Malinvern Lakes Tour - Isola 2000 - Malinvern refuge - Col Lombarde
Randonnée Malinvern. Le lac du Malinvern qui culmine à 2938 mètres
Randonnée Malinvern. Le lac du Malinvern qui culmine à 2938 mètres - Philippe Pierini - PNM
Isola

Malinvern Lakes Tour - Isola 2000 - Malinvern refuge - Col Lombarde

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The many lakes, ensconced in glacial cirques, invite to take a break and admire them. The peaks of the slender summits are reflected in the still waters of the lakes.
A hike which heads into both France and Italy, taking place in a rocky environment which is enriched by colourful lichens.

2 points of interest

  • La visuale da una delle gallerie che ospitavano la Batteria del Druos
    La visuale da una delle gallerie che ospitavano la Batteria del Druos - Roberto Pockaj
    History and historical trail

    The Druos Artillery Battery

    Near the Bassa del Druos there are the ruins of a shelter and the Druos Battery, a defensive military gun emplacement in a cave of the Vallo Alpino. The artillery battery, realized with minimum investment in the mid-thirties, consisted of 4 100/17 howitzers captured from the Austrians in WWI. The guns were positioned in the cave without any shielding whatsoever: there wasn't even a command room inside. Two of the 4 galleries where the cannons were placed can still be seen clearly, but the entrances to the other two have been obstructed by landslides.

  • La caserma del Druos ai Laghi superiori di Valscura
    La caserma del Druos ai Laghi superiori di Valscura - Roberto Pockaj
    History and historical trail

    The Massimo Longà Barracks

    The barracks are named for Massimo Longà, Captain of the Alpine Corps, who died on Monte Ortigara on 10 June 1917 (to be precise, on an Army Corps of Engineers map, the Rifugio's name is indicated as Massimo Mongà, differently from the inscription on the plaque over the main entrance). The barracks building is an imposing structure, built, according to documents of the Engineering Corps, in 1903. Other sources give the date of its construction as between 1916 and 1917, thanks to the forced labor of Austrian prisoners captured on the Eastern front, but if the Engineering Corps documents can be believed, it is more probable that the barracks were only restructured during the WWI years.

Altimetric profile

Recommandations

Specific regulations concerning protected species in Mercantour National Park.

This itinerary takes place along high-valley Alpine paths.

The accommodation sites listed are the only ones which are available along this route.

Before heading off on a hike, ensure that you have studied the safety advice. If you are setting off on this hike in the early part of the season, you will need to take particular care as patches of snow can still be present in higher areas.

Access and parking

Via the A8 (Exit 51.1 Carros/Mercantour), then RM6202 bis towards Digne/Grenoble, then follow directions for Isola/Isola 2000.

Parking :

Isola 2000 ski station carpark.

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