Tucked In The French Alps Is A National Park With Mountain Trails, High-Elevation Lakes, And Quaint Villages

The second largest national park in France is a remote destination with beautiful views of the Alps from more than 40 glaciers and mountain peaks. With its highest elevation reaching nearly 13,500 feet at Barre des Écrins peak, Écrins National Park is full of mountainous trails along high-elevation lakes that attract hikers, explorers, and mountaineers. The park is also dotted with quaint villages in and around the 227,000-acre treasure.

The maintained trails within the park stretch for more than 430 miles. Some trails, such as the Col de l'Aup Martin hike, are more suited for advanced mountaineers. The 12-mile hike is the highest-elevation trail in the park and crosses vast snowfields and includes steep and rocky slopes. For those with less experience, or with younger family members, the Bans Refuge hike to the seasonal shelter house may be more appropriate. It boasts panoramic views of Écrins National Park's glacial valley and larch trees via less treacherous trails, and hikers are rewarded with the views of the Aiglière summit.

While exploring on foot is the best way to explore the beauty of Écrins National Park, reaching the park itself is easiest by car. The nearest airport is Marseille Provence Airport, approximately two hours to the south of the park. For those traveling from the north, Grenoble Alpes Isère Airport is the best option at just over an hour's drive. Of course, actual travel times depend on which part of the large park visitors plan to explore.

While the largest lake in the park is Lake Lauvitel, sitting at 4,429 feet, there are more than 60 lakes scattered throughout Écrins, and mountain trails with picturesque views leading up to them. When the lakes thaw in April or May, they become popular fishing destinations. It's important to remember, however, that in order to fish in the park's lakes, the correct fishing license is required.

Diversity in the lakes means no two are exactly alike. For example, Lautivel Lake was formed thanks to a natural rockfall that dammed the valley to create its borders. You can reach it on the difficult Lautivel Lake four-mile loop trail that takes you past waterfalls and forest landscapes. Lake Lauzon, celebrated for its biodiversity, was created by a glacier that dug through the landscape some 10,000 years ago. The Lake Lauzon – Blue Lake loop trail is the most popular, though a hard mountain trek, hikers enjoy seasonal wildflowers and waterfalls. Lac de L'Eychauda is considered one of the best lakes in the park, according to Kamoot.com. Accessed via several popular but challenging mountain trails, the lake is an ideal place to see icebergs, even during mid-August, because it's position in the shadows of a low valley slows glacial melting.

The lakes of Écrins National Park could easily be considered among Europe's most underrated lakes and visitors may be tempted to step into the waters. However, their beauty is best enjoyed from the shoreline. Swimming is not prohibited in the park but officials strongly discourage it. That's because especially in high-altitude lakes, low water temperatures can be dangerous for humans. As well, human interference can also disturb the delicate ecosystems within the lakes.

A key to enjoying Écrins National Park is of course knowing where to begin the journey. France is known for its beautiful villages and 61 such communities provide access to the park along with various accommodations and historic sites. Located near the park, they offer key advantages to entering and exploring its many trails, lakes, and peaks while celebrating the area's proud mountaineering heritage.

The village of Saint-Christophe-en-Oisans is home to the Mountaineering Memories Museum. La Bérarde, a hamlet within the same commune, marks the end of motorized travel and the beginning of on-foot exploration. Travelers looking to reach some of the more popular summits of the park choose to enjoy the accommodations of Ailefroide, the second biggest mountaineering community in France. The village is especially known for its natural climbing sites and it's home to a collection of hotels, chalets, and inns where explorers can rest comfortably before and during their exploration of the park.

Summer travelers may be drawn to Vallouise-Pelvoux. Open only in the summer, it boasts the best way to reach the popular Glacier Blanc and Glacier Noir. The hamlet offers a variety of mountain huts as accommodations where locals and visitors share stories of their climbs. While Écrins National Park is not France's oldest national park, it does have a history as a protected area dating to 1913, meaning those who chose to camp may do so, but only in limited areas via permitted guidelines.