Lakes tour

17 points of interest

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  Archaeologie

  Mines

  A few remains of the exploitation of the ancient mine are disseminated around the sector of Fangeas. These mines go back to the Middle Ages, a period during which we exploited silver-lead and copper.  It was a small exploitation, no doubt associated with the mines at Fournel. The metal mined was used to mint feudal currency. The mine works are now filled in and flooded, which has enabled us to find well preserved remains: scaffolding, turned wooden bowls, the sole of a shoe. Archeologists have been excavating the mine for the last ten years they started by siphoning off the flood water from the tunnels. The mines are not accessible to the public and we have deliberately not communicated their exact location. For more information about this heritage, contact the mining museum at l'Argentière la Bessée.

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  Fauna

  Marsh tit

  This discreet tit is often confused with the mountain wollow tit. Distinguishing them is not easy. The bib of the marsh tit is smaller than that of the wollow tit; its wings are solid brown whereas they are slightly lighter for the wollow tit. Its crown is shinier. It is sedentary and visits the cooler deciduous forests, groves and garden providing there are trees with holes for nesting. It rarely goes higher than the mountain stage except for the most exposed sectors. With the arrival of spring, it does not come out of the old ash tree much. The best idea is to listen: the song and the call of the tit are very loud and tonic. Even then, it is not easy as it changes the song as if teasing the amateur ornithologist.

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  Fauna

  European roe deer

  There are many roe deer around the village of Dormillouse. They hide in the bushes during the day, are at the edge of the prairies at sunrise and dusk and peacefully graze on the fresh grass. The white patch on the roe deer's rear is called the 'mirror'. The female's patch is heart-shaped and the male's is bean-shaped. The mirror is highly visible and increases in size due to the hairs standing on end as a warning to other deer, in the face of danger.

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  Flora

  Woodland geranium

  The bright colour of this woodland geranium might well catch your eye as you cross the forest of larch on the footpath leading up to the lakes. Later, the plant will be less visible but still interesting. When mature, the seeds are mounted by the 5 styles of the flower that look like a crane's beak. This long beak dries out over time, bends suddenly like a spring and acts as a catapult to scatter the seeds.

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  Fauna

  Black Grouse

  You will need to get up early if you want to see the Black Grouse in the summer. In France, the Black Grouse, or capercaillie as it is also known, can only be found in the Alps. The emblematic Black Grouse completes its biological cycle at the upper limit of the larch forest with springtime parades where the males coo and tackle each other, summer nesting supervised by the females and a winter lodging dug out of the snow. In winter, the Black Grouse is particularly sensitive to disturbance, such as an off-piste skier or snow-shoer passing by, as it cannot compensate for the energy lost should it need to flee its igloo in a hurry.

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  Fauna

  Mountain hare

  Many mountain hares, or white hares have probably observed you...the opposite is unlikely. A true champion in camouflage, it is rare to see it but its round, dry droppings are proof of its presence. Another clue: low branches that are stripped of their bark that they have nibbled on throughout the winter. The white hare, which is brown in the summer and white in the winter, is naturally present in the Alps. It is smaller than the European hare, has a white tail and shorter ears, but leaves the same Y-shaped prints in the snow, which are due to the way it jumps to move (bringing its hind legs in front of its front legs).

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  Pastoralism

  The Palluel hut

  The Palluel hut is built on a plateau and is used by a shepherd (please respect his dwelling). He watches over his flock on the Palluel and Chichin pastures that are rented to transhumants by the Fressinières council. The shepherds have special permission to keep dogs that are used for controlling or for protection within the National Park. The ban for others is to ensure peace and quiet for the flocks of sheep. Walkers are advised to avoid the flocks when possible and not to walk through them. Walk around the flock so as not to disturb it or cause the dog to act in a frightening manner. In its presence, stay calm, stop and talk calmly long enough for it to realise that you are an inoffensive human, do not stroke it and do not make any sudden movements.

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  Panorama

  Grand Pinier

  The Grand Pinier, or Brown Peak, is the backdrop to the Fressinières valley and at an altitude of 3117 m is its emblematic summit. Its rounded, rocky summit overlooks the Palluel lake and attracts experienced hikers in both summer and winter.

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  Panorama

  Petit Pinier

  Just like the Grand Pinier, the Petit Pinier separates the Champsaur from the Fressinières valley. It culminates at 3100 m and shows off it pointed summit towards the south west, on the left of the Faravel lake.Just like the Grand Pinier, the Petit Pinier separates the Champsaur from the Fressinières valley. It culminates at 3100 m and shows off it pointed summit towards the south west, on the left of the Faravel lake.

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  Flora

  Palynology?

  Come il suo fratello maggiore, il Recent studies of the composition of pollen (palynology) and charcoal present in the soil of the area have revealed that larch, spruce, Swiss pine, birch and juniper were present in the Bronze Age and that the limit of the forest was much higher than today at an altitude of 2300 m.

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  Flora

  Creeping avens

  The creeping avens is a high altitude plant that grows in the rocky scree and spreads by means of long reddish stolons. Its fruit are long and hair-like forming a pretty, ginger, spiral bun. In this bun, each achene (fruit with only one seed) waits to be blown away in order to colonise another stony zone.

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  Know-how

  Cairns field

  A few years ago, below the Palluel Lake, a cairns field, that overlooks the valley, developed. Built litle by litlle by the walkers, each person has their own vision: land art, a simple game, or a surprising human trace in a protected area.

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  Fauna

  Rock ptarmigan

  The higher part of this circuit is the undisputed territory of the rock ptarmigan, also known as the white grouse. This bird is emblematic at high altitude and is among the 10 birds that need to be preserved as a priority within the heart of the National Park. Its future is of concern due to climate change, grazing in breeding areas, disturbance and it low level of reproduction.

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  Flora

  Moss campion

  Around the Palluel and Fraval lakes, on the rocks that have been smoothed by time, the moss campion forms packed cushions that make it look like moss spiked with pink flowers. This ball-shaped growth enables it to resist the cold and desiccation by the wind. The stems grow in a tightly packed manner that means they only expose the smallest surface area in relation to the volume of space that they occupy, which limits leaf transpiration. In addition, the cushion traps the daytime heat, ensuring favourable conditions and temperatures at an altitude where the growth period is very short. Finally, dead leaves that accumulate at the heart of the cushion nourish solutions that are absorbed by the roots.

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  Fauna

  Chamois

  At dawn, it is not rare to see a chamois on the circuit. The the young play on the névés. The females and the "éterlou" (young male under one year old) like to stay in a large herd whereas the males are more solitary and only join the females for the mating season. The autumn is another special moment as it is mating season. However, the best way to observe chamois is to respect their tranquility by using binoculars or a telescope.

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  Fauna

  Arctic char

  Each year, hundreds of young Arctic char are taken to the Palluel and Faravel lakes for rearing. This samonidae likes the bottom of the cold alpine lakes where it can find worms, molluscs and small shellfish. It is not shy and regularly comes to the surface, to enhance its menu with a few minnows.

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  Glacier

  Glacier reliefs

  Signs of glaciers are visible in the landscape in the form of the Palluel and Faravel glacial lakes, the glacial cross cliff of Dormillouse, the U-shaped valley, glacial circuses, moraine deposits, erratics, as well as a few lapiaz that present narrow, parallel, sharp-peaked rivulets created by ice and melt water.