La Cabine, the restaurant at 3,200 m on the La Grave cable car
What to order: the warm goat's cheese salad from the Ferme des Molières, in La Grave, or the tartiflette if it is cold
Reached only by cable car; open the same days as the summer ascent.
geocalia
Day itinerary · 44.86° N · 6.26° E
La Grave in a day, from the glacier at 3,200 m to the flowers of the Lautaret.
La Grave cable car up to the Girose glacier, lunch at 3,200 m at La Cabine and an afternoon among flowers in the Jardin du Lautaret, about 2 h 45 from Lyon by car.
Leaving from
Direct flight to Lyon fromBarcelona 1 h 30Valencia 1 h 45Madrid 2 hMálaga 2 h 30Sevilla 2 h 30Lanzarote 4 hGran Canaria 4 h 15Tenerife Sur 4 h 15
Part of Écrins National ParkAlps
Add to my trip
Total time13 h
By car2 h 45 each way
From LyonBy car, about 2 h 45
From SpainFlight to Lyon and car, or drive via the A9 and the Rhône
Cable car€37 adults, €25 up to 18 years
WalkingLittle: short walks at the top and in the garden
DifficultyEasy
With childrenYes, well wrapped up
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
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Leave Lyon 2 h 45 by car
via Grenoble and the Romanche valley; past the Chambon reservoir, a narrow stretch for cars only
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1
Meije glacier cable car, from La Grave to 3,200 m
€37 return, €25 up to 18 years; ice cave, €7
+33 4 76 79 91 09
- 1 min on foot
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2
La Cabine, the restaurant at 3,200 m on the La Grave cable car
at the 3,200 m station; last descent at 16:15
Estación superior del teleférico, 3.200 m, 05320 La Grave · +33 4 76 79 91 09
Restaurant €€Book - 13 min by car11,4 km
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3
Jardin du Lautaret, the alpine garden at the pass
€9, free up to age 12; free guided visit at 16:00
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Back home
in Lyon around 20:00
Approximate cost
About €55–70 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
Meije glacier cable car, from La Grave to 3,200 m
La Grave is the place in the Écrins where high mountains are most within reach: from the village square, a cable car climbs in two sections to 3,200 m, at the edge of the Girose glacier, with the north face of La Meije opposite. This plan combines it with lunch on the terrace at the top and a quiet afternoon in the alpine garden at the col du Lautaret, a quarter of an hour away by car. It is a long day from Lyon, but it fits in whole.
Getting there from Spain
From Spain you have two ways. By car, take the A9 to the Rhône and then via Valence and Grenoble, or via Lyon if you come from the north; from Barcelona it is a long journey, so the usual thing is to sleep on the way or in La Grave. The other is to fly to Lyon and hire a car there: from Lyon Saint-Exupéry airport there is even a bus link to La Grave, according to the cable car company. If you sleep in the valley the night before, start straight away at 8:30 on the first regular cabin.
The day, hour by hour
6:45 · Leave Lyon. By motorway to Grenoble and then the D1091, up the Romanche valley. Past the Chambon reservoir there is a narrow emergency stretch, for cars only: if you are in a motorhome, you have to go via Gap or through the Fréjus tunnel.
9:30 · Cable car to 3,200 m. It climbs in two sections, with a stop at 2,400 m. At the top you have the marked glacier path, the ice cave (€7) and the terrace. Bring winter clothes: at that height it is cold in August too.
12:15 · Lunch at La Cabine. At the top station. Tartiflette, pizzas, a wok, or the goat's cheese salad from the Ferme des Molières, in La Grave. Eat early: the last descent is at 16:15 and the terrace fills up at midday.
15:00 · Jardin du Lautaret. Go down and drive a quarter of an hour to the top of the pass. About 2,000 species of mountain flowers at 2,100 m, facing La Meije. If you arrive in time, join the free guided visit at 16:00.
17:00 · Return to Lyon. The same way.
What it costs
The cable car costs €37 return for an adult and €25 up to 18 years; the family pack, €84. Eating at La Cabine, between €15 and €30 per person. The garden, €9, free for under-12s. Not counting the car, the day comes to €70 to €90 per adult.
Time4 h
Change the route
If there is a strong wind and the cable car does not run: an easy hour and a half to the refuge from the Pont d'Arsine:
Walk to the Alpe de Villar-d'Arêne refuge from the Pont d'Arsine
If you prefer to eat down below: €28 set menu on Sunday, in Villar-d'Arêne, on the way to the Lautaret:
Le Faranchin restaurant, in Villar-d'Arêne
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
Le Faranchin restaurant, in Villar-d'Arêne
What to order: the set menu, or the fresh Châteauroux trout meunière; for dessert, the Ferme des Molières goat's cheese
In summer open every day for lunch and dinner; on Sunday, set menu at €28.
Hôtel Le Sérac restaurant, in La Grave
What to order: one of the three menus, the €25 one if you are coming off a full day's walking
Service at 12:30 and 19:30; book by phone or email.
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Écrins National Park
From mid-June to early September, when the cable car (6 June to 13 September 2026) and the garden (first weekend of June to the first weekend of September) are both open. Works on a Sunday: both open every day in July and August.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Check the webcams before you set off
If the summit is in cloud or very windy, swap the order and go to the Alpe refuge.
- 2Bring a winter coat
It is cold at the top even in the sun.
- 3In September, Thursday to Sunday only
The cable car operates those days until 13 September 2026, and the garden closes on the first weekend of the month.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Can it be done on a Sunday?
Yes. In July and August the cable car, La Cabine and the garden open every day.
Is it a good plan with children?
Yes. There is hardly any walking, the garden is free for under-12s and the cable car has a family rate.
Do you need to book?
It is not compulsory. You can buy the cable car ticket at the ticket office or on its website.
How long does it take from Lyon?
About two hours and three quarters by car to La Grave.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/france/provence-alpes-cote-dazur/ecrins/itineraries/cable-car-3200-m-and-lautaret-lyon
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.