Walk around the lake
About 1 h around the water. The Park’s loop from Le Laus is 7.6 km (3 h) and can be done with a joëlette (all-terrain wheelchair).
Park trail sheet
Lac d’Allos
A high-mountain lake in the heart of the Mercantour, with turquoise water, alpine pastures and limestone towers.
At the lake today
Laus road Check first Closed as soon as there is snow or ice; in winter, on foot from La Chaup. Checked on 1 November 2026 Laus car park Outside the regulated period No regulation announced after 1 November 2026. Checked on 1 November 2026 Lake refuge Closed Staffed from June to September only. Checked on 1 November 2026 Weather Forecast Météo-France, Allos. Checked on 1 November 2026
Key facts
About 2,230 m above sea level2,230 m according to the Water Agency (2013); official sources range from 2,220 to 2,232 m.
Around fifty hectaresPresented by the National Park and the Water Agency as the largest natural lake in Europe at this altitude (54 ha, 51 m deep, measured in 2013).
About a 45 min walkFrom the Laus car park: 1 h 30 there and back.
Road open in summerIn 2026, from 29 May until the snow. In winter, 7 h there and back on foot from La Chaup.
Core of the Mercantour National ParkA glacial lake with no visible outlet: its water re-emerges at the Chadoulin spring, a tributary of the Verdon.
A protected areaNo dogs, drones, fires or picking; swimming is banned by municipal order.
Allos villageLa CluiteLa ChaupLe LausRefuge Lac d’Allos Choose your starting point
- Allos village 7 h there and back, 800 m of ascent (GR56B)
- La Chaup About 3 h 15 one way
- La Cluite About 2 h 30 one way (GR56)
- Le Laus About 45 min one way
Vehicles over 2.10 m: up to the La Chaup car park only. In 2026, the free Val d’Allos shuttles do not go up to Le Laus.
Things to do at the lake
Mont Pelat
About 3,050 m, the area’s great summit: 6 h 30 there and back from Le Laus, a difficult route.
Park trail sheet
Hikes
Walk up from La Cluite (GR56) or from the village (GR56B): a proper day in the mountains.
Our hikes
Marmots and chamois
On the grassy slopes around the lake. The Park information point at Le Laus runs workshops in summer.
Park info pointNational Park rules
No dogsEven on a lead or carried, all year round.
No swimmingBy municipal order; water activities are not allowed.
No dronesAnywhere in the core of the National Park.
No bivouac at the lakeBivouacking is only allowed more than one hour’s walk from a road, from 19:00 to 9:00 (Park order 2018-07).
No fires, no pickingCamping stoves are allowed; flowers, stones and plants stay where they are.
When to come
Spring
Early in the season, snow and ice still line the lake.
Period : Road opened on 29 May in 2026
On site : Snow possible by the water
Summer
The refuge is staffed and the Park info point is open every day in July and August.
Period : 4 July to 30 August 2026: paid car park every day
On site : The busiest period
Autumn
The larches turn gold around the water and the crowds leave.
Period : Paid weekends in September, then 17 October to 1 November 2026
On site : Refuge closed after September
Winter
Road closed: on foot from La Chaup, on an unsecured route (avalanche gullies).
Period : About 7 h there and back
On site : Staffed refuge closed
Frequently asked questions
How do I get to Lac d’Allos?
From Allos village, follow the D226 and then the lake road to the Laus car park, then walk for about 45 minutes. In 2026 the road opened on 29 May; it closes as soon as there is snow or ice.
Where can I park to visit the lake?
At the Laus car park, the closest one (1 h 30 there and back on foot). Lower down, the free car parks at La Cluite (about 100 spaces) and La Chaup (about 10 spaces) mean a longer walk.
Do I have to pay for or book the Laus car park?
In 2026, access is paid and limited from 7:00 to 17:00 on the weekends of 13-14, 20-21 and 27-28 June and 5-6, 12-13 and 19-20 September, and every day from 4 July to 30 August: €12 per car, €6 per motorbike, free by bicycle. Some spaces can be booked on valdallos.com. From 17 October to 1 November, payment on site only, from 8:00 to 16:00.
Are dogs allowed?
No. The lake lies in the core of the Mercantour National Park, where dogs are banned all year round, even on a lead or carried.
Can you swim in Lac d’Allos?
No: a municipal order bans swimming, and water activities are not allowed.
Can you bivouac by the lake?
No. The Park only allows bivouacking more than one hour’s walk from a road access, from 19:00 to 9:00 (order 2018-07); the shore is less than an hour from the Laus car park. Camping is banned everywhere in the core of the Park.
Are drones allowed?
No, flying drones is banned throughout the core of the Mercantour National Park.
Is the Lac d’Allos refuge open?
It is staffed from June to September (40 places, half board); book on 04 92 83 00 24. There is no mobile signal and no guaranteed drinking water on site.
How long is the walk?
About 45 minutes from Le Laus, 2 h 30 from La Cluite, 3 h 15 from La Chaup; from the village, allow 7 h there and back.
Is the walk around the lake accessible to everyone?
The walk around takes about 1 h. The Park’s loop from Le Laus (7.6 km, 3 h) can be done with a joëlette, lent free of charge on booking by the tourist office; the refuge is not wheelchair accessible.
Is there a shuttle to the lake?
No. In 2026, the free Val d’Allos shuttles link the villages (the village, Le Seignus and La Foux, from 4 July to 30 August) but do not go up to Le Laus.
When is the best time to come?
From the opening of the road (late May or June) until autumn. July and August are the busiest; September and the October larches are quieter.
Around the lake
Colmars-les-Alpes
A fortified village of the Upper Verdon, between Fort de Savoie and Fort de France.
Discover Colmars
La Foux d’Allos
The resort at the top of the valley, linked to the village by a free shuttle in summer.
The Val d’AllosWhere to stay near the lake
Lac d’Allos refuge
A 40-place municipal refuge on the lakeshore, staffed from June to September, half board.
Booking: 04 92 83 00 24
Tourist office page
Hotels in the Val d’Allos
In the village and at La Foux, half an hour’s drive from Le Laus.
See the directory listings
Accommodation
Gîtes and rentals
Chalets and holiday lets in the valley, to explore lake, passes and villages.
See the directory listings
Accommodation
Sources and date checked
Every piece of information on this page was checked against official sources on 1 November 2026. Where they disagree (altitude, area, depth), we quote the Water Agency and say so.
- Mercantour National Park, “Lac d’Allos” trail sheet
- Mercantour National Park, regulations
- Park order no. 2018-07 on bivouacking
- Val d’Allos tourist office, access by season
- Val d’Allos tourist office, Laus car park
- Rhône-Mediterranean-Corsica Water Agency, 2013 summary
Checked on