Lac du Lauvitel et sa réserve intégrale

Le Bourg-d'Oisans (vallée du Vénéon)

The Lauvitel is the largest lake of the Écrins massif on the Isère side. Its altitude is given as 1,510 m by Wikipedia and 1,530 m by the Écrins national park. It owes its birth to a rockfall that occurred about 4,000 years ago, which added itself to a glacial moraine and dammed the valley. The lake has no visible outflow: the water passes through the blocks, and the level can vary by 20 to 25 metres between low water and snowmelt. Area and depth vary according to the sources, between 25 and 37 hectares and between 40 and 68 metres. The park recalls that the valley was formerly private property, leased to the Dauphiné bourgeoisie for hunting; hunters' and fishermen's chalets were built on the natural dam between the two wars. In 1995, the southern part of the lake and the head of the valley became a strict reserve, devoted to scientific research and closed to the public, later recognised in 2012 as the first protected area in France for its scientific vocation (Wikipedia). The painter Charles-Henri Contencin depicted it. No legend was found in the sources consulted.

Getting there: Mountain hike, check the weather. Loop of 8.9 km, about 4 h, 701 m of ascent, classed as difficult by the park, starting from Les Ougiers (Vénéon valley). The southern part of the lake and the head of the valley are in a strict reserve, closed to the public. Coordinates: OpenStreetMap marker ‘Lac Lauvitel’ (Nominatim), consistent with Wikipedia (44.9694; 6.0647).

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

Ambient sound