1. The Sauze du Lac lookout
Directly accessible by car, this lookout is located at the top of the road linking Savines-le-Lac to the Ubaye valley. You'll find yourself perched directly above the lake, facing the dam, with the Ubaye branch of the lake on your left and the Durance branch on your right.
- Period: year-round
- Walking time: 0min
- Access: from Savines-le-lac, take the D954 towards Sauze-du-Lac. At the village entrance, turn right (belvedere sign).
2. Le Pic du Morgon
A classic summit, and rightly so. At an altitude of over 2300m, this is quite simply the best view of Serre-Ponçon. Quite simply, there's no other place where you can contemplate the entire lake. A privilege that justifies the few hours' walk required to reach the summit!
- Period: Mid-May to late October. Beware of snow already or still present at the beginning or end of the season.
- Walking time: 4h round trip
- Access: on foot from the Grand Clos parking lot, above Boscodon Abbey in Crots. Consult the detailed hiking map on our dedicated web portal: rando-serreponcon
3. Pierre Arnoux lookout
A beautiful viewpoint overlooking Savines-le-Lac. Ideal for contemplating the village and the bridge over the lake, as well as the Aiguilles de Chabrières and the Ecrins massif. You'll find an orientation table and a number of interpretation panels.
Pierre Arnoux is an ideal place to relax: just before the belvedere, at the forest road parking lot, a vast clearing equipped with tables and fireplaces makes an ideal spot for picnics and barbecues. It's also a well-known take-off area for paragliders.
- Period: Mid-April to mid-November. Beware of snow already or still present at the beginning or end of the season.
- Walking time: 5min from parking lot or 4h round trip on foot from Savines-le-Lac
- Access: Take the route forestière des Blaches (unpaved but passable track) from the Savines-le-Lac sports trail. On foot, consult the detailed hiking map on our dedicated web portal : rando-serreponcon
4. Les Manins in Saint Sauveur
Our favorite ! Its slightly eccentric location offers breathtaking panoramic views over the Durance valley, the Ecrins massif and Lac de Serre-Ponçon. This is clearly one of the best vantage points from which to contemplate the incredible sunsets that set the sky ablaze as they are reflected on the lake. Numerous orientation tables will help you put a name to all the mountains around you. Picnic tables are also available.
- Period: All year round
- Walking time: 0min
- Access: Take the road up to Les Orres resort. Once you've passed the hamlet of Le Serre, turn left onto the small road leading to Les Manins. The viewpoint is just outside the hamlet.
5. The dam lookout at Rousset
Also known as the Ivan Wilhelm Belvedere, after the engineer who built the dam. It's a must-see when you're in the area, to discover the immensity of the lake and the dam that holds it back. You'll enjoy a view of the lake, of course, but also of the southern slopes of the Morgon and the entire dam and hydroelectric power station. Orientation tables help you find your way around, and EDF interpretation panels explain the hydroelectric process of the Durance and Verdon rivers.
You can continue your exploration with a visit to the lake museoscope or the EDF water and energy centre.
- Period: All year round
- Walking time: 0min
- Access: From Chorges, take the D3 over the Col Lebraut. Heading back down towards the dam and Espinasses, you'll naturally come to the museoscope and belvedere.
6. Panoramic view from Serre du Mouton to the summit of Réallon
The easiest of the high-altitude belvederes, it is reached by chairlift from the Réallon resort. So it's accessible in summer and winter on skis, for an atmosphere worthy of a Norwegian fjord. A panoramic balcony overlooking Lac de Serre-Ponçon and the entire Morgon range. In summer, you can continue your discovery with a short but sustained hike through the Aiguilles de Chabrières via the brèche of the same name.
- Period: summer/winter, during resort opening periods
- Walking time: 3min
- Access: Take the 2 Réallon chairlifts to the summit. Walk to the top of the hill opposite the second chairlift arrival point.
7. Belvedere of Saint Apollinaire
A magnificent viewpoint directly accessible by car. The village of Saint Apollinaire overlooks the central part of the lake. Its belvedere offers a remarkable panorama of the Parpaillon massif, from the Crévoux valley to the Morgon and the Baie St Michel with its famous chapel. An interpretation panel of the Parc National des Ecrins and a few benches will help you enjoy the moment.
- Period: year-round
- Walking time: 0min
- Access: From Chorges, take the D9 to the village of Saint Apollinaire. The belvedere is at road level, just below the village square.
8. Le Roc d'Embrun
A particular choice in this list, since the Serre-Ponçon lake will not be the main motif of the landscape you'll be able to contemplate. Embrun is known, among other things, for its location "perched" on its rock, overlooking the Durance River. Just a stone's throw from the town center and Embrun cathedral, a walk along the rock offers a view of the Parpaillon massif, the resort of Les Orres and the plain below. Several orientation tables and interpretation panels punctuate the walk.
- Period: year-round
- Walking time: allow around ten minutes to walk the rock walk and its various viewpoints.
- Access: From the bishop's garden, behind Embrun cathedral, or from the Espace Delaroche parking lot.
9. The Curattes lookout
Less well known, the Currates lookout is the highest point of a short hike starting from Baie St Michel. Here, you'll hike along pretty lakeside paths, and when you reach the highest point, you'll enjoy a magnificent panorama of the Baie St Michel and the Pic du Morgon.
- Period : year-round, snow possible in winter during snowy spells in the valley, but will melt in a few days.
- Walking time: 3h on a loop
- Access: from St Michel Bay. Consult the detailed description of the hike on our dedicated web portal : rando-serreponcon
10. Mount Orel
To round off this selection, we'd like to suggest this confidential summit to the north of the lake. It's a fairly difficult hike starting from the Col de la Coche in St André d'Embrun, with many off-trail sections. But the reward is well worth the effort required to reach the summit. In a very wild atmosphere, you'll enjoy a rather unusual view of the lake, in the axis of the Durance.
Solitude guaranteed!
- Period : Mid-June to mid-October. Beware of snow already or still present at the beginning or end of the season.
- Walking time: 4h round trip
- Access: From St André d'Embrun, reach the Col de la Coche via a small road, then the Pra Mouton hut via a passable track. Climb to the summit following the paths in the Pra Mouton valley.
