Lessy Lake

The Lac de Lessy, located in a valley at the foot of the Jallouvre, Buclon and Aiguille Verte mountains, is well worth a visit. The route takes you up and down hills, offering magnificent panoramic views.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.31 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 6h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 3,146 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 3,123 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 6,339 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 4,180 ft

Photos

Description of the walk

Departure from the chapel located on Route du Vieux Village in Chinaillon. There is a car park with 6 or 7 spaces nearby.

(S/E) From the car park, head towards the chapel and turn onto Chemin de la Bouvardière, which climbs uphill. Pass a group of houses and then a solitary house. About 50 metres further on, you will see the start of a path on the right.

(1) Follow this path as it climbs through a meadow and reaches the woods. Begin a steady climb and reach a track with several alpine chalets at La Gaudinière.

(2) Continue to the right, pass a rocky area and ignore the paths leading downhill.

(3) Be careful! At the start of a grassy path on the left, continuing on from the one you have been following, continue along the faint path opposite towards the top of the valley and the Col de la Colombière.

(4) At the stream, climb up to the left, join theGR® and continue to the ridge via the wide path that winds its way up.

(5) Climb up to the right and, a few metres later, turn right onto the path that continues along the side of the mountain. Pass a small section with a handrail (no difficulty) and reach a small pass at an altitude of 1,902 metres.

(6) Enjoy the view before heading towards Lac de Lessy. Reach the lake and the chalets.

(7) Continue around the lake, preferring the path to the track leading to the chalets. Then climb back up the track to the Col de la Forclaz.

(8) From the pass, begin a long, steady descent that follows the track and joins the Chalets de Mayse.

(9) Take the path on the left and at the three-way junction, continue uphill. This turns into a trail and continues towards the ridge. After a flat section, the climb continues on rocky terrain, turning left to quickly reach the pass at Planay.

(10) Switch to the other side, following the edge of the forest and then entering it.

(11) At the fork above the houses of La Culaz, turn left and follow the path along the edge of the pastures until you reach a track.

(12) Follow this track to the left for a few metres and take a path downhill to the right. Join a new track and continue to the left until you reach La Bouvardière. Then follow the small road to the Chinaillon chapel (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 4,180 ft - Chapel of the Old Village of Chinaillon
  2. 1 : mi 0.26 - alt. 4,291 ft - Path on the right
  3. 2 : mi 0.68 - alt. 5,108 ft - La Gaudinière, track on the right
  4. 3 : mi 1.04 - alt. 5,033 ft - Path opposite
  5. 4 : mi 1.25 - alt. 5,128 ft - Ru, on the left
  6. 5 : mi 2.25 - alt. 6,175 ft - Ridge, on the right
  7. 6 : mi 2.82 - alt. 6,237 ft - At the small pass, turn left
  8. 7 : mi 3.34 - alt. 5,709 ft - Lessy Chalet - Lac de Lessy
  9. 8 : mi 3.95 - alt. 6,053 ft - Col de la Forclaz (1844m)
  10. 9 : mi 4.82 - alt. 4,934 ft - Chalets de Mayse
  11. 10 : mi 5.52 - alt. 5,545 ft - Le Planay
  12. 11 : mi 6.03 - alt. 4,777 ft - La Culaz
  13. 12 : mi 6.39 - alt. 4,518 ft - Track, on the left for a few metres
  14. S/E : mi 7.31 - alt. 4,180 ft - Chapel of the Old Village of Chinaillon

Notes

The route is not very well signposted but easy to follow with numerous signposts.

If there is no parking available near the chapel, there is a free car park behind the Chinaillon Tourist Office. To get there, take the first road on the right, Route de la Floria, after the crossroads leading to the chapel. Allow an extra 1.5 km on your journey.

Worth a visit

Col de la Colombière.
Former Chartreuse du Reposoir.
Aravis Pass.

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.

Reviews and comments

4.9 / 5
Based on 22 reviews

Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
oj.17
oj.17

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 04, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

I started the trail alone, but quickly joined a large group of people who were out enjoying the day. This hike is very beautiful and offers superb views

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User 25890233

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 02, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Nice outing

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denisvindret
denisvindret

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 19, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful route with varied landscapes alternating between ascents and descents. I went to Pas du Roc and Aiguille Verte, which added 200 metres of elevation gain but was easily manageable.
Magnificent and varied panoramic views.
A must-do, especially during the week 🙂

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AudreyCochyn
AudreyCochyn

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very nice hike with beautiful views
The climb from Mayse to the pass is quite long on a forest road, but the arrival at the pass and the view make up for the effort 🤩
Lots of people... too many... I didn't expect to find so many hikers at this time of year.
I can't even imagine what it must be like in the middle of summer!
The conditions were perfect, it must be said: temperatures and beautiful blue skies

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kaolak1
kaolak1

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

It was a beautiful loop (although I didn't enjoy the descent at the GR96 because of the rocky trail), which allowed me to see the Grand Bornand area in a different light than when it's covered in snow.

