2. Les Orres - Le Lauzet-Ubaye (TSP Gravel)

Pass

History and architecture

Panorama

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A stage with a great deal of added historical value, including Boscodon Abbey, the cemetery of Ubaye and the tunnels of an old railway line.

Due to a major forestry project in the Grande Cabane sector (municipality of Crots), this route will be inaccessible from 25 July 2023.

The Grande Rocade leads to the heights of the forest of Boscodon and its Abbey. From Savines you can reach one of the most beautiful viewpoints, the Lookout of Pierre Arnoux. Once over the Col de Pontis, you'll find yourself back on the banks of the lake, crossing engineering structures that have been built but never used by trains.

3 points of interest

Flora
The Larch
The Hautes-Alpes offers all the right conditions for the development of larch and is home to half of France's larch trees. The larch needs open, sunny land and colonises abandoned plots: it is a "pioneer" species. It can live for 500 years and is the only softwood to shed its needles. Its rot-proof wood can be used to make gutters, fountains and shingles. Its strength makes it ideal for carpentry and its colour also makes it popular in joinery.
Flora
Bellflower
This bellflower is highly characteristic, in particular because of its bell-shaped flowers. The bellflower has hermaphrodite flowers, that is to say, both male and female. This rustic plant loves the sun and dry ground. Some species of seedling can withstand arid soils at high altitude.
Flora
White Birch
This is a beautiful tree that can reach 15 m in height. Its leaves can be identified by the white tomentose down on the underside. Its white flowers are grouped together in an inflorescence and bud fruit called "alises", which appear at the end of summer. This species likes a lot of light and tolerates dry conditions well. It can be found in open woods and on sunny, even rocky, dry slopes in the mountains.
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Description

At Le Melezet, take the road on the right towards the forest of la Mazelière. At gîte 05, turn right onto the Mazelière road, which then turns into a forest track. (La grande Rocade). Cross the Eysalette stream by the Mazelière bridge and continue on the main track. If in doubt, stick with the less steep option.
At DFCI track H18, continue straight on towards "La Montagne" (DFCI H 16). At DFCI H15, turn left up the hill and then straight ahead (leaving the Clos Besson forest road behind you). At the La Draille gîte, go straight ahead down the road. At Thozans (fountain), turn left up the road towards Boscodon.
After the Pont de la Grande Cabane, take the path down to the right onto the "Clot Joubert" forest road. (several picnic areas).
At Boscodon Abbey, turn right down the road for 2.5 km. /!\ Slow down and turn left on the main straight towards "le bois" (DFCI H 5).
Cross the bridge over the Boscodon and head right down DFCI track H5 . Head up the main path towards Savines (1h30). At DFCI track H6, turn right downhill. At the viewpoint over the Savines le Lac bridge, turn left down DFCI track H6.
To reach Savines le Lac, descend to the right; otherwise ascend to the left along the stream. At the DFCI post, leave the road and take the track on the right (DFCI H1). Stay on the main track. At the Pierre Arnoux GRP signpost, continue up the track. (Picnic area and lookout over the lake at Pierre Arnoux) Stay on the main track towards "Fontaine des Miracles".
At the DFCI bollard on the inside of the bend, continue uphill to the right. Here there are some picnic areas and the Miracles fountain. (/!\ after the torrent des Hourmes, presence of ruts). At the intersection (plot 38), continue downhill on the gravel track.
At route D7, join Pontis on the left. Cross the village and head up the road towards Morgonnet. At the "Les Terrasses de Pontis" sign, continue up the road and then descend to the cemetery of Ubaye.
At the D954, cross the bridge to the left towards Le Lauzet Ubaye. 150m after exiting the 1st tunnel, turn left into a 2nd tunnel. Pass through several tunnels (former railway line). At the Route du Moulin, continue straight on to Le Lauzet Ubaye.

Departure : Le Mélézet, les Orres
Arrival : Le Lauzet-Ubaye
Towns crossed : Les Orres, Baratier, Saint-Sauveur, Crots, Savines-le-Lac, Pontis, and Le Lauzet-Ubaye

Altimetric profile

Recommandations

Lights required for tunnels

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".
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Information desks

Tourist office Savines-le-Lac

9 Avenue de la Combe d'Or, 05160 Savines-le-Lac

https://www.serreponcon-tourisme.com/savineslelac@serreponcon-tourisme.com 0492443100

October to march : 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 - 13.00 & 15.00 - 19.00. Sundays, 10.00 - 13.00 & 15.00 - 18.00

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

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 83

Access and parking

From Grenoble, Lyon, Paris : RN 85 or RN 75. At Gap, take the RN 94 towards Briançon.
From Marseille, Montpellier A51 to La Saulce, continue towards Tallard (D942) and Briançon (RN 94).