Three passes and lakes from the Great St Bernard Pass

Access by public transport: Orsières SBB railway station, then bus 210 towards Le Grand-Saint-Bernard, Hospice. Get off at Le Grand-Saint-Bernard, Hospice.

Access by car: from Geneva and Lausanne, take the A9 motorway, exit 22, then follow the signs for Col du Gd-St-Bernard. On the climb, be careful to take the exit on the right leading to the pass, avoiding the tunnel leading directly to the Aosta Valley. Parking spaces are available before or after the Grand-Saint-Bernard Hospice.

(S/E) Locate the path leading to the museum and the kennels. Follow it for a few metres, then, when you reach the signpost, turn left towards Fenêtre de Ferret. Then pass the marker indicating the border between Switzerland and Italy. Continue straight ahead on the path, avoiding another path leading off to the right. The path leads to the pass road, which you should cross with caution as visibility is poor on the left. Continue along the path below until you reach the signposts.

(1) Leave the path that branches off to the left towards Saint-Rhémy and continue straight ahead towards Fenêtre de Ferret and Lacs de Fenêtre. After about 200 m, cross the pass road again with caution and continue on the path climbing up to Fenêtre de Ferret.

(2) Leave the path that branches off to the left and continue to the right until you reach Fenêtre de Ferret, where you will cross back into Swiss territory.

(3) The descent on the Swiss side of Fenêtre de Ferret offers magnificent views of the three Lacs de Fenêtre and the Mont Blanc range, including the Aiguille du Triolet and Mont Dolent. Take a break near the first Lac de Fenêtre on the left. Take time to admire the Grand Golliat massif reflected in the lake. Continue the descent and enjoy the beautiful views of the other two Fenêtre lakes on the right.

(4) The path merges with another path on the right, coming from the Fenêtre d'En Haut. Continue straight ahead towards the Fenêtre lakes, Les Ars, Ferret and La Fouly. Reach the shore of the Lac de Fenêtre: beautiful views of the Grand Golliat massif.

(5) Continue along the path on the left.

(6) Turn left towards Col du Bastillon, Col des Chevaux and Col du Grand-Saint-Bernard. A few dozen metres further on, leave the path to Col du Névé de la Rousse on your left and continue straight ahead towards Col du Bastillon, Col des Chevaux and Col du Grand-Saint-Bernard: the climb to Col du Bastillon offers splendid views of the Lacs de Fenêtre, Mont Blanc and the Grandes Jorasses. Reach Col du Bastillon. Caution: although there are no major technical difficulties, caution and concentration are required in certain sections between points (6) and (7). Do not attempt this route in the event of persistent snowfields

(7) The Col du Bastillon offers a beautiful panorama of the Lacs du Petit and Grand Lé, as well as the Grand Combin and Mont Vélan. Descend the Col du Bastillon to the junction at the foot of the Combe de Drône.

(8) Turn right towards Pas des Chevaux.

(9) At the top of the pass, descend straight ahead towards Col du Grand-Saint-Bernard to return to the starting point (S/E).

Grand Saint-Bernard walking map (Bagnes Valley – Entremont Valley – Val Ferret – Trient Valley) from the Valais Hiking Association. Published by MPA.

Equipment: good walking shoes and walking sticks.

Difficulty: route for experienced hikers in good physical condition, with three passes to cross. Between points (6) and (7), particularly when approaching point (7), the path is more slippery and relatively exposed. Although there are no major technical difficulties, particular care should be taken on certain sections, especially if the path is partially blocked by snow. Not recommended in the presence of significant snow.
In general, given the high average altitude of the route, late snowfields may be present at the beginning or even in the middle of the season, depending on the year.

This route is the most commonly described for this must-see in the Grand-Saint-Bernard region. However, a shorter alternative route is available from Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses (Italy) in hike no. 26301897, "Boucle des Lacs de Fenêtre" (Fenêtre Lakes Loop).

If you would like information on train and bus timetables for the Col du Grand-Saint-Bernard, we recommend using the "Mobile CFF" app on your phone rather than the CFF website. The "Mobile CFF" app also includes "EasyRide", which allows you to buy a ticket online and automatically calculates the cost from your departure point to your destination.
You may also want to consider the "Fairtiq" app, which offers the same type of service for all types of public transport, including trains, buses and urban transport, whether used alone or in combination.

(S/E) Great St Bernard Hospice.
Visit to the kennels and museum at the pass.