The northeastern portion of the GR54 loops around the Écrins massif through spectacular alpine terrain — past petrifying fountains and glacial lakes, over cols, and along milky blue streams fed by the glaciers above. These three stages cover the heart of that arc: the climb to Col de la Muzelle, a lesser-traveled variant bypassing Briançon and Les Deux Alpes, and a crossing of the Plateau d’Emparis with La Meije filling the horizon.
This post is part of our series about our September & August 2022 Tour of the Ecrins, including:
- Overview and planning
- Arrival in Lyon and transit to Le Monêtier-les-Bains
- Stages 1-3: Le Monêtier-les-Bains, Vallouise, Refuge du Pré de la Chaumette, and Refuge de Vallonpierre
- Stages 4-7: Refuge du Pigeonnier, La Chapelle-en-Valgaudemar, Refuge des Souffles, and Valsenestre
- Stages 8-10: Refuge de la Muzelle, Mizoën, and Les Terrasses (this post)
- Stages 11-12: La Grave, Refuge d l’Alpe de Villar d’Arène and back to Le Monêtier-les-Bains, followed by our return through Grenoble and back to Lyon
- Our packing list for hut-to-hut hikes
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Stage 8: Valsenestre to Refuge de la Muzelle
Breakfast consisted of yogurt, bread, jams, juices, and coffee. Leaving the gîte, we retraced the end of our hike from the previous day, heading back up the valley.
At the head of the valley, we began to climb in earnest. Despite the route having looked steep and intimidating the previous day, I found the climb passed quickly. The steady grassy climb gave way to tight switchbacks on small rock, but the footing remained good. We paused several times to enjoy the views back down the valley, but we still reached Col de la Muzelle much faster than I had expected.
From the col, we enjoyed excellent views down the valley to Lac de la Muzelle, the refuge, and across to Les Deux Alpes (a ski resort), with the Grandes Rousses against the horizon in the distance. The hike down to the lake and refuge also went by quickly despite stopping frequently for views.
We reached Refuge de la Muzelle in plenty of time for lunch. We shared a cheese plate (three excellent cheeses, some nuts, and salad) and two beers. After, we settled onto the porch to read and enjoy the view. The refuge’s small menagerie of animals (a cow, a donkey, and maybe two horses) kept us entertained with their antics.
I later learned there’s an interesting arch–La Cheminée de Fée (Fairy Chimney)–above the lake. If we had known at the time, we probably would have gone to see it.
Dinner consisted of a vegetable soup, ham omelette, two kinds of cheeses, and blueberry roll/sponge cake. It was all very good.
Distance and elevation gain for the day: 6.5 miles and 4212′.
Stage 9: Refuge de la Muzelle to Mizoën
From Muzelle, the GR54 heads to Le Bourg-d’Oisans. While scenic, we had decided to trade this and what the book refers to as warm-up hiking for our earlier detour to Refuge du Pigeonnier. As a result, we would cut off the northwest corner of the GR54, descending to Vénosc and then climbing to a balcony route that would wrap up us around to Lac du Chambon and up to the town of Mizoën. On maps, this is the GR50/GR54c variant, so we figured it would be a straightforward detour.
We chose this detour and the way it wrapped around to the northwest to avoid cutting through Les Deux Alpes and its ski infrastructure, even the Les Deux Alpes route would have shortened the day. For those considering it, a lift had stopped running at the end of August, and there are trails paralleling the lift route.
The day started beautifully, with exquisite morning light leading us down the valley. The valley was also filled with many lovely cascades, pools, and wildflowers.
At Vénosc, we decided to follow a trail out of town, which looked like a nice, gradual climb, rather than the GR54c, which follows the south side of the river and valley before turning up steeply later. Curious goats checked us out on our climb of out town.
Once at the level of the balcony route, however, we found it to be no easy walk. Signs warned of both falling rock and risk of falling. Sections of the trail had eroded away, leaving us to make many small ascents and descents.
We eventually wrapped around and joined a wide track. The going got easier, but by this point we were feeling tired. We were happy to reach our final descent to Lac du Chambon and final ascent to Mizoën.
The staff at Logis Hôtel le Panoramique (Booking.com) provided a warm reception and showed us to our room. During the summer period guests usually need to book multiple days. However, when I had wrote them in March and explained our plans for the following September, and that they were well-situated for our route, they happily accepted a one-night booking.
We had a relaxing drink on the terrace before turning our attention to laundry. Our half board booking included dinner, and it was excellent and filling: croutons with tapenade and eggplant caviar, quiche Lorraine with nice lettuces, cod with chorizo sauce, shaved vegetables, potatoes, bread, cheese.
Distance and elevation gain for the day: 15.1 miles and 3377′.
Stage 10: Mizoën to Les Terrasses via Plateau d’Emparis
We appreciated the hotel’s ample breakfast–pound cake, coffee, meat, cheese, homemade fromage blanc, croissant, pain au chocolate, fruit, and bread–to start the day.
To start out from Mizoën, we ascended on a mix of paths and roads, including through a short tunnel. We then joined a trail that cut across the mountains sides. The landscape here showed signs of violent erosion, with various constructions to both hold back landslides, avalanches, and floods and to detect whatever could not be held back.
This trail brought us out on a wooded promontory, Les Clots. This area also had a charming-looking refuge, Refuge des Clots. Along the way, we saw a fast moving chamois and another Anguis fragilis (slow worm).
Above, we saw a waterfall that had deposited concentrations of tufa: Fontaine Pétrifiante. The Emparis plateau is made of porous sedimentary rock, so as rainwater seeps through it, it picks up dissolved calcium bicarbonate along the way. Eventually the water hits an older, impermeable layer of crystalline rock beneath — part of the ancient Hercynian bedrock — and can’t go any further down. Instead, it follows a fault line between the two rock layers until it bursts out as a cascading spring.
When that mineral-laden water hits the open air, the dissolved carbonates react and solidify into a soft rock called tufa, which has been slowly building up at the base of the falls for thousands of years. This kind of spring is called a “petrifying fountain,” and this one is considered among the most beautiful in France.
We ascended next the waterfall and started to get views of La Meije as we reached Plan de la Cavale. Continuing, we passed Refuges Mouterres and Fay. Many marmots kept an eye on us.
We crossed a stream and reached the Plateau d’Emparis, crossing back into Hautes-Alpes. This area is described as “one of the most scenic places of all the Alps” and “one of the finest views in the Tour of the Oisans.” We turned south, toward Lac Noir and Lac Lerié.
These lakes lie at the southern edge of the plateau, where they offer a magnificent view of La Meije and surrounding glaciated peaks. We ate a long, leisurely lunch and soaked in the view.
From the lakes, we continued along the plateau until the trail began to descend to Le Chazelet. A short hike further brought us to our destination for the night, Les Terrasses.
Despite many pauses to enjoy the views and a long hike, we arrived a little bit too early to check into our accommodations, RestAuberge La Reine Meije (Booking.com). We bought beers from their excellent Belgian and French selection, which we enjoyed on the main terrace with great views of La Meije.
By the time we finished our beers, it was time to check in. We had a large family room, and the attached terrace also offered views.
For dinner, we decided to eat at the hotel. Reviews were encouraging and it was easy to add a set menu. We thought the meal was excellent. Locals apparently did too, with several also coming in for dinner. I apparently was too engrossed in the meal to write down what we ate, other than that they had wonderful blueberry and lemon meringue tarts for dessert.
Distance and elevation gain for the day: 14.2 miles and 4820′.
