Chardonnet Lakes going up via Parafour

The hike starts at the foot of the Parafour chairlift, right next to the Tignes le Lac Tourist Office (at the top).

(S/E) From the start of the hikes, follow the marked Lacs du Chardonnet trail, which climbs to the left. Please note that the entire first part of the climb is in the middle of the mountain biking area, but the reserved trails are clearly marked at each intersection. Continue climbing until you reach the restaurant.
(Note: it is possible to make the climb via the ski slope that runs alongside the trail. However, please be careful as it is used by mountain bikes.)
At the La Savouna restaurant, continue along the trail, following the yellow markings (signs and arrows).

(1) Continue left on the trail, following the Lacs du Chardonnet signs. Enjoy the view of Tignes and the lakes of Tignes and Chevril.
At the next junction, take care: follow the signs for "Aiguille Creuse" and "Col" on the left.

(2) When you see the Merles chairlift, look to your right to find the junction marked for hikers by yellow signs. Take this path on the right towards Lac du Chardonnet.

(3) When you reach Lac du Grand Chardonnet, follow the trail on the ground that branches off to the right instead of the marked trail to go around the lake at the top. Caution! The tour of the lake requires you to take a narrow, steep path, then cross a scree slope. Both are flat but make this hike quite difficult.
Note: you can avoid the tour of the lake by continuing on the yellow-marked trail at the point (3) towards Lac du Petit Chardonnet.

(4) On the other side of the lake, climb up the hill on the right (no visible path) until you reach the picnic tables at the top. From there, take the yellow trail that descends to your right until you see Lac du Petit Chardonnet.

(5) When you reach this lake, go around it on the right, following the trail until you reach the private fishing area. There you will find picnic tables where you can take a break before starting the descent.

(6) You are now at the top of the Combe des Militaires. A very steep trail (especially at the beginning) leads directly down the slope. Begin the descent back to Tignes.
The most difficult part of the descent ends at the bottom of the Combe des Militaires. From there, follow the yellow markings indicating the return to Tignes and continue downhill on your left.

(7) At the crossroads, continue on your left towards Tignes Le Lac. (A trail branches off to the right and leads to Tignes Val Claret. From there, you can hike along a section of the GR®5 trail.)
Follow the trail. There is another road, which you will cross several times, but it is reserved for the Tignes golf course. The signs clearly indicate the hiking trail each time, so there is no risk of getting lost.

(8) At the bottom of the slope, cross the road at the pedestrian crossing to reach the edge of Lac de Tignes and follow it to the Tigne swimming pool. At the swimming pool, a road climbs up to your left and leaves the edge of the lake. This is a shortcut that takes you directly back to the tourist office (S/E).

You can make the hike easier by going up the ski slopes instead and following the marked trail that winds between the two lakes.

It is also possible to do the hike in reverse to avoid the steep descent of the Combe des Militaires, but in this case, the climb is all in one go with a steep slope.

Toilets are available at the start of the hike (in the picnic area of Tignes Le Lac, below the Tourist Office) on the lake side. They are a little hidden, so don't hesitate to ask.

Picnic tables are available at the top of the two Chardonnet lakes and just where the hike joins the lake tour. There is also a water point on the lake tour, next to the large rock fountain.