The hike is pleasant because from point 4 to the lake, you come across lots of animals along the way, which makes it more enjoyable. The only downside is that when you join the GR96, it's crowded and, as the paths are narrow, it's a bit annoying.
It was a sunny, hot Saturday afternoon, which explains why it was so busy. The good weather also made the lake look beautiful with the sun's reflections, and it was a good place to eat before continuing on our way.

By the way, before starting the hike, I went to see the mysterious waterfall, which is a 2-minute drive from the starting point of the hike.

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celm75
celm75

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 31, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very nice tour. Not very busy from the Col de La Forclaz. The descent to the Mayse chalets is not very pleasant but offers a beautiful view. The "Difficult" rating is a bit overestimated in my opinion (perhaps due to the length and elevation gain).
Did this from Samance with two children aged 7 and 9. Returned to Chinaillon by bus, getting off at the road from Culaz as the children were tired.

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Vic&Nath
Vic&Nath

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 26, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike offering stunning panoramic views.
The climb to the lake is not particularly difficult.
It is possible to continue on to the Aiguille Verte, although we decided not to (which I now regret).
The return via Planay is less pleasant. The descent is steep and can be slippery in places, although not dangerous. Although we prefer circular routes, this is a hike that could be done as a round trip.
In summary, a pleasant hike that is highly recommended.

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Delasu
Delasu

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Superb hike with stunning scenery. We didn't see anyone during the first climb into the woods, and then no one else on the rest of the trail. The elevation gain is quite significant, but despite this, this hike is definitely worth doing.

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Wallau2018
Wallau2018

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 29, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike completed as a loop in the direction indicated, but starting from the Chinaillon tourist office, which adds 30 to 45 minutes to the walk. A very pleasant walk with no particular difficulties, apart from a few sections on the side of the mountain for people like me who are afraid of heights (when arriving at the lake via the Collet (6)) and a longer return via the Chalets de Mayse and the Col du Planay, but this makes the hike more interesting. I would therefore recommend this route without hesitation...

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Elsergio
Elsergio
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 24, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike completed on 24/07/2024. Truly magnificent in every way.
Only comment: between points 9 and 10 (in the direction of the description), just before reaching the pass, there is a rocky and fairly steep section that is difficult to pass without using your hands to pull yourself up. No technical skills are required, but it is a bit physically demanding.
This is the second time I've done this hike, and it's still just as beautiful.

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Palavas34
Palavas34

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 22, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike with no particular difficulty other than the elevation gain.
You can climb up to the Aiguille Verte (adding about 80 metres of elevation gain) for a view overlooking the lake without really extending the route.
The descent after the Col du Forclaz is a bit long.
An early start is recommended to avoid the heat and crowds (not too numerous)
There are places to eat and drink at the lake and at the bottom of the Col du Forclaz before the climb back up (which is a bit steep)
I did this hike with my dog without any problems: we crossed a herd of cows at the start of the hike

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bervou
bervou

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 20, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The route was completed in bright sunshine, fortunately with quite a few sections through woodland. Very pleasant and varied with some steep sections but no difficulties or hazards. Fantastic scenery and herds of cows and goats...

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stéphanie balthazar
stéphanie balthazar

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 29, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike with a stunning view from the top of the Aiguille Verte, despite a very cloudy day.

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BOLLARD
BOLLARD

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 28, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The passage through the scree was difficult, but the view around the lake was very pretty.

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PatBallade
PatBallade

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 02, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We just completed this beautiful hike under a magnificent sun (departure at 9:00 a.m.).
We followed the route as indicated with a slight modification at the start: we left from the heights of Samance (see hike no. 141230) after the CGH residence. You rejoin the hike just before point 3. I recommend sticking to this route.
The climb is gentle, with the added bonus of spectacular scenery and Mont Blanc towering over the Aravis mountain range. We were accompanied by goats for part of the way.
There are places to eat at Lac de Lessy. After the Col de la Forclaz, the descent on the stony track seems endless, but never mind...
The time indicated is correct, and the signposting is good and corresponds to the directions.

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