What to do · Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
Hike to Lac Blanc from La Flégère
Information
- Price
- Free; the cable car is paid separately
- Duration
- 3 h
- Distance
- 7 km
- Season
- Summer; not safe with snow until late June
- Who it's for
- Regular walkers; steep gradient
What it is
Lac Blanc is the best-known walk in the valley, and with good reason: a mountain lake at 2,352 m in which, when the water is still, the whole Mont Blanc massif is reflected. It sits on the Aiguilles Rouges side, facing Mont Blanc, inside a nature reserve. This is no stroll: it is a short but steep mountain route over rock and steps, which the tourist office rates as difficult because of the gradient.
You set off from Les Praz de Chamonix, north of the town, where the Flégère cable car is. The cable car saves you about 800 m of climbing and drops you at 1,877 m, at the start of the trail.
The route
It is about 7 km round trip with 500 m of ascent, up and back down. The tourist office estimates 1 h 45 to the lake and about 3 hours in all. The path climbs the slopes of La Flégère with the massif always at your back; the last ramps are the hardest.
On the way back you can come down by the Chéserys chalets and lakes, a variant the tourist office itself recommends, prettier and a little longer, which ends at the same Flégère station.
Reserve rules
The path runs through the Aiguilles Rouges nature reserve, which has strict rules: dogs are not allowed in and swimming is banned in Lac Blanc and in the Chéserys lakes by order of the prefecture, to protect the water. Stay on the path.
When to go
In summer. The tourist office warns that, with snow, the path is not safe at that altitude until late June, and its opening always depends on snow and weather. In July and August, set off early: it is the busiest walk in the valley. Before you go, check on the tourist office website that the Flégère cable car is running that day: the lifts change their hours with the season.
Tips
- Take the first cable car You reach the lake before most people, with the morning light on the massif.
- Mountain footwear The path has loose stones and rock steps. City trainers will not do.
- Bring water and a warm layer There is little shade, and it turns cold up there as soon as a cloud passes.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to walk up to Lac Blanc?
An hour and three quarters from La Flégère; about three hours round trip.
Is it hard?
It is short but steep. The tourist office rates it as difficult because of the gradient.
Can I take a dog?
No. The path is inside the Aiguilles Rouges nature reserve, where dogs are not allowed.
Can you swim in the lake?
No. Swimming is banned by order of the prefecture.
With teenagers
