Le lac et le refuge du Pavé
A hike to immerse yourself in remarkable alpine landscapes and reach the refuge and the Pavé lake, perched at 2800 m.
From the Arsine car park (next to the municipal campsite), the Pavé refuge trail first takes the very busy Alpe de Villar d'Arène refuge trail (GR 54).
He leaves it at the top of the glacial lock that the locals call “Les voûtes”. He then follows the Romanche on its right bank for 2 km of the Plan de l’Alpe, coveted in the past to build a hydroelectric dam there.
At the Valfourche bridge, which marks the entrance to the heart of the Ecrins National Park, the route then passes to the left bank. It leaves the Romanche valley to go up the Cavales valley, first on the edge of the torrent of the same name to Pichettes, a place that marks the end of the alpine lawn. The valley then becomes entirely mineral. The path follows the crest of the remarkable moraine up to below the Clot des Cavales pass to go around a system of rocky bars and arrives at the refuge and the Pavé lake.
The return takes the same route.
“YOU ARE HIKING IN THE HEART OF THE ÉCRINS NATIONAL PARK
The Écrins massif is an exceptional space, open to all, whose natural, cultural and landscape heritage is rare. To protect these riches, the heart of the park is marked by blue-white-red painted flags, where regulations must be respected. Please read them when preparing your hike in order to preserve this collective good on the ecrins-parcnational.fr website.”
TO KNOW :
This hanging valley is worth more than just a detour. For a meal or a night's rest, come to the Pavé refuge to discover the beautiful atmosphere of this mountain setting!
He leaves it at the top of the glacial lock that the locals call “Les voûtes”. He then follows the Romanche on its right bank for 2 km of the Plan de l’Alpe, coveted in the past to build a hydroelectric dam there.
At the Valfourche bridge, which marks the entrance to the heart of the Ecrins National Park, the route then passes to the left bank. It leaves the Romanche valley to go up the Cavales valley, first on the edge of the torrent of the same name to Pichettes, a place that marks the end of the alpine lawn. The valley then becomes entirely mineral. The path follows the crest of the remarkable moraine up to below the Clot des Cavales pass to go around a system of rocky bars and arrives at the refuge and the Pavé lake.
The return takes the same route.
“YOU ARE HIKING IN THE HEART OF THE ÉCRINS NATIONAL PARK
The Écrins massif is an exceptional space, open to all, whose natural, cultural and landscape heritage is rare. To protect these riches, the heart of the park is marked by blue-white-red painted flags, where regulations must be respected. Please read them when preparing your hike in order to preserve this collective good on the ecrins-parcnational.fr website.”
TO KNOW :
This hanging valley is worth more than just a detour. For a meal or a night's rest, come to the Pavé refuge to discover the beautiful atmosphere of this mountain setting!
