Villar-Loubière walks

A beautiful, varied hike with stunning views and a lake perfect for relaxing. A pleasant climb (a little steep at the start and very end), in the shade (early in the morning) for a good half of the route; a fairly long and difficult descent over scree. A full day's hike. Use the shuttle bus or bring two vehicles.

A lovely circular route taking you up to the beautiful Lac du Lautier, in the shade in the morning and partly through the trees. Stunning panoramic views; the climb is steady but takes in varied scenery. Return via the Refuge des Souffles.

Efirst stage to warm up your legs before climbing to the Refuge des Souffles.

Route at the foot of Pic des Souffles and Pic Turbat to discover Lac Lautier and its surroundings.

A challenging hike that will take you up a superb peak of over 3,000 m, facing the imposing Olan. The scenery is breathtaking, taking in the Refuge des Souffles and Lac Lautier, all with stunning views of the surrounding area!

This first stage takes you along the GRP® Tour du Vieux Chaillol trail, linking Villar-Loubière to the Sebeyras Lakes. The route passes by the Pétarel Lakes, with a gradual climb through the Valgaudémar State Forest.

This 5-day trek is aimed at hikers wishing to camp in tents. The route crosses the Valgaudémar valley and passes through the village of La Chapelle-en-Valgaudémar, where you can stock up on supplies at the local grocery shop. The route crosses the Écrins Massif and offers an optional ascent of Pic Turbat (3,028 m) for the most determined, whilst also providing accessible routes with mostly signposted sections. Ideal for walkers in good physical condition, it offers a complete adventure combining forests, lakes and high peaks, with varied elevation changes and a few short off-trail sections requiring particular attention to navigation.

Thesecond stage of this route, which we unfortunately completed in the rain in 6 hours and 10 minutes. We set off from the Refuge des Souffles with a steep climb right from the start up to the Col de la Vaurze. A challenging pass from which the view must be magnificent on a clear day. A descent over slate-covered ground, which is very slippery in wet weather. Numerous landslides. The reward: the Les Arias lodge, where we received a warm welcome.

A magnificent second stage in a very mineral setting, culminating in the Pas de l'Olan pass. From the Souffles refuge, continue on theGR® 54 towards Lac Lautier, then the Col des Colombes and finally the Pas de l'Olan (caution: technical passage). From the pass, admire the landscape before gently descending to the Refuge de l'Olan.

This stage takes you from Lac du Lautier to the Villar-Loubière car park, descending the valley along the GR®54. The descent passes through the Bois de Champat and goes past the Lautier Torrent Waterfall before reaching the village.

A wild trail leads you up a gentle slope following the Prentiq valley to the Cabane du Sellar. Surrounded by mountains, this place is a true haven of peace, where only the sounds of nature welcome you.

An enriching hike to discover the traditions and history of this small valley. Follow a path along the stream to reach Prentiq (near the old houses), a haven of wild beauty with traces of pastoral life. Discover a hamlet where only two huts remain, along with ruins and dry stone walls that bring to mind the traditions of yesteryear. On the way back along the track, you will be treated to beautiful views of the valley.

From the Sebeyras Lakes, the route will first take you to the Col de Pétarel. From there, you will descend towards Saint-Maurice-en-Valgodemar. You will then follow the old transhumance paths to reach the Six Cabanes, then climb the Col de Menoux to Lauvet.

This stage takes you from the Sebeyras Lakes to the Lauplat Meadows via the Col de Pétarel and the Col de la Béranne. The route then descends towards the hamlet of Navette and the Buchardet Waterfall, before a long climb along a more rugged path.

Thefirst stage begins with a variant ofthe GR® 54 and takes you to the Refuge des Souffles via the Col de Colombes, Lac Lautier and the Col des Clochettes, avoiding the route through Villar-Loubière. A challenging route with a 1,400-metre climb and steep gradients right from the start. A good way to get your legs going for thefirst stage and a good warm-up for the rest of the route. The scenery is already exceptional, promising some fabulous stages ahead.

A very challenging 180 km route with 12,000 metres of elevation gain, requiring excellent physical fitness. Stages offering spectacular scenery, steep mountains, passes, wildlife, flora and colours. The most beautifulGR® route we have ever done. We completed the route in August, the ideal time to tackle the most difficult passes, which are likely to be snow-covered early in the season, such as La Muzelle, l’Aup Martin, the Pas de la Cavale, de la Valette, Vallonpierre and de La Vaurze.

