After a couple of months off with an injury, I finally made it back into the mountains. This is one of my favorite runs anywhere: about 10 miles round trip, roughly 3,000 feet of climbing, straight up from Camping Le Gouret to Lac du Grand Laus, a mountain lake right on the border with Italy.
## Quick facts- Start: Camping Le Gouret
- Distance: about 5 miles up, about 10 miles round trip
- Climbing: roughly 3,000 feet
- The hard part: the last half mile to mile before the lake, around a 25 to 30% grade
- Last water: the river below the final climb
- When I ran it: June 13, with a few snow patches still hanging on near the top
- Crowds: I saw maybe 10 people the whole way up
Where I have been
Short version: injury. I put too many miles on one pair of shoes and paid for it. On top of that I have shin splints right now, which I have never had before, also from running those shoes into the ground. Fifteen years of doing this and I am still learning lessons.
I have also been working my real job pretty hard, so the channel took a back seat for a bit. But I have still been averaging 30 to 50 miles a week. Not as much as I would like, but enough to do what I love, which is tromping up steep mountains.
The lesson, if you need one: keep an eye on the miles on your shoes. Being a poor running person is real, but a new pair costs a lot less than a couple of months on the couch.
The route up
The run starts at Camping Le Gouret and climbs pretty much the whole way. There are views the entire time, which is exactly how I like it.
A few things worth knowing on the way up:
- Fill up at the river. If you are coming up this way, the river is basically the last water point before the lake. Top off your bottles there.
- Snow in June. I was there on June 13 and hit the first little snow patch not long after the river. Nothing serious, but expect some.
- Enjoy the last flat bit. There is one last easy, flat stretch of trail. After that the trail turns and goes straight up for the final mile or so to the top.
You can also reach the lake from another direction, but I came up from the campsite.
The final push
This is the part that hurts. The last stretch before the lake, somewhere between half a mile and a mile (call it 1K), sits at around a 25 to 30% grade. It is properly steep. Power hike it, keep moving, and do not look up too often.
Right at the top there is a little waterfall, and then you come around the corner and there it is.
Lac du Grand Laus
Is it worth it? Absolutely. It is always really windy up there, so bring a layer, but the lake is stunning, and in June the mountain flowers are in full bloom all around it.
What I love most is how quiet it is. I saw maybe 10 people on the whole way up. Nobody is ever up there.
The lake is also a jumping off point for a lot more. You can keep climbing to the top of the mountain above it and cross over into Italy, or go up and over and drop down into a different town. So many options from up there. This was my third or fourth time doing this one, and I still want to come back for the bigger routes once I am back in the shape I want to be in.
The numbers
The full run came out to about 10 miles with about 3,000 feet of vert, out and back from the campsite. The Strava file is linked in the video description.
Would I recommend it?
Highly. If you want a hard, short mountain run with a huge payoff and almost no crowds, this is it. Just respect that last climb, carry enough water from the river, and give your shoes a look before you go.
Have you run or hiked to Lac du Grand Laus, or is it on your list? Tell me in the comments on the video.