The Serre-Ponçon Conclusion

Time to say goodbye to the Serre-Poncon area

At time of writing, I am sitting at the caravan at the lac de Saint Apollinaire campsite on a warm afternoon, having just finished our last walk in the area. Tomorrow we will be heading to the Vanoisse area of the Alps.

That walk was one last ascent to the Aigilles de Chabrières. Being the closest and most walked point in the area, it seemed appropriate to visit one last time before we leave the area.

Fort de Réalon and Cascades de la Pisse

A great walk which incorporates historical and geographical wonders.

START: Réalon
FINISH: Réalon
TIME: 1 hour 45 mins

Up above the small village of Réalon sits a ruined fort. Built in the fourteenth century, you can see why the French military at the time built it - the land it sits on has great views up and down the valley and beyond; what was once a great military outpost is now a fantastic viewpoint.

Lac de Crachet

A beautiful hidden gem.

START: La Chalp
FINISH: La Chalp
DISTANCE: 7km
TIME: 2.5 hours

It's funny how everything fits together. If you stand at the carpark just up from the little village of a La Chalp and look south, the hillside which faces you is that of Le Meale, the focus of the walk from a few days ago. Le Meale is not the focus of today's walk, however: that is the picturesque Lac de Crachet. 

The busiest and the quietest

This morning, on the way to the town of Chorges, I spotted a word on the road in big red letters: "Froome". 

Something to Spot: Barrage de Serre-Ponçon

The Lac de Serre-Ponçon, unlike the majority of the area, is not entirely made by glacier or watercourses. No - this lake is a reservoir, serving much of the Provence area with water as well as supplying hydroelectricity. When water was needed desperately in Provence, some bright spark decided to dam the Durance river just beyond its confluence with the river Ubaye, thus creating the beautiful reservoir we still have today.

If you are ever travelling on the western side of the lake, be sure to stop off and see the structure which made it so: the Barrage (dam) de Serre-Ponçon. There is a viewpoint for you to see the dam itself, along with information about the dam's formation and even a museum and a couple of gift shops.

The dam itself is not particularly spectacular: although quite large, most of it is underwater and the more impressive southern side is not really visible. However, it is worth a stop off just to appreciate the amount of work and effort that went into building one of the most beautiful lakes in Europe. It is therefore a reminder that helping people does not necessarily mean damaging the landscape. There is also a great view of the lake from the viewpoint.

Definitely give this a look if you are in the area.

Loving it in all weathers

At time of writing, it is eight o clock in the morning. I am sat in the chalet, on the Lac de Saint Apollinaire campsite overlooking Lac de Serre Ponçon, in my sleeping bag. While on a normal day I would be up and about for today's hike, at approximately half past six this morning the skies opened and from it fell thunder, lightning and what sounds like about as much rain to fill Lac de Serre Ponçon five times over. So I am stuck; confined to the indoors in an area nigh-on famous for its extraordinarily good weather.

Pic de Morgon

Second time lucky.

START: le Grand Clot
FINISH: le Grand Clot
DISTANCE: 9km
TIME: 3 hours

Time for some unfinished business. Last year, I attempted to ascend the mighty Pic de Morgon, which, sat bang smack on Lac de Serre Ponçon's shoreline, is the closest this area has got to an iconic mountain. However, due to a mixture of bad weather and poor route choice, I ended up not making the climb onto Morgon's lofty top. Ever since, it has been staring at me from the other side of the lake, its ferocious crags mocking my failure.

However, this year is different. Parking at a different car park, with better weather and a clearer route, I shall now deliver to you the definitive Pic de Morgon walking guide.

Something to Spot: Les Demoiselle Choiffée

One of the Demoiselle Choiffée

Not undiscovered by any means, but a great place to stop off if you are doing a tour along Lac de Serre Ponçon's northern edge.

The Demoiselle Choiffée (literally translated into something like "the ladies with the fancy hair") are like something out of a fantasy novel: enormous boulders sit atop pillars of rock and gravel, like giant stone mushrooms; the product of glaciation, they really are a sight to behold.

The extent of the walk is only a hundred metres from the car park, so a great walk for kids or if you want something more leisurely. It is certainly essential viewing even for experienced walkers who are perhaps on their way to something a little more challenging. Well worth a look.

Le Meale

Hit the heights - no ice axe required! 

START: Parking du Meale (near Les Orrs)
FINISH: Parking du Meale (near Les Orrs)
DISTANCE: 5 miles
TIME: 3hours

One of the best parts of remaining outside the Écrins National Park is the possibility of getting on to the tops of mountains fairly easily. While the valleys, lakes and glaciers are wonders to behold, ice and cliff make the high Écrins peaks largely inaccessible without ice axe, climbing gear and a wealth of experience. Outside, however, anybody can bag themselves an alpine top, and with it a great panorama of views too.

Le Méale is one such mountain. Sat almost exactly opposite to Mont Guillaume, with an equally spectacular view of the entirety of the Lac de Serre-Ponçon, Le Méale is a great viewpoint for those who prefer walking without having to lug an ice axe about.

Breche de l'Homme

This looks familiar... yet different. 

START: Lac de Saint-Apollinaire
FINISH: Lac de Saint-Apollinaire
DISTANCE: 5 miles/ 8km
APPROX TIME: 3.5 hours

My first hike of 2013 is the return to an old friend: the Aigilles de Chabrières are the rugged craggy peaks which sit above my campsite at Lac de Saint Apollinaire, and i walked up to the viewing table to the immediate east of them on more than one occasion last year. As a result, i will not recite how to get up to the aforementioned viewing table again, but instead redirect you to last year's post as to the route to what is - on a sunny day - a breathtaking view.

Today, however, i went a step further: rather than staying put at the viewing table, i went up and into the Aigilles themselves. The Breche de l'Homme is the solitary pass which cuts the Aigilles in half, and acts as my objective for today.

Undiscovered Walks 2013 Intro

You have to go the distance to discover.

At time of writing, i am sat in a hotel situated somewhere near Paris, having left the sweltering humidity of an uncharacteristically warm British summer for a slightly overcast french skyline, almost exactly halfway to my destination : the alps.