The walk: "Dormillouse fort"

This walk is about 10 min drive from "La Bréole" village where our family summer tour takes place.
The view from the top is superb over the Serre Poncon lake, the Ecrins National Park and Ubaye valley.

  • Distance: 18km;
  • Ascent: 1550m;
  • Expected time: 8 to 9 hours min
  • Altitude Dormillouse summit: 2505m
  • Difficulty: Challenging, you need to be fit and well trained for this walk.

Recommendations: Walk at a steady pace, bring 2 liters of water per person and you will enjoy this outstanding walk in full!

Join Saint Vincent Les Forts, up above the Serre Poncon Lake, 43 km Est - South Est of Gap.
Park your car near the oratory "Les Quatre chemins", walk on the forest path for a short while, cross the path "Tour de Serre Poncon", take the left path to "Dormillouse" and walk for about 1 km along the forest path.
Then you will walk on a track in the forest for about 30 minutes before walking for a short while (20 min) on the forest path again.
At about 1700m high, you will leave the forest path and follow the track to  1850. At this point, take left to Dormillouse, you will navigate to the North direction for a while, then will cross under the steep north face of "la Montagnette".
You need to be careful of this section, never dangerous but that requires care. Once you get on the ridge you will admire once of the finest view of the Provence Alps up to the Dormillouse fort at 2505 m high.
Form the top take the path going to the Est direction to the "Lac du Milieu" and then "Lac de la cabane".  At this point, take the track going north (not the PR going to the Villard), up to the forest path you can then take (left).
After  1km, you will take left again the track "Tour du lac", the track will climb for 300 ascent before goig down the water fall "Cascade de la pisse", spectacular. From there just follow the track "Tour du pays de Serre Poncon", to Saint Vincent les Forts.


Detailed Itinerary


 


Elevation Profile


Photos

Saint Vincent les Forts
Alpine marmot yawning!
The Morgon peak from Dormillouse
The Alpine pasture
Serre Poncon Lake from Dormillouse
Lac de la cabane

Practical informations

  • Website: Informations from "Le Haut Vernet" www.haut-vernet.com
  • Maps:www.ign.fr

    • 3439ET IGN "Seyne Chabanon Grand Puy"
    • 3438ET IGN "Embrun - Les Orres - Lac de Serre-Poncon"