Loop 49 - Clos Besson and Lake St Apollinaire

Lake and glacier

Pastoralism

Panorama

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A "summary" of what's on offer in Gravel at Serre Ponçon: forest tracks, sections of fun trails, landscapes, lake...

A Gravel course with 2 facets:
Along the lake, the landscape is open to the lake and its south-facing aspect creates a pre-Alpine atmosphere.
In the Réallon valley, wedged between the Aiguilles de Chabrières and Mont Guillaume, the stream is pleasantly cooling in summer and creates a more mountainous atmosphere.

1 point of interest

Flora
Turk's cap lily
In the undergrowth at the beginning of the route, then in the meadows, it stands out with its long upright flowering stem. It is embellished by three to ten flowers that are a purple-pink and crimson and have long orange stamen. Admire them without smelling, as they are as beautiful as they are smelly!

Description

From the start of the route at the resort of Réallon, descend to the car park and up the track to the right (route forestière de Joubelle). Just before the turning, turn left down the forest track towards the village of Saint-Apollinaire.
At the balcony path, (viewpoint over the lake) go up the path to the left (Possibility of making a return trip to Lake Saint-Apollinaire by taking two right turns). After a very steep but relatively short section, continue left on the path towards the resort of Réallon.
At the road, descend to the right (D609). At a hairpin bend, take the stony track on the left. Turn right at the track. At Les Praux, follow the track to the left. Continue on the main track to the right towards Réallon camp-site.
Continue straight ahead on the path that rises slightly towards Réallon. Take the Villard bridge and continue along the track on the left bank of the stream. At the crow's feet intersection, continue to the right.
At the road, turn left towards the Isle leisure centre. Before the Cure bridge, turn right onto the road on the left bank of the stream. After the tennis courts, go straight ahead on the chemin de digue, then take the path on the left.
At the water extraction point, WC and car park, take the bridge on the left that leads to Les Gourniers. At the Mélézin restaurant, turn left towards "Le Bourget". At Les Tomelles, the road becomes a path.
At Le Bourget, continue straight on. At Les Granges, continue straight on towards the camp-site via Les Casses. At Les Casses, take the track on the right towards Les Mallets.
At Les Mallets, take the second right towards the resort of Réallon. At Pra Prunier, continue straight on towards the resort. When you reach the bend in the D609 road, turn right towards the resort. At the entrance to the resort, turn left into the car park.

Departure : The resort of Réallon
Arrival : The resort of Réallon
Towns crossed : Réallon, Savines-le-Lac, and Saint-Apollinaire

Altimetric profile

Recommandations

Herd protection dogs

In mountain pastures, protection dogs are there to protect the herds from predators (wolves, etc.).

When I hike I adapt my behavior by going around the herd and pausing for the dog to identify me.

Find out more about the actions to adopt with the article "Protection dogs: a context and actions to adopt".
Tell us about your meeting by answering this survey.

Information desks

Tourist office Chorges

Grand rue, 05230 Chorges

https://www.serreponcon.com chorges@serreponcon-tourisme.com 0492506425

October to may : Monday to Saturday, 9.00 - 12.30 & 13.30 - 17.00.
April, may, june & september : Monday to Saturday, 9.00 - 12.30 & 14.30 - 18.00
July and August : Monday to Saturday, 9:00 – 12.30 & 14.30 – 19.00 Sunday 9.30 – 12.30

Closed on Thursdays outside French holidays’ periods
Closed on French national holidays, except 14th of July and 15th of August

Find out more

Tourist office Réallon Station

Pra Prunier, 05160 Réallon

http://www.reallon-ski.com reallon@serreponcontourisme.com 0492442567

Tourist offices in the ski resort

July and August : Monday to Friday : 9.00 -13.00 and Saturday 13.00 - 17.00
From mid-December to March : Monday to Sunday :9.00 - 12.30 & 14.00 - 17.00

Find out more

Transport

SNCF: Chorges station, Embrun https://www.sncf-connect.com/
Bus : Valserres, La Bâtie Neuve, Chorges, Puy Saint Eusèbe, Puy Sanières, Embrun Baratier, Les Orres, Remollon, Theus, Espinasse
Marseille-Briançon : (LER29)
Marseille, Nice : Lignes Express Régionales (LER) +33 (0)809 400 415
Grenoble : Transisère +33 (0)4 26 16 38 38
Gap-Barcelonnette (LER535)
Carpooling area : Rond point des Orres - 05200 Baratier
Plane:
Marseille Provence Airport (188km) - +33 (0)820 811 414
Grenoble Alpes Isère Airport (158km) - +33 (0)4 76 65 48 48
Lyon Saint Exupéry Airport - (203km) +33 (0)826 800 826
Turin Caselle Airport - (178km) + 39 011 567 63 68