Col de la Lose, in the kingdom of ibex, chamois and marmots

Date of your route : Aug 16, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Superb hike with breathtaking scenery. We recommend the 3,000-metre peaks on either side of the Col de la Lose. We did a loop with the Col de la Galise, which could be a suggested variation for this route.

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Date of your route : Jul 21, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike, quite challenging on the last section before the pass. A few snowfields to watch out for. We were spoiled: marmots, of course, ibex as advertised, and even chamois. Stunning scenery all along the way and breathtaking views at the summit. Not to be missed for those who can handle a 1,000-metre elevation gain!

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Date of your route : Sep 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

⚠️ Watch out, you won't believe your eyes 😍 💥 We're at...
2,957 m, 3 lakes in the Malpasset Gorges & Col de la Lose, Val d'Isère #vanoise #savoie #rhoneal
🎬 This hike is part of my Savoyard epic: 240 km & 15,804 m elevation gain/loss (returned early 3 days before, foggy weather and/or rain with falling temperatures)

Passage through the gorges with a steep climb. Two sections can be daunting as the path is not completely flat with the ravine below (and I also had terrible wind).
False flat climb to the refuge with an impressive view in the shape of a circus.
The climb becomes much steeper on stony paths, but these are acceptable overall, so there are no difficulties apart from some steep sections at 20-25%
The climb is quite difficult, especially after the Refuge du Prariond. The paths remain easy and passable (no difficulty in terms of the terrain).
Exceptional views to the front and rear!
Before the unnamed lake and at the peaks on the left - as I tried to make a detour - you are "blocked", with no more panoramic views or waterfalls, and I didn't see any ibexes :-(
I thought the unnamed lake was beautiful, especially as we approached it. When you're higher up, it seems less impressive without the mountains in the foreground.
The final climb is difficult, mainly because of the terrain, which can be a bit unstable, a kind of schist mixed with earth (especially if it has rained), but nothing too dangerous. There are no large rocks.
Magnificent view from the pass on the Italian side and, on the other side, of the path we had taken.
A great hike if the weather is clear and sunny!
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12.9 km & 1,064 m elevation gain/loss
📅 September 2024
⚡️ Highlights of the hike:
- Vanoise National Park
- Altitude 2,870 m - Unnamed lake
- Altitude 2,957 m - Col de la Lose
- Altitude: 2,270 m - Lago Serru (in the distance)
- Altitude: 2,290 m - Lago Agnel (in the distance)
- Altitude: 1,700 m - Lac du Chevril (on the road to Tignes)
- Chevril Dam: the highest in France at 180 metres high
235 million m3 of water, or 75,000 Olympic swimming pools

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Date of your route : Sep 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello
A beautiful hike, both for its landscapes and the wildlife we encountered. We continued on the right side of the pass to reach the summit of La Lose at an altitude of 3,030 metres.
There was a splendid view of the glacier at the source of the Isère and the mountains all around. You are on the French-Italian border, where you can see the Grand Paradiso and its 4,000 m altitude, making it a legendary peak in the Italian Alps, as well as Lake Serru (Lago Serrù) below. This year, despite it being 21 August, there was still a lot of snow.
A very uncrowded hike
Thanks to the author

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Date of your route : Aug 24, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

very beautiful hike, but unfortunately there was a lot of fog at the top and wind on the Italian side, so we couldn't see anything
we wanted to cross over to the Col de la Galise but it was too risky with the fog, so we went down and at the intersection we climbed up to the Col de la Galise
we encountered a chamois on the way down, which was a real treat

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Date of your route : Jul 30, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike, even without ibexes or chamois. We left the trail a little before reaching the Col de la Lose, as it seemed easier to follow the tracks in the snow. The view from the pass is truly magnificent!
The circuit seems to be well-travelled, but mainly on the first section up to the refuge.

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Date of your route : Sep 26, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I set off with the intention of climbing the Grand Cocor via the Col de la Galise, but I had to give up reaching the pass due to recent snowfall (dangerous section at the end). I therefore descended and decided to climb the Col de la Lose. However, when I arrived, I encountered the same problem, with an exposed section at the end due to the snow cover. However, I discovered an alternative route to reach the Col de la Lose safely (or more precisely, a little above it, on the ridge leading to the Grand Cocor): after the small lake, leave the normal path and climb left up the easy scree towards a small cairned hillock. From there, head towards the gently sloping ridge. I decided not to go to the summit of the Grand Cocor, as it was too risky given the amount of snow.
Magnificent view of the Grand Paradis, perfectly clear and white with recent snow. On the way back, I came across dozens of male ibex at around 2,500 metres and even lower down in the Isère gorges (they are starting to come down). Wonderful autumn atmosphere throughout the walk.
Saw almost no one. Two Alpine hunters' trucks were parked at Pont St Charles but must have gone up the day before (the night's snow covered the road), perhaps to return via the Col du Carro.

