Day hike to Allos Lake (Lac d’Allos) in the Mercantour National Park

Join UIMLA Mountain Leader Fabrice on this day hike to the Allos Lake (Lac d'Allos), in the heart of the Mercantour National Park, near the French Riviera.

Private

Alps

1 Day

Jun - Oct

Intermediate

Highlights

* Discover the the biggest alpine lake in Europe!

* Enjoy the view of amazing landscapes with lakes and impressive high peaks

* Hike along an area with abundant fauna, like chamois and Ibex

Description

Hike to the biggest lake in the Alps! The Allos Lake is considered the biggest natural alpine lake in Europe. It is about 3 kilometers long (2 miles).

This stunning lake is situated in the Mercantour National Park, in the southern French Alps. It is also about 3 hours drive from the French Riviera.

We can enjoy a very nice easy day hike to reach the lake and go all around it to enjoy the views. It is a great hike for families or for easy going outdoorlovers.

For sporty people, it is possible to get much higher, following an incredible loop trail to enjoy amazing views and the view of three more lakes! This is one of the most scenic hikes in the southern Alps region!

This option involves a 700-meter ascent and a 5-hour hike. If you prefer an easier hiking option, it would be a hike of about 3 hours, with a 200-meter ascent.

The area has a very abundant fauna, with species of chamois and many Ibex (mountain goats), marmots and other animals. It is worth it to spend few days in this area so you may also enjoy a 2-day or 3-day program in this area. An alpine cabin is available right by the lake.

Just send me a request if you would like to join me on this day hike. We will spend a great day in this beautiful national park. Also, many other hikes may be done in the Mercantour National Park, in the Valley of Marvels or in the Vésubie Valley.

Price includes

- Guiding fee

Price details

Price per person for groups from 8 to 10 people: 30 EUR / Price per person for groups from 11 to 12 people: 25 EUR / Picnic can be provided by an extra cost of 12 EUR.

Details

More info

You need to bring good hiking boots. Warm clothes can be usefull (vest). Sunscreen and sunglasses.

Meeting point

FAQs

What are some recommended accommodations near our adventure location?

We understand that finding the perfect place to stay is an essential part of your adventure experience. To help you with this, we’ve curated a list of three highly recommended hotels that offer comfort, convenience, and a touch of local charm. These accommodations are well-suited for adventurers looking to relax and rejuvenate after an exciting day of exploration

Hotel Les Chardons Val d'Isère France

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Hotel le Kern Val d'Isère France

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Hotel La Savoyarde Val d'Isère France

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About the guide

Fabrice

4.90

(39)

Mountain Leader

I am a hiking guide (International Mountain Leader) who has been working all over France (including Provence and the Alps), Italy and Portugal since 2001. I speak fluent English due to my frequent trips to Taos Ski Valley (in New Mexico, USA where my family runs a great hotel and ski school), and my hiking trips in the American Southwest.

I live mainly in Nice (French Riviera), but I also move all over the Alps working in different alpine valleys. I often visit Martinique (French Caribbean island), where I enjoy rainforest and tropical hikes.

When I´m not guiding, I also work as a photographer, and like to climb, ski, play tennis, or kitesurf in my spare time. Additionally, I really enjoy botany and history.

I can guide you for a half day or for as many days as you like. I´ll take you to discover my favourite French Riviera alpine region, and the wild and large Mercantour National Park (counting 8 different valleys) near Nice, Monte Carlo and Cannes.

In my region we can enjoy the Mediterranean landscape at sea level. As we move into higher altitudes, we will discover alpine lakes, larch or pine forests, orchids and alpine flowers, open meadows, spectacular medieval perched villages and old baroque chapels and churches, with great historic value.

We can also discover the hiking hotspots in Provence such as Calanques National Park, Verdon gorges, Sainte Victoire and the Var region, with Saint Tropez a particular highlight.

I also love to hike in Italy in the very famous world heritage Cinque Terre (the amazing national park of the "Five Lands"), or in Liguria near San Remo.

And finally, I always enjoy taking my guests to the northern Alps: to Chamonix and Mont Blanc´s amazingly large panoramas or to the great Vanoise National Park, the largest in the heart of French Alps.

Languages

French | English

Certificates

UIMLA

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What people are saying about Fabrice

Mark

5.00

Highly recommend hiring Fabrice as your guide for exploring southern France. As someone unfamiliar with the region, I wasn't up to the task of planning a hike on my own. Particularly a hike in the winter. Fabrice made it all easy. He is incredibly knowledgeable of the region's geography and weather and so was able to tailor a hike just based on the next day's weather forecast. A critical skill for hiking in December. I learned about the natural landscape, vegetation and even how to hike with less stress on my knees. He also taught me about Nordic hiking which is something I definitely want to try again. For sure, I'll be hiring Fabrice again on my next trip to France.

Sue

5.00

Fabrice is a first-class guide! Taking into account last-minute weather changes and after assessing our fitness, he quickly customised an exciting itinerary that led us from the Préalpes to the beautiful hilltop villages of Gourdon, Tourettes-sur-Loup and Saint-Paul-de-Vence. He pointed out great photo opportunities, so we managed to take plenty of nicely-framed photos on our smartphones. Fabrice also introduced us to the game of pétanque and thanks to him, we were able to understand and appreciate the games as they were being played by the locals during our trip.

Daniel

5.00

Fabrice was a wonderful guide with a wide knowledge of not only the history of the area but the flora and fauna of the French Mediterranean coast. The hike provided beautiful views of the cities along the coast as well as the mountains behind them. Highly recommend both the hike and the guide.

5.00

The trip was great! Fabrice was a wonderful guide and I’m contemplating further trips with him and explore share.

5.00

We spent a day hiking with guide Fabrice in Mecantaur Park. It was a great hike with different levels of difficulty. We rested at the lake at around 2000 meters and then made our way to the mountain pass high above. We were rewarded with a lot of wildlife sightings and even a patch of snow in August. Patrice was great and gave us a lot of information about the area and the flora and fauna. He was also great at pointing out historical events that took place in the area in the past.