Lac des Pisses
Lac des Pisses
Lac des Pisses - Thierry Maillet - Parc national des Ecrins
Orcières

Lac des Pisses

History and architecture
Lake and glacier
Pastoralism
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Shaped by pastoral activity, the Pisses valley has for generations been the summer residence of ewes and their shepherds.

This winding trail overlooks the Prapic valley and runs as far as Lac des Pisses, in a rocky high-altitude atmosphere. It crosses several torrents and is a chance to enjoy the refreshing waterfalls.


Description

From Place de Prapic, head up towards the stopover gîte, then turn left. A wide path crosses the fileds, then goes up the Blaisil valley. You pass by the Tombeau du Poète path. At the second crossroads, continue along the route to the right as far as Lac des Pisses. You follow the same route on the way back.

  • Departure : Prapic, Orcières
  • Towns crossed : Orcières

14 points of interest

  • Détail d'un vitrail de l'église de Prapic
    Détail d'un vitrail de l'église de Prapic - Michel Francou - PNE
    History

    Prapic Church

    Dedicated to Saint-Anne, Prapic Church dates back to the 1860s. It was built following the request of the inhabitants for a place of worship, who were faced with the hazards of winter and the distance from the parish church in Orcières. On the stained glass choir window, you can admire the portrait of Prapicois: Jean Sarrazin (1833-1914), nicknamed the «the poet of the olives", a different poet from that in the tomb ... Can you find it?

  • Jeunes randonneurs au village de Prapic
    Jeunes randonneurs au village de Prapic - Pascal Saulay - PNE
    Architecture

    Prapic Hamlet

    Surrounded by vegetable gardens, piles of stones and mown terraces the village nestles on the banks of the Drac and gives the best land over to agriculture. The typical house is most often perpendicular to the slope, based on an architecture created from materials collected locally and showing great intelligence in its elaboration. From course plasterwork to the delicacy of walnut wooden doors, shale roofing with gables made from plaited alder, this is the architectural vocabulary that punctuates your visit. 

  • Une des fontaines de Prapic en hiver
    Une des fontaines de Prapic en hiver - Michel Francou
    History

    Running water

    Running water came to Prapic in 1924. The first pipes were made from metre long sections, hollowed out trunks of larch. Their fitments probably did not enable all the water collected from the six village fountains to be transported!

  • Ours
    Ours - PNE - Dequest Pierre-Emmanuel
    History

    Last Bear

    In Blaisil valley, near to Prapic, the last bear in the region was slaughtered in 1895. This species had disappeared progressively between the 19th and the middle of the 20th century. In the French Alps, its disappearance is due to its classification as a harmful animal by the legislator in 1844. However, the reduction of its territory due to human activity also contributed to its disappearance. Its reintroduction in the Pyrenees is a controversial subject.

  • History

    Votive Festival

    In the memory of the inhabitants, the votive festival for Saint-Anne has been celebrated for generations in Prapic Chapel. Previously it was celebrated in the old chapel situated at the top of the valley, but in 1870, it burnt down. Every Sunday following the 26th July, the faithful pay tribute to Saint Anne, mother of the Virgin Mary. However votive festivals are traditionally organized in order to answer a wish or to give thanks for a miracle.

  • Maison prapicoise
    Maison prapicoise - Michel Francou - PNE
    Architecture

    Barn gable

    In a poor country, ingenuity is increased. How do you close the gable of the barns while letting the air in to finish drying the hay without having to spend too much money? There are several examples here of the techniques used.

  • Prapic pendant l'hiver
    Prapic pendant l'hiver - PNE - Collection Tron Lucien
    Architecture

    Prapic

    Prapic, at the foot of the Charnière plateau, is the most famous of the 23 hamlets of Orcières commune. You just have to look upwards to appreciate the richness and the quality of the architecture of the dwellings. The large Champsaurines houses have kept all their character here when the corrugated metal has not replaced the Prapic slate.

  • Arbres têtards
    Arbres têtards - Marc Corail - PNE
    History

    "Tadpole" trees

    The fodder distributed to the livestock during the winter is a precious commodity. To increase their supplies, the mountain dwellers use everything they have. In Autumn, before the leaves fall, the breeders cut branches from trees (ash and maples) and make bundles of wood. These will be treats for sheep and goats! This explains why the trees here have big heads... They are known as « tadpole » trees.