A circular loop to discover the Oulles du Diable, the result of the formidable force of nature. The climb to the hamlet of Les Portes is very steep, as is the end of the descent. However, be careful of this dangerous torrent where tragic accidents regularly occur! Please note: a few metres after the Pont du Diable, the path is closed because it has disappeared due to a landslide following bad weather. You must turn back.

Very nice, accessible hike: no difficult passages, breathtaking views of the glaciers all the way, regular waterfalls, marmots, an incredible end to the hike with the Oules du Diable. Hike done on August 23, 2014, a year with a lot of water, we were lucky: waterfalls and torrents "at full throttle" and a very flowery route!

A beautiful loop in the Valgaudemar valley above the Pétarel Lakes.

Lakes of breathtaking beauty in a mineral setting, with magnificent views of the Valgaudemar peaks.

Near La Chapelle-en-Vagaudémar, in the hamlet of Les Portes, a quick detour takes you to the Navette torrent and, beyond the Roman bridge, to the Oules du Diable with their bubbling giant's kettles.

This stage takes you from Les Naizets to Lac du Lautier via the Col de Colombes. The route offers an optional detour to climb Pic Turbat before descending to the campsite by the lake.

Magnificent walk between the Pont des Oules du Diable and the Cascade du Buchardet waterfall.

A magnificent hike in the Navette valley. You are invited to discover beautiful heritage sites, bearing witness to a vibrant way of life up there in this hanging valley. And, on the way back, let yourself be surprised by the torrent as it flows through the heart of the rock.

A round-trip walk from the village of Les Portes to the Waterfall de la Buffe, via the Pont des Oules du Diable and the abandoned village of Navette. The first two kilometres are a stroll in the shade, but the last two can be very steep (gradient > 25 per cent) and sometimes slippery.

A wild path leading to a lovely viewpoint over the lower Valgaudemar and Champsaur valleys. The return route via the Cabane de la Salette is well worth the detour.

At an altitude of 2,000 metres, ruined huts and an enclosure emerge from the ground. These stone shelters, built on a vast natural site, are well worth a visit. The remains of these dwellings transport us back to the forgotten history of a former pastoral past, where it is good to let your imagination run wild, following in the footsteps of those who came before, exploring their history and way of life.

A very beautiful third stage, albeit a little long, mainly at the bottom of the valley along the Séveraisse.

A beautiful alpine hike leads to Le Chapeau, a magnificent viewpoint overlooking the Valgaudemar valley and the peaks of Olan and Cime du Vallon.

This family-friendly loop follows the torrent to the Romanesque bridge of Les Oulles and continues with a visit to the bubbling giant's pots, the "Oulles du Diable".

Above La Chapelle-en-Valgaudemar, after the hamlet of Les Portes in the pastoral valley of Navette, the Buffe torrent cascades down a 400-metre cliff.

An easy, family-friendly walk from the hamlet of La Chaup to Le Séchier. The outward leg takes you through the woods alongside the Canal des Herbeys via theGRP® du Tour du Vieux Chaillol, whilst the return leg follows the road for part of the way and then runs alongside the Séveraisse.

Ethird stage involving the ascent of a pass with no major technical difficulty, though the gradient is steep in places and differs slightly from the route shown on the IGN map. From the top of the pass, there is a splendid view of the Col de la Muzelle, the Roche de la Muzelle and the Pic du Clapier du Peyron on either side, promising a beautiful stage for the following day. During the descent, you pass through a maze of large, intertwined slabs of slate clinging to the mountainside.

A hike to discover a magnificent, fairly well-known and easily accessible waterfall. Then, and above all, a short hanging valley, shaped like a glacial cirque, much more secluded and rather wild.

Magnificent view of the north face of Olan (3,563 m), accessed via a typical trough-shaped glacial valley. First, you pass the Pisse waterfall, then you enter this valley deeply carved out by glaciers before reaching the only refuge in the valley. You are facing the Olan with its 1,000-metre vertical wall, but there are still 300 metres to climb to reach the Col des Lauvets with its viewpoints.