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olivierdu38
olivierdu38

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 06, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I attempted to climb the Grande Lauzière twice, following two yellow trails, one straight and the other heart-shaped. The one in the description is the best. As a result, I got stuck both times, the first time following the straight trail into a chimney, the second time 5 metres from the summit where I had stuck to the yellow trail, I found myself on a very slippery and exposed slab, resulting in two helicopter rescues.
Apart from the difficulty of finding the right path to the top of the Grande Lauzière, the hike is magnificent, and the ascent in the combe through the scree is spectacular.
I haven't attempted the 5 to 6 passage yet because it's quite steep and challenging, so it's best not to take the wrong path.

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bouvierjr
bouvierjr ★

Thank you for your superb photo!

Un beau point d'observation
A beautiful vantage point

On my last trip, I only saw a few chamois (too far away to photograph).

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badupin42
badupin42

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 10, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very beautiful hike that fully deserves its rating of very difficult. While the climb to Grande Lauzière is fairly straightforward, the descent from Tête Noire is very tricky. The scree is very unstable and rocks roll down the slope quickly, especially in the second half. In my opinion, it is difficult to imagine doing this descent in a group. As the author says, walking sticks are essential.
The route is completely deserted off the trail, but is obviously much busier between the car park, the refuge and the Doménon lakes. Once above the refuge, there are numerous chamois and ibex (see photo), all watched over by vultures circling slowly overhead.
The views are splendid and the lakes magnificent.

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chartrousin
chartrousin

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 06, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Okay, so it's not just in Chartreuse that there are ibexes!
I'll cross the valley again... it's worth it ;-)

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fifin
fifin

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 09, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Wow! What a hike! It's a feast for the eyes, but also for the calves! We took a nap near the Doménon lakes to recharge our batteries a little before the descent.

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