The three glacial Malrif lakes (Grand Laus, Petit Laus, and Mézan) of the Hautes-Alpes department are located in the intra-alpine biogeographic zone of Briançonnais-Queyras. It is subject to a dry continental-type mountain climate with wetter Adriatic influences from the Italian Po plain. The lakes notably include characteristic cryophilic low-marsh habitats containing rare plant species as well as lichen-rich moorlands on the windy and cold ridges.