Clarée Valley hike - Lake Laramon & Serpent
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Lac Laramont & Serpent hike - by sheri m on Alltrails
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Description
The Lac Laramon & Lac Serpent hike takes place in the high valley of the Clarée (the name of the local river), near the border between the Hautes Alpes and Savoie departments, in the French Alps. The trail is an out & back of 9-10km with a cumulative ascent of 600-800m (depending on where you stop), making it suitable for intermediate hikers. The estimated completion time is 2.5-3h not including breaks. The trail is quite straightforward: head towards the Refuge de Ricou and continue until you reach Lac Laramon. Then skirt the lake on the left-hand side towards the Col du Grand Cros until Lac Serpent. You may continue for a while along the trail to get panoramic views of the lake.
Access & Transport
The starting point is the parking opposite the Camping de Fontcouverte, about 3.5km after Névache and 36km from Briançon northbound on the D994G. Briançon is a 2h drive from Grenoble and 3h from Marseille.
Instructions & Recommendations
Make sure to bring proper footwear, some snacks (and possibly a picnic), plenty of water, sun protection and rain/wind coat depending on the weather forecast. Cloudy doesn't mean the UVs won't get to you and the weather changes quickly in the high mountains. On your way back, we suggest taking some time to discover the town of Briançon and its forts, if you have not already done so.
Environmental & Social
Eco-friendly activity. Socially marginally positive as it brings some revenues to the villages in the valley and the people running the refuge.
Conclusion
Once past the initial double-track section, this is an extremely scenic hike. It takes time to get to the start though, so we would only recommend it for those already in the Haute Alpes area.
Key positive
Beautiful high mountain scenery with glacial lakes
Enjoyable for all levels of fitness
Key negative
Time consuming to get to the trailhead from almost anywhere
Can be busy during the peak summer season
Suitability
The required fitness level isn't very high, which makes it suitable for families with children >8yrs old. Not accessible for anybody with reduced mobility.
About this Rating
TYPE
Desktop
RESEARCHED IN
June 2024
PROVIDER
Koreval
av. transport time:0h 45m
est. visit time:4h
Sunrise / early morningOk
MorningOk
Lunch timeOk
AfternoonOk
Sunset / eveningOk
Night – bef. midnightNo
Night – aft. midnightNo