Lake Darbon from Bise

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A superb hike starting from the Chalets de Bise, to discover Lake Darbon, a little gem nestled among the rocks.

⚠️ This route crosses the protected natural area of the Cornettes de Bise. To avoid disturbing the wildlife and preserve its habitat, please respect the regulations in force (see practical information). ANYONE WHO FAILS TO DO SO WILL BE FINED.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.61 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 645 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 642 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,955 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,498 m
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Photos

Discover Lake Geneva after the Pavis Pass
Ibex and Lake Geneva
Lake and ibex
Lake Darbon

Description of the walk

Departure from Les Chalets de Bise, accessible by road (from late April to late November) from Vacheresse.

(S/E) From the Chalets de Bise, follow the red and white markings ofthe GR®®5towards the Col de Bise.

(1) At the first fork, turn left towards Col de Floray. The path climbs steadily in a valley, and the final ascent to the pass is steep.

(2) Follow the ridge to the right, climbing slightly. Then descend and, after a few hairpin bends, you will soon reach Lac de Darbon.

(3) Go around the lake on the right and climb up to Col de Pavis.

(4) Continue to the right (east).

(5) At a fork, turn right towards Col de Bise (view of Lake Geneva). One last climb and you will arrive at Col de Bise.

(6) Descend the switchbacks towards the Chalets de Bise (red and whiteGR®®5markings).

(1) Continue south on theGR®® and return to the Chalets de Bise (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,498 m - Chalets de Bise
  2. 1 : km 0.67 - alt. 1,547 m - Crossroads of the loop
  3. 2 : km 2.14 - alt. 1,919 m - Col Floray
  4. 3 : km 3.01 - alt. 1,821 m - Lac de Darbon
  5. 4 : km 3.59 - alt. 1,943 m - Col de Pavis
  6. 5 : km 3.95 - alt. 1,898 m - View of the - Lac Léman
  7. 6 : km 4.62 - alt. 1,914 m - Col de Bise
  8. S/E : km 6.61 - alt. 1,498 m - Chalets de Bise

Notes

This hike can be extended with another hike described on Visorando, "Tête de Charousse and Crête du Velan". To do this, follow the route to Col de Bise (6). Then take the Tête de Charousse route and, from Col d'Ugeon, descend to Chaets de Bise (S/E). Compared to the "Lac de Darbon" hike alone, allow for an additional 200 metres of elevation gain and an extra hour.

REGULATIONS:

Permitted:

  • Dogs on a leash
  • Camping is permitted from 7 p.m. to 9 a.m. (in the Cornettes de Bise area, excluding the area around Lac de Darbon, within a 200-metre radius).

Prohibited:

  • Picking
  • Picking plants
  • Littering
  • Motor vehicles
  • Campfires
  • Wild camping and bivouacking within 200 metres of Lake Darbon
  • Swimming in Lake Darbon (including pets)

During your trip, you will also encounter herds grazing in the summer pastures. Please respect the following rules of good conduct:

  • Close gates and barriers
  • Keep your dogs on a leash and pick up their faeces
  • Do not wash, bathe or clean any objects in the drinking troughs
  • Do not approach the herds
  • Stay on the paths

Lake Darbon is a very fragile natural environment. To avoid damaging this ecosystem and to respect the tranquillity of the area, please do not swim or allow your dogs to swim in the lake.

Here, as elsewhere, nature deserves your attention

More information: Protection Biotope (APPB) - Pays d'Evian Vallée d'Abondance

This route passes through a protected area, which may be subject to special regulations:

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

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Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 79 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
PierreSmi
PierreSmi

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Hike done in August.
Be aware that this area is very popular, so there will be lots of people at the start. This is why it is important to follow the route in the correct direction (most people start on the return route).
The scenery is magnificent, and there are no major technical difficulties (it can be a little slippery in wet weather)

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User 26207960

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Nice walk

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User 26338952

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 30, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very good directions, welcome map. Sublime hike. Perfect! Thank you 🙂

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Fanette2711
Fanette2711

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike completed on 01.06.2025 after rain, the terrain is slippery, route to be avoided in this case.

There is still some snow, so caution is advised.

The route is easy to follow except when returning to the Col de Bise, where there are no signs and those who are unfamiliar with the area may get lost. I was able to see the small lake of Neuteu, which I had always seen dry until now .

I much prefer doing it this way rather than going via the Col de Bise first. Be careful, there is no shade, so set off early and the hike will be uncrowded on that day. Pure bliss.

And the magnificent ibexes...

Top notch!

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helene.nadin
helene.nadin

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike completed in early June 2025, after heavy rain, which made the descent to Lake Darbon very tricky as it was more slippery than a ski slope. The route is easy to follow from start to finish, apart from the fork when you reach Lake Geneva and head for the Col de Bise: the first fork leads to a dead end, so take the second one on the right. The mistake doesn't take you very far, but with winds of 45 km/h, it's best to get your bearings quickly. The scenery is beautiful and varied, and we'll be happy to come back.

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francoish44
francoish44

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Made on 14 September 2024 after an early snowfall, magnificent.

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almati07
almati07

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 07, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Superb circuit, ibexes, cows, butterflies and birds of prey clearly visible. The previous day's rain made the last few metres of the descent to the lake very slippery. Splendid views of the Leman and the Pays d'en Haut nearby, as well as the Mont Blanc massif, the Aravis and the Ruan glaciers.

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raymondos57
raymondos57

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 02, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Magnificent encounters with the flora and fauna of the Alps

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Randophil57
Randophil57

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 31, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A magnificent loop with many viewpoints over the surrounding peaks and Lake Darbon.
The route is superb with few difficulties apart from the final climb up the combe just before the Col de Floray.
We had a pleasant encounter with a number of very friendly ibex at the Col de Pavis and returned via the gentle descent to the Col de Bise.

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elisabeth tumiati
elisabeth tumiati
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 28, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very pleasant walk, but with very stony paths. Very nice encounter with ibex, but we couldn't see the lake because of the fog. This hike, done in August, is very popular.

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KAUFF
KAUFF

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 19, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A family hike in fine weather, with children (7 years, 3 years and a 15-month-old who was being carried), beautiful scenery, we saw ibex and a chamois. The descent from the Col de Bise towards the Chalets de Bise is slippery, even very slippery in wet weather.

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Fmaussiere
Fmaussiere

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Very good

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pattoun
pattoun

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 04, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

On this date, the weather was really nice and there weren't too many people. Very nice, varied route, lovely surprise to discover Lake Darbon, just magnificent, and in the second part, Lake Leman, grandiose, and to finish, the herd of ibexes, fascinating, there were a lot of them, giving us strength for the descent to the Chalets de Bise, a sublime hike that deserves to be done.

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jpgo
jpgo

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 17, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Superb hike, not too difficult, with the added bonus of seeing a dozen or so ibex not far from the path, which is always difficult to spot. On a second visit a few days later, there were no ibex.
The walk over the 3 cols is superb, with views over Lac Darbon, then the Leman, and another small lake behind the Col de Bise. The chalets de Bise alone are breathtaking, even without snow on the summits.

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Stephlarando
Stephlarando

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Superb hike, definitely worth recommending

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