logo
ic_menu

Clarée Valley hike - Lake Laramon & Serpent

Fontcouverte, Névache, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

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.

Meta review

The hike gets a mix of good and excellent reviews. The main drawbacks are the large number of hikers in July & August and the first section until the refuge which is a 4x4 track, but after that the views are really worth it. There are some recurring advice such as starting early morning to get some shade, extending the hike until the Lacs des Gardioles, and stopping for a blueberry tart at the Ricou refuge!

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

Included Items
None
Timing
Duration of visit
"Closed season" reflects the likelihood of inclement weather or the trail being unpracticable

av. transport time:0h 45m

est. visit time:4h

Sunlight based

Sunrise / early morningOk

MorningOk

Lunch timeOk

AfternoonOk

Sunset / eveningOk

Night – bef. midnightNo

Night – aft. midnightNo

Pricing
Free

We use cookies on this site to enhance your user experience. For a complete overview of all cookies used, please see MORE INFORMATION.