Valfrejus - Lac des Méandes

At Valfréjus station, park in one of the available car parks.

(S) Head towards Route des Bettets, descend to the right towards the Charmaix stream and continue across the playground to reach the stream.

(1) Be careful here, as the small wooden bridge has disappeared since the heavy rains of early 2025. You will need to wade across and follow the path that gently climbs into the woods, following the snowshoe signs. Then head to the hamlet of Les Herbiers.

(2) Continue straight ahead on the GR®5, marked in white and red, towards the Refuge du Mont Thabor. Follow the path and you will reach the crossroads of a wide track.

(3) Turn right and continue climbing to reach the car park and the hamlet of Lavoir.

(4) Continue straight ahead along this track until you reach a fork in the hamlet of La Losa.

(5) Keep left on the GR®, pass the hamlet of La Levette and continue to a Y-shaped crossroads.

(6) Leave the GR® here and turn left onto the path leading to the Replanette barracks. Walk alongside them, then rejoin the GR® further on.

(7) Turn left and continue up the hill to reach the Col de la Vallée Étroite.

(8) Here you have two options:
- leave the GR®5 by keeping to the right to take the GR®57 and continue on to reach Lac du Peyron,
- stay left on the GR®5, which is the route shown on the map, pass by the mini lake, then descend to the Tavernette plain.

(9) Turn right, ford the stream, then climb back up to reach Lac du Peyron.

(10) Find the GR®57 here and take it to the left. Go around the ridge overlooking this lake, via a steep climb, then along an easier path, to reach the Col des Méandes.

(11) Turn left here, then veer right to camp on the edge of a small, unnamed but very pleasant lake (E).