Lac Gary via le Vet

The path starts from the lowest point of the heart of the National Park at an altitude of 800 m. This long, demanding hike will take you across all alpine vegetation stages. The ascension along the Tête de Vêt and via the Gary Gap offer panoramic views of a good part of the Ecrins, Devoluy, Vercors et Grand Armet.

Flora on the scree slopes
The flora on the crystalline scree slopes at low altitude is adapted to very high temperatures which are due not only to the sun but also to the structure of the soil. Here, dark coloured stones have accumulated on the slopes, oriented like solar panels forming a group, favourable to stockage and radiation. Wild roses of all kinds, spiky shrubs thistles have hardened to this atmosphere but so have the Sweet William and the Sheep’s Bit Scabious.

Green Lizard and Wall Lizard
Two species with legs stay close to the track. Quick as a flash, these little saurians escape from your presence while signaling their own... One, around thirty centimeters is impressive because of its size and is green blue colour; it is the green lizard... The other, russet coloured, much smaller is very common, it has not been named by accident; it is the wall lizard. Both feed on insects and hibernate in the cold season...

Beech forest and mushrooms
From an altitude of 1300m, there is an unexpected forest, containing crooked trees, with many branches and smooth grey bark... Some beech trees are grouped there, projecting their shade onto a less hostile slope... They include a dried beech tree on acidic soil, which characteristically does not welcome many flowering plants... A thick carpet of dead leaves crunches underfoot and is punctuated by rare Snowy Wood Rush in Summer and, luckily, Penny Bun and Black Trumpet mushrooms at the end of Autumn.

Bearberries and Heather
The highest elevated places, rather bare and well exposed on this hike are covered with flowerbeds with miniature shrubs. They contain Bearberries, or busserole, with round evergreen leaves and little red fruits. At the end of the summer, it is not rare to see the appearance between these bushes of bouquets of pink flowers, they are heather. Also called callune. It is calcifuge.

Spilites
The elevated crossing to jas des Agneaux has the particularity of being dominated by a quite remarkable geological feature. While you have continued to follow the crystalline base of the massif, you will then see below you the end of this kind of rock marked by a seam of volcanic origin, purplish black and several meters high: these are the spilites. Positioned on these, is an immense limestone cone which constitutes the summit of Vêt. This geological feature is highly visible from the departmental road going down to Entraigues.

Red-billed chough

Swiss pine

Citril finch

Vultures

Arctic alpine forget me not

Bearded vulture
Description
From the Entraigues church car park, follow the road to Valjouffrey up to the last garden and turn left onto the footpath that is signposted Vet-lac- Gary. It continues along a stream that starts at the Combe de la Draye, then climbs up across a rock fall and meanders along rocky ledges. The footpath goes through a beech forest and continues swiftly upwards as it gets closer to the Combe des Roberts, which it crosses as it continues to gain in altitude on the right bank. At the fork in the road Jas des Agneaux/Vet-Lac Gary hut, the slope is not so steep. Follow the route on the right hand side and, by the ledge footpath, enter the Vêt valley in order to get to the pastoral hut. The route follows the left bank of the stream. Link up to the small path coming from Drayes on the Blanc pass. It meanders on a slope of scree below the gap in the Arcanier. From the Gary gap, go down as far as the lake that is set on a terrace facing the summit of the Valjouffrey valley. Return by the same route.
- Departure : Entraigues
- Towns crossed : Entraigues, Le Périer, Valjouffrey
Altimetric profile
Recommandations
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Information desks
Maison du Parc du Valbonnais
Place du Docteur Eyraud, 38740 Entraigues
http://www.ecrins-parcnational.fr/
valbonnais@ecrins-parcnational.fr
04 76 30 20 61
Reception, information, temporary exhibition room, reading room and video-projection on demand. Shop: products and works of the Park. Free admission. All animations of the Park are free unless otherwise stated.
Transport
Bus stop: Entraigues
Access and parking
On the N85, take the D526 towards Entraigues
Parking :
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