Lac du Lou

Here you can find notes on the Lac du Lou off piste itineraries.

There are three main routes down to the lake - starting from the Cime de Caron, from the top of the Boismint chair, or from the top of La Masse, in Les Menuires.

Read about the Lac du Lou off piste itineraries here.

Don't forget to read the off piste safety page.

Lac du Lou: Itineraries

The annotated image above is of the Lac du Lou seen from the Les Menuires ski area.

It shows the lake, and two of the starting points for itineraries to it - the Cime de Caron, and the Pointe de la Masse.

Lac du Lou: from Cime de Caron

Map: Les Trois Vallées 1:25,000

This is the classic off piste route in Val Thorens, from the Cime de Caron (3195m) down to the Lac du Lou refuge (2035m).

Take the Cime de Caron cable car to the top. (They won't let you get off half way anyway ;-)). Or you can now go up the Orelle-Caron bubble to the Cime de Caron.

There are two main ways into the itinerary.

Head towards the black run, Combe de Rosael, and where the piste plunges down to the left, towards the Maurienne side, leave it, and go to the right of the ridge, into the Vallon du Lou.

A yellow sign here alerts you to the fact that you're going off piste.

Or, follow the red run, Col de l'Audzin, and just before the steep, narrow section of the piste, leave it and go left.

There are then a few alternatives, and quite a wide expanse of slopes to ski or board. Unless it has snowed recently, the main route will be well-tracked. It can be an advantage to ski on compacted snow if the other areas are crust. 

After the initial slopes, you arrive at the stream (le ruisseau du Revers), and follow it along a flat section.

Then traverse round to the right, above the lake, to avoid having to walk across it. There's a higher and a lower route. (If there's a risk of avalanche, though, it may not be advisable to traverse those slopes).

You arrive at the frozen lake, the Lac du Lou. Looking back up into the Vallon du Lou, you can see the Mont du Chat (pictured below - see the cat's ears).

There's a wooden bridge where a stream (le torrent du Lou) runs out of the lake, which makes a good place for a stop.

A pisted track takes you down to the Plan de l'Eau chair, and the return to Val Thorens.

Note: although this is relatively easy, and a well-skied route, it is still off piste, so not covered by the ski patrol. Therefore, all the safety considerations apply.

Lac du Lou: from Boismint

Map: Les Trois Vallées 1:25,000

This is a shorter alternative route, that also ends up at the Lac du Lou. 

From the top of the Boismint chair, turn right and ski a short way down the track, then go up a little slope to your left, and over into the Vallon du Lou.

The slopes are steeper than from the Caron, with no flat sections, so some snowboarders prefer this option. These slopes can be more prone to avalanches, though, and it is not as easy to stay away from risky pitches as it is when starting from the Caron.

The slopes face west, and can be good in the afternoon in late season when the spring snow warms up in the sunshine. As with the descent from Caron, you arrive at the wooden bridge over the Lac du Lou, at the end of the lake where a patch is often ice-free.

Lac du Lou: Waterskiing

In spring the edge of the lake begins to melt and you can waterski across it.

The Lac du Lou is a nice place to hang out in spring.

Lac du Lou: Refuge

The Refuge du Lou is a very popular place.

You can have coffee or lunch there, indoors or on the terrace. It also has accommodation.

New in winter 2017-18, the 31-bed Lac du Lou refuge was built to bring more people into this beautiful valley. It cost €1.2 million, has 35 beds, and is staffed in the summer and winter seasons.