Lac des Estaris

Lac des Estaris is a high-altitude lake in the commune of Orcières, in the Hautes-Alpes department, tucked into the Champsaur valley at the foot of the Écrins massif. Sitting at roughly 2,560 m, it is one of the commune's main water reserves and one of the best-known hiking destinations above the Orcières-Merlette ski resort.

Where is Lac des Estaris located?

The lake lies at the head of the Champsaur valley, above the Orcières-Merlette 1850 resort, ringed by peaks of the Écrins massif. The rocky amphitheater surrounding it is known as the Cirque du Grand Lac des Estaris, a nature reserve established in 1974 and managed by the Écrins National Park. The reserve covers around 145 hectares and protects high-altitude alpine flora, including génépi, a plant that grows only at elevation.

How do you get to the lake?

Lac des Estaris can be reached on foot directly from the resort, with about 450 m of additional elevation gain along the way. In summer, the Roche Rousse cable car shortens the approach considerably: after riding up to the Roche Rousse plateau, hikers only need to cover a shorter, easier stretch to reach the lake. Because the surrounding cirque is a protected nature reserve, dogs are not allowed anywhere within it.

What is the hiking route like?

The area's best-known route is the "Monde des 6 lacs" (World of Six Lakes) loop, covering about 11.3 km with 719 m of elevation gain and taking roughly 5 hours 20 minutes at a moderate difficulty level. Along the way, the trail passes several lakes at increasing altitudes: Lac des Sirènes (around 2,400 m), Lac Long (around 2,480 m), Lac Profond (around 2,470 m), and the Lacs Jumeaux (around 2,460 m), before finally reaching Lac des Estaris at about 2,560 m, the highest point of the loop. The final stretch opens up views over the peaks of the Écrins massif.

It's worth noting that Lac des Sirènes is a separate lake, lower down and closer to the resort — Lac des Estaris is a distinct, higher point further along the same route, not the same body of water.

When is the best time to hike here?

The route is fully accessible in summer, once snow has cleared from the upper cirque, typically from June to September — the same period when the Roche Rousse cable car operates, making the approach easier. Outside the summer hiking season, the area also draws ski tourers, for whom Lac des Estaris is one of the classic backcountry skiing objectives around Orcières.

FAQ

Can you camp near Lac des Estaris? The lake sits within a nature reserve managed by the Écrins National Park, so the usual restrictions for protected areas apply, and dogs are banned throughout the cirque.

How long does it take to reach the lake? The full "World of Six Lakes" loop takes about 5 hours 20 minutes, but the stretch from the resort to the lake itself — especially if you use the Roche Rousse cable car — can be covered much faster.

Is Lac des Estaris the same as Lac des Sirènes? No — they are two different lakes on the same route. Lac des Sirènes lies lower down, closer to the resort, while Lac des Estaris is the higher, final lake in the cirque.

How high up is the lake? Lac des Estaris sits at around 2,560 m, making it the highest of the lakes along the "World of Six Lakes" route.