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Date of your route : Sep 01, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

There are quite a few people, but it's perfectly acceptable. I did the hike in the afternoon (left at 2:30 p.m. and finished at 7:30 p.m.). The scenery changes throughout the hike. Once you pass the gorge, you're surrounded by silence and marmots running around in all directions, not too scared. You have to climb above the refuge to see chamois (below the Col de la Lose) or ibex (very close to the river that flows down from the Bassagne glacier). I climbed up via the Col de la Galise, followed part of the ridge towards the Col de la Lose, but the pass was blocked on the Italian side and it was quite windy. So I came back down the slope a little before the Col de la Lose. A very beautiful walk in any case.

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Date of your route : Aug 27, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Great hike even without seeing any ibex, only their droppings, but we did see a few marmots.
started early, not too many people on the path
from the Col de la Lose, you can climb to the summit on the right, a little above 3,000 metres, then turn left and follow the ridge to reach the Col du Grand Cocor, but a hiker told me it was a bit difficult.
on his recommendation, I went back down to the lake below the Col de Lose, then climbed back up the scree to the left of a long snowfield until I crossed the path with cairns that climbs up to the Grand Cocor.
from there, you cross a wide ridge to the Col de la Galise, 30 metres away. I went back down to the Glaise Lose fork via the Galise trail.
this adds 100 m of elevation gain to complete the 3 passes

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Date of your route : Aug 26, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A fabulous hike, with undoubtedly fewer people than usual at the end of August. We saw marmots, chamois, ewes and their slightly shy lambs, impressive male ibex and a fox cub.
The landscapes are as varied as the wildlife. Gorges, plateau valleys, grassy glens, glaciers, lakes, waterfalls... pure bliss from start to finish, making you forget the difficulty of some of the steep climbs.
The chalet is run by a very friendly group and offers a tempting menu for lunch or just a drink while admiring the source of the Isère.

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Date of your route : Aug 21, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

There are indeed many people in the area, but the mountain is large, and there are also many Italians arriving at the Col de la Lose from Lake Serru.

From the pass, don't hesitate to go a little further to point 3018 m, where there is a beautiful view of the glaciers and other lakes.
There are marmots, but not a trace of a chamois's horn or a ibex's hoof.

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Date of your route : Aug 22, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I hiked towards the Col de la Galise and then wanted to continue along the Col de la Lose, but the route between the two passes is really poorly marked (it's very difficult to find your way on the rocks), so I found the path that led to the intersection of the two passes and then climbed back up to the Col de la Lose. It was a bit more of an uphill climb, but when you love something, you don't count the cost.
The landscapes on the plateau just before the refuge are magnificent 😊.

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Date of your route : Jul 13, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Nice walk, although a bit busy on this long weekend of 14 July, with no parking available. But otherwise great.
Quite a lot of snow between points 3 and 4 before the Col de la Lose, but not at all difficult to walk on. On the way back down at around 1pm, we saw a herd of around thirty ibexes close to the path and a much smaller group with females and young in the Malpasset gorge. There were also lots of marmots between the exit of the gorge and the Prariond refuge.
I recommend it.

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Date of your route : Jul 15, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

There were lots of people at the start of the trail in Fornet... The path to the refuge is very well maintained, with steps even for the slightly exposed sections above the gorges ;-)
After the refuge, the path gets steeper and there is quite a lot of snow on the flat section before the pass. The view is superb and the landscape is magnificent, but take care on the descent from the pass to the refuge, especially in wet weather.

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Date of your route : Aug 03, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

The trail begins by following the deep Malpasset Gorge, whose walls are covered with edelweiss. Caution: those who are afraid of heights may find this impressive.
You then come out into the beautiful Prariond valley, at the bottom of which stands the refuge of the same name.
Here, marmots are in their element.
The trail then climbs up to the old Galise glacier, of which a few pretty fragments remain, and then on to the Col de la Lose.

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