Crots Beach

Description

From the shores of Lake Serre-Ponçon to the picturesque village of Crots, this family-friendly excursion offers a bucolic setting. This relatively unchallenging route boasts a peaceful setting and leaves you free to enjoy the magnificent panorama of the lake. The second part of your route leaves behind the sometimes densely populated banks of the lake to reach the municipality of Crots and its more isolated paths where the bleating of sheep and the neighing of horses are the only sounds to be heard. - Join the path laid out on the banks of the Durance from the beach car park, passing in front of the chalet. Head up the Durance and under the road bridge. Then take the footbridge on the right to cross the Durance and turn right again immediately after the footbridge to take a well-developed path alongside the Durance. Take the left-hand track at the next junction 200m further on. Cross a small car park and take the path opposite. Make sure you don’t miss it, as it can be a little overgrown. The path is extended by a dam overlooking the lake, which you need to follow right to the end. - Turn left when you reach the road and take a small road on the left just before you reach the main road. It turns into a track after a few metres and you need to be careful not to miss a small tunnel on the right under the N94. Follow the road to the village of Crots. Take the main road through the village, then turn right towards La Montagne on leaving the centre. There is a short ascent followed by a roundabout. Turn left at the roundabout and take the tarmac road to Les Osselins, always heading uphill. - Turn left at the bridge over the Bellegarde stream, then almost immediately right onto a narrow track that runs alongside a channelled river. Turn left at the first intersection, then straight on at the next one. Cross a small bridge a few hundred metres from the road and take a path on the left. Follow the canal then turn right at the horse farm onto a wide, well-maintained path. Head along the farm and then turn left at a ruined house. Join the N94 at the business park and the Intermarché shop and turn right. A narrow path veers off to the right 20m further on to avoid the N94. Before joining the roundabout, cross the road and head for the road serving the Intermarché supermarket. Rejoin the Durance and the path taken on the outward journey. Return to the car park via the footbridge and the path alongside the Durance. .

Difficulty

Official rating: very easy, by Parc national des Écrins.

Getting there

Start: Parking de la plage, Embrun, Embrun (05).

Sources

• Track: Parc national des Écrins, Licence Ouverte 2.0, Licence Ouverte 2.0 (Etalab) (destination.ecrins-parcnational.fr/trek/987351-N1---Crots-Beach). Time estimated by GPX Path with the Mac app rule, breaks not included.
• Official elevation gain: 38 m, Parc national des Écrins