Lake Belledonne

de fr

A hike to reach a very pretty lake in the Belledonne mountain range. Best done in spring to see the lake and its snowfields.

Details

n°38713
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.62 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 910 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 902 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,175 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,279 m
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Photos

Turn around at the lake.
Lake Belledonne
Lac de Belledone glacial atmosphere
View of the scree

Description of the walk

(S/E) Start at the Coteyssard car park above Allemond.
Take the path that climbs above the road and heads north. It crosses the Coteyssard stream higher up and continues through the forest of the same name.
Further up, it joins theGR®549, then winds westwards and leaves the forest below the Refuge du Chazeau.

(1) Continue above the refuge, then after a short traverse on the hillside facing the Grandes Rousses massif, reach the Pas du Bessey via a moraine.

(2) The trail descends slightly and crosses a scree slope below the Grand Charnier. Arrive at an intersection near the 2016m contour line.

(3) Turn left towards the west, pass two small lakes and, near a waterfall descending from Lac de Belledonne, climb a few switchbacks up the ridge, above which Lac de Belledonne is hidden.
Climb a few switchbacks up the ridge, above which Lac de Belledonne is hidden.

(4) Return by the same route to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,279 m - Coteyssard car park
  2. 1 : km 2.18 - alt. 1,775 m - Chazeau refuge
  3. 2 : km 3.61 - alt. 1,967 m - Pas du Bessey
  4. 3 : km 4.59 - alt. 2,015 m - On the left
  5. 4 : km 5.31 - alt. 2,170 m - Belledonne Lake
  6. S/E : km 10.62 - alt. 1,279 m - Coteyssard car park

Notes

Access:
At the Rochetaillée crossroads, on the RN91 towards Bourg d'Oisans, turn left onto the D526 towards Allemont. In Allemond, take the small road called La Traverse and park near the Dreyta stream at an altitude of 1,275 metres.

Signposting:

  • Yellow/green.
  • White/red for theGR®549.
  • Yellow for the lake.

 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

4.7 / 5
Based on 33 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
nathalie
nathalie
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This lake in Belledonne is as beautiful as ever.
Frozen over on 11 November, there was quite a bit of snow on the scree slope leading up to it, but we managed without crampons (both going up and coming down).
A few people around, but very reasonable for a public holiday.

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jpjoub
jpjoub

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 19, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful hike above Oz and Allemont. The round trip route does not present any major difficulties in normal conditions. Start in Couvers and continue to Chazeau. After that, the route is more exposed, so I would not go if the UV index is high. The end is more difficult in the scree 40 minutes before arriving.There was little water in the lake at the end of August as the glacier had melted a lot. Good physical condition is preferable, but you can stop at Chazeau (a beautiful, very clean refuge with a wood stove, beds and cooking equipment) for the night with a view from the terrace of the Alpette opposite and OZ STATION. The view is magnificent, even from this spot
Note: the spring was not flowing at this refuge at the end of August, so bring water with you.

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bebert38
bebert38

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike
The start was tough until we reached the refuge
Let's hope the lake doesn't disappear, it's so beautiful!
The only problem is that when you leave the Coteyssart woods, part of the trail leads nowhere to reach Chazeau.

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Francou38
Francou38

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 09, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful lake, with some snowfields remaining.
the hike to the lake is a bit long.
Be careful not to follow the GR trail, as it does not go up to the lake.
A fork between the GR and the lake is not very well signposted; the yellow sign in the scree is behind some huge rocks.

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myke13
myke13

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 05, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

At the beginning of June, we encountered snowfields well before reaching the lake, so the route was unpredictable with no landmarks and a risk of sinking. The lake was almost entirely covered in snow, making it less interesting. Worth revisiting later as the walk is nice.

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abruti
abruti

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 21, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Still very snowy from the Bessey Pass, this nevertheless allowed us to cross the scree without risk of sinking between the rocks. Perhaps a little early to climb, the whole snowy section is quite physically demanding!
The lake is just starting to appear, and we were able to enjoy it all to ourselves, as we were the only ones to climb up there that day!
I had already been there without snow, with snowfields and rhododendrons in bloom, but this time it was almost a snow race... Still as beautiful as ever, with few steep slopes. One of the most beautiful hikes in Belledonne for me!

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Tim
Tim
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 09, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Please note that in the event of snow at higher altitudes, it is very difficult to complete the hike without snowshoes or cross-country skis

We climbed up to the hut without any problems, but beyond that point, snow was everywhere, making it difficult to continue in our hiking gear.

The views are exceptional. We will do it again in summer!

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corinnepatrick
corinnepatrick

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful hike
The start was tough until we reached the refuge
Let's hope the lake doesn't disappear, it's so beautiful!

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revolclaude
revolclaude

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 : Yes

A beautiful hike on an easy, even trail to the Pas du Bessay, where you emerge into a truly high mountain setting beneath the Grand Pic de Belledonne. However, reaching the lake shore is easy. Rocks and ice plunge into and are reflected in the green and blue waters of the lake.

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sempervivum
sempervivum

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 29, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, easy hike (except for crossing scree and snowfields) that is not very busy during the week. A steady climb along a good path through the forest, then meadows of rhododendrons and blueberry bushes, gentians and a few martagon lilies. Foggy, with ice still on the lake. Took 5½ hours with lots of photo breaks and a picnic. To be repeated in October for the blueberries!

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Alberto2
Alberto2

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 14, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike. The route, at the beginning and for a short section, does not follow the yellow markings. Lots of snowfields at this time of year. The lake was almost completely frozen over. The route through the scree is not always easy to find.

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PiopioBourgoin
PiopioBourgoin

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 26, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

In good weather, you are guaranteed a spectacular view at the foot of the Grand Pic de Belledonne and, in the distance, the Grandes Rousses with the Pic de l'Etendard, the Pic Bayle and the Pic du Lac Blanc.

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millim
millim

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 09, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very nice weather, not a cloud in the sky. No particular difficulties. There is still some ice left in the lake

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BABOUR RANDO
BABOUR RANDO

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very nice weather (foggy) this Sunday.
Lots of people... but there's plenty of room.

The lighting is better in the afternoon for photos of the Grandes Rousses opposite.

No shade at the top: bring something to protect yourself from the sun.

Lake water temperature: very cold!!! Take care.

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PascalSa
PascalSa

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 24, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful route and the view when you reach the lake is magnificent, with lots of snow and ice still on the lake at the end of July. There were a few people on the trail, but it remains a relatively uncrowded hike.
It takes about three hours to climb at a very leisurely pace with plenty of photo stops.

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