Hiking the Himalayan footbridges over Lake Monteynard-Avignonet takes you on an out-of-the-ordinary adventure above the turquoise waters of the Drac and the Ebron rivers.
At 12,5 km, this hiking circuit offers an unusual loop which takes you across the gorges of the Drac and those of the Ebron via the Drac Himalayan footbridge (220m) and the Ebron Himalayan footbridge (180m). This trail offers magnificent viewpoints of the lake and the surrounding mountains, while walking along a pleasant forest path.
How to get to the Himalayan footbridges ?
After parking on the Trièves side at Treffort in the car parks at La Salette or Combettes (La Mira boat landing stage), the footbridges hike kicks off with a pleasant boat crossing to Mayres-Savel on the other side of the lake. It is necessary to book your crossing with the boat company La Mira
We advise you to start with the boat crossing in order to be able to do the hike without hurrying, at your own pace, to return to your starting point.
Once you have arrived at the Mayres-Savel side, follow the signposts to reach the Drac footbridge. After having crossed the Drac bridge, the hike becomes a little steep going up to Serre de Lavana then falls back towards the Ebron Himalayan footbridge. You can see the bridge on the way down at splendid viewpoints along the lake. After crossing the footbridge, you reach the original starting point at La Mira boat landing stage by taking either the forest path or the panoramic trail.
ATTENTION : certains jours le bateau ne traverse pas le matin, dans ce cas commencez par la randonnée côté passerelle de l’Ebron en démarrant assez tôt pour avoir tout votre temps pour parcourir les 12.5 km et finissez par la traversée en bateau depuis Mayres Savel pour rejoindre votre Parking côté Treffort.
faq
Crossing the Himalayan footbridges at Lake Monteynard-Avignonet is absolutely free. However please note the parking lots are not free from May to October. The boat crossing is also not free of charge.
No, the boat allows you to cross the lake to hike the loop and thus cross the two footbridges. If you don’t want to take the boat, you can set off from the parking lots on the Treffort side of the lake and walk to the Ebron footbridge, then retrace your footsteps (round trip).
Yes, dogs are allowed on the boat and on the footbridges.
Yes, but be careful, in rainy periods the path can be muddy and slippery.
The boat La Mira, which allows you to cross the lake, only sails when the lake level allows (generally from May 1st to September 31st, check La Mira’s website for more information).
No. The boat can only be booked online on the website of La Mira. https://reservation.la-mira.com/booking
As places are limited, we advise you book well in advance of your visit.
- From 4 years old upwards : 8€ per person.
Reduced rate: 7€ (€)
Less than 4 years old : free
About 30 minutes
The Himalayan footbridges hike at Lake Monteynard-Avignonet lasts about 4h30. The hike is 12,5km long and 400 m elevation.
The hike of the Himalayan footbridges of the lake of Monteynard-Avignonet is 12,5km long with 400m elevation. It lasts about 4h30.
It is necessary to park your vehicle in the carparks next to the boat landing stage for La Mira, on the banks of the lake on the Treffort side: there are car parks at Combettes, at the beach or at La Salette. If you are not taking the boat and are hiking the round trip to the Ebron footbridge, park at Les Vignes car park.
We advise you to start by taking the boat at Treffort to cross the lake to Mayres-Savel. You can then reach the Drac footbridge, continue to the Ebron footbridge and finally return to your starting point. Starting the hike with the boat crossing allows you to walk calmly without feeling pressured by time constraints to catch the boat at the end of your hike!
Lake Monteynard-Avignonet is located in Isère, south of Grenoble, in the territories of Trièves and Matheysine.
This hike is a resounding success and very popular! We advise you to avoid summer weekends, and favour the end of spring or the beginning of autumn when the trail and footbridges are less busy.
To access the Himalayan footbridges at Lake Monteynard-Avignonet, you must drive to Treffort then continue along the banks of Lake Monteynard-Avignonet ( with parking at Combettes, the beach or La Salette).
It is quite possible to hike across the Himalayan footbridges with your family. However, as the hike is long (12,5km), the trail is best for children over 6 years old who are good hikers. For children under 6 years old, take the round trip to the Ebron bridge (the nearest one) instead.
To hike the Himalayan footbridges,please remember to bring:
Water (there is only one water point located halfway along the trail)
Proper walking shoes (please no flip-flops!)
Sunscreen cream and a hat
A small jacket or sweater (the area can be windy!)
The Drac Himalayan footbridge is 220m long. Its height varies from 45m to 85m depending on the height of the water at Lake Monteynard-Avignonet.
The Himalayan footbridge of Ebron is 180m long. Its height varies from 45m to 85m according to the height of the water at Lake Monteynard-Avignonet
Yes, it is possible to park in the parking lot for camping cars at Lake Monteynard-Avignonet in Treffort (parking lot at Combettes).
It is not possible to go across the footbridges with a stroller, but it is possible to go to the Ebron footbridge and back by taking the panoramic trail from the Vignes parking lot. Be careful : you need a stroller for all terrains (big wheels !) because the track is rocky.
