Lac de la Douche

From the traditional village of Le Casset to the turquoise blue lake, this trail runs alongside meadows visited by deer at dawn, and then crosses the larch forest where you can sometimes glimpse a few chamois. At the bottom of the valley, the torrent brings a spot of welcome freshness in summer to the hikers and mountain dwellers, all delighted to find a water source.

Saint Claude’s church in Le Casset
With its disproportionately high spire, the Casset church never goes unnoticed. Its four-sided Comtois steeple was modelled on the collegiate church in Briançon. The church is listed as a Historic Monument and is placed under the protection of Saint Claude. In its present condition, it dates from the 18th century. The previous building was constructed prior to the 16th century. Inside, the eye is immediately attracted by the choir ogives, creating an intimate atmosphere, particularly since the unusually large spire does not suggest an interior of such a small size. The choir was rebuilt in 1716-1717, probably after the previous chapel burnt down. Traces from this period can be seen on the keystone. The wrought-iron choir gate has the inscription "HM 1717", a date that can also be seen in the apse, on the wrought iron railing of the impost of the axial window, and on the baptismal font.

Whiskered bat

Lover of old stones

White-throated dipper
The mountain streams relinquish their secrets to an attentive hiker. The master of this little world is a small brown, red and grey bird with a short tail and a pure white breast, separated from the darker abdomen by a light brown stripe. We can often see it in the air, flying close to the water to snap up insects. The dipper owes its name to its eating habits to find water larva, it dips its head into the water and grips the riverbed to walk against the current.

Chamois
Rupicapra rupicapra, the mountain goat was not at first solely a creature of the mountains. The species is more attached to rocky escarpments and steep slopes than high altitude. But strong human pressure on chamois made them withdraw ever higher. Coveted as a hunting target, they have found refuge here in the Ecrins National Park.

Golden eagle, the Ecrins' mascot
The Petit Tabuc site is ideal for the golden eagle to nest. The golden eagle is amongst the protected species that are considered rare in Europe. The size of the populations that have been registered in the Ecrins massif, bestow a strong responsibility on the Park for conservation of the species. Counting takes place regularly since 1985 along with monitoring of reproduction, causes of disturbance and mortality.

A flying predator
The eagle is the archetypal predator. Everything about it suggests strength and daring. Its appearance, of course, with its impressive expression highlighted by the prominent brow ridge, but above all its fearsome weapons: rapid flight, which can be adapted to even the most acrobatic situations, and sharp, powerful talons. Its keen eyesight helps it detect its prey, from the marmot to the young chamois, ptarmigans and hares. In winter, it often takes its food from the dead bodies of animals, helping towards the natural cleansing of nature.

Ring ouzel
Description
From the car park at the edge of the village of Le Casset, near the Park Information Centre, walk up the main village street and then turn left across the second bridge over the Guisane. A straight track runs alongside the Petit Tabuc torrent, gradually leaving the hay meadows and entering the woods. Beyond the Clot du Gué barrier and bridge, a regular climb through the larch forest leads first of all to the Grand Pré clearing (1,683 m), then La Douche lake (1,901 m). Come back the same way.
Altimetric profile
Recommandations

When I hike I adapt my behavior by going around the herd and pausing for the dog to identify me.
Find out more about the actions to adopt with the article "Protection dogs: a context and actions to adopt".
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Information desks
Information center "le Casset" (summer only)
Le Casset, 05220 Le Monêtier-les-bains
http://www.ecrins-parcnational.fr/
brianconnais@ecrins-parcnational.fr
04 92 24 53 27
At the entrance of the hamlet of "le Casset" and near the core zone of the Park, a stop before or after your walk... Projections, documentation, books of the Park. Free admission. All animations of the Park are free unless otherwise stated.
Access and parking
Le Casset, 17 km from Briançon along the D1091 and D300.
Parking :
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