  • Chocard à bec jaune
    Chocard à bec jaune - PNE - Fiat Denis
    Fauna

    Yellow billed Chough

    A whirl of black birds moves noisily along the edge of the mountain wall before landing on a heath covered with juniper bushes. Dozens of them in a joyful rumpus, the Yellow billed Choughs feed on the berries left in winter. Real acrobats, they are capable of breathtaking aerial demonstrations. This ease of flight enables them to travel daily from places of high altitude spending the night there in holes in the rocks, to the bottoms of the valleys where they often find food near to the villages. This small member of the Corvidae species is protected and is on the regional red list because its natural habitat is very localized.

  • Mouches à merde
    Mouches à merde - Blandine Delenatte - PNE
    Fauna

    Dung Fly

    The Dung Fly is a difficult name to bear for such a pretty insect with a golden body! You can often see it on a fresh cow pat or a pile of manure, busy hunting or reproducing on the warm matter. With 240 million years of evolution, it is an expert in "aerobatics". It has 360° vision and it can locate an odour from a distance of several kilometers.

  • Chenille de Petite tortue
    Chenille de Petite tortue - Joël Blanchemain - PNE
    Fauna

    Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly

    Precocious, the Small Tortoiseshell is the first butterfly to visit the flowers that have only just come out through the snow. Its caterpillars feed uniquely on nettles where you can see them gathered together with two yellow stripes on their backs. The butterfly has bright orange wings on top, incrusted with ebony and edged with blue lunules ringed with black.

  • Le Blaisil en automne
    Le Blaisil en automne - Michel Francou - PNE
    Water

    Blaisil torrent

    Blaisil torrent is the addition of two torrents one from Pisses lake and the other at Estaris. These two lakes situated at an altitude of 2500 m are accessible to walkers who set off early. But the effort is worth it: they present a remarkable setting and history!

  • Geology and geography

    Ancient Gravel Pit

    Just forty years ago, the bottom of the valley was a sterile gravel pit, completely bare, where the torrent reigned supreme. Little by little, it became colonized and today the stones have given way to a forest. From time to time an avalanche makes sure that it kept is clear.

  • Le lac des Pisses
    Le lac des Pisses - PNE - Corail Marc
    Lake

    Lake Pisses

    The lakes were created in different ways. Lake Pisses was formed by the large glaciers of the quarternary age that carved out the softer rock as they advanced from Lyons to Sisteron. When the glaciers melted, 8000 years ago, these dips became lakes known as "basin lakes".

Forecast


Altimetric profile


Sensitive areas

Along your trek, you will go through sensitive areas related to the presence of a specific species or environment. In these areas, an appropriate behaviour allows to contribute to their preservation. For detailed information, specific forms are accessible for each area.

Alpine ibex

Impacted practices:
Aerial, , Land, Vertical
Sensitivity periods:
JunJulAugSep
Contact:
Parc National des Écrins
Julien Charron
julien.charron@ecrins-parcnational.fr

Golden eagle

Impacted practices:
Aerial, , Vertical
Sensitivity periods:
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAug
Contact:
Parc National des Écrins
Julien Charron
julien.charron@ecrins-parcnational.fr

Recommandations

Is in the midst of the park
The national park is an unrestricted natural area but subjected to regulations which must be known by all visitors.

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

Information centre of Prapic (summer only)

, 05170 Prapic

http://www.ecrins-parcnational.fr/champsaur@ecrins-parcnational.fr04 92 55 61 92

Information centre of the National Park and the Tourism Office of Orcières. Information, documentation. Sale of products and works of the Park. Free admission. All animations of the Park are free unless otherwise stated.

Find out more

Transport

Shuttle service (must be reserved beforehand at the Orcières Tourist Office): Prapic-Orcières www.orcieres.com


Access and parking

In Orcières, on the D76, take the D474/Le Bignottes. Then continue on the D476/Les Fourrés turning slight right at the intersection to the village of Prapic.

Parking :

Village of Prapic

More information


Source

Parc national des Ecrinshttps://www.ecrins-parcnational.fr

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