Lac des Pourettes, Lacs Robert and Lac Achard

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A challenging hike starting from Roche Béranger to discover the Lacs Robert via the Brèche Nord, passing by Lac des Pourettes and then returning via Lac Achard. Magnificent, wild landscapes.
Please note that there are rocky passages to cross.

Details

n°13808260
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.03 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 672 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 663 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,163 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,651 m
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Photos

Lacs Robert
Lac des Pourettes
Lac Achard
Lac Achard

Description of the walk

At Roche Béranger, park on the Route de la Croisette near the residence of the same name. The start of the hikes is indicated by signs next to the Croisette chairlift.

(S/E) Head north on the Route de la Croisette.

(1) Atthe first bend, leave the road on the right. Immediately take the path that descends to the left. After a steep descent, the path levels out. Cross a tarmac road and take the Chemin des Demoiselles. Arrive at Le Recoin. Pass by the start of the Croix cable car.

(2) After the playground, turn right onto theGR®738. Further on, turn left towards the Col de l'Aiguille.

(3) At the pass, descend the other side towards Lac des Pourettes. Follow the small path (GR®738), which is clearly visible opposite in the meadow and then enters the forest. Pass by a small lake, then turn right at a crossroads. Arrive at Lac des Pourettes.

(4) Walk along the lake on your left towards Lacs Robert. The path climbs, becoming increasingly difficult with rocky passages to cross. Cross the scree and arrive at Lacs Robert. Keep to the left and walk along the lakes on the mountainside. Arrive at Brèche Nord.

(5) Keep to the right and walk along the lakes. Pass by a shelter.

(6) At a hut, turn left towards Col des Lessines. The climb is steep and ends with a rock climb.

(7) At the pass, turn right towards Croix de Chamrousse. The trail winds along the mountainside through a desert-like landscape. Arrive at Col de la Botte.

(8) Descend to the left towards Lac Achard. Along the way, discover three small lakes.

(9) At a trail junction, turn left (southeast) towards two large cairns. Discover another lake on the left.

(10) Pass Col de l'Infernet and descend towards Lac Achard, which is clearly visible. Ignore the paths that branch off to the right and head for the southern tip of Lac Achard.

(11) Turn right onto the pontoon and head towards Roche Béranger. The very stony path alternates between ascents and descents before levelling out. Arrive at the artificial lake of La Lauze (de Roche) then descend the track to reach La Croisette (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,782 m - La Croisette
  2. 1 : km 0.46 - alt. 1,790 m - Start of the trail
  3. 2 : km 1.82 - alt. 1,676 m - Intersection
  4. 3 : km 2.75 - alt. 1,770 m - Col
  5. 4 : km 4.23 - alt. 1,800 m - Lac des Pourettes
  6. 5 : km 5.26 - alt. 2,041 m - Brèche Nord - Lacs Robert
  7. 6 : km 5.85 - alt. 1,998 m - South bank hut - Lacs Robert
  8. 7 : km 6.21 - alt. 2,100 m - Col des Lessines (2100m)
  9. 8 : km 6.97 - alt. 2,163 m - Col de la Botte (2,166 m) Chamrousse
  10. 9 : km 7.86 - alt. 2,069 m - Crossroads - Cairns
  11. 10 : km 8.23 - alt. 2,026 m - Col de l'Infernet (1,994 m)
  12. 11 : km 8.91 - alt. 1,917 m - Lac Achard (Belledonne)
  13. S/E : km 11.03 - alt. 1,782 m - La Croisette

Notes

Rocky passages after Lac des Pourettes towards the northern breach of the Lacs Robert and on the climb up to the Col des Lessines.

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

Worth a visit

Regulations at Lac Achard
Camping prohibited: 1 May to 30 October + Infernet sector
Municipal decree no. 23-069 of the commune of Chamrousse
No fires: Prefectural decree no. 38-2017-04-28-007 of Isère
Swimming prohibited: Municipal decree no. 23-069 of the municipality of Chamrousse
Fishing prohibited: Municipal decree no. 23-069 of the municipality of Chamrousse
The collection and cutting of wood, even dead wood, the picking of plants, and the extraction of sand, topsoil or fossils are strictly prohibited, unless expressly authorised.
Dogs must be kept on a leash.

Regulations at Lac Robert
Camping permitted: from 7 p.m. to 9 a.m.
No fires: Prefectural decree of Isère
Swimming prohibited: please do not swim in order to protect the lake from human pollution.
Fishing is permitted with a fishing licence.

 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 12 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
patsea
patsea

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

Only the elevation needs to be revised + 100 m. In general, this is quite common on your routes
i measure altitudes with my Suunto, which has a barometric altimeter. I think most
contributors measure this with their phones, which is unreliable
Best regards

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User 13769418

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

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

hike to be done out of season if you want to avoid the crowds, or parish specific to Brittany, to be done very early in the morning.
the departure point is not very well signposted in Chamrousse

at the Robert lakes, there are lots of people who aren't properly equipped, wearing sandals, probably because of the proximity of the cable car. There are indeed lots of swimmers and dogs off the leash

The hike is fairly easy and the different viewpoints are worth the detour

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Pascal 73160
Pascal 73160

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 16, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

We did this hike on 15 August 2025. We love wild hikes, but this one is very busy. We set off from Chamrousse resort, which put us off a little because it was too crowded and noisy.
However, once we reached Lac des Pourettes, there were fewer people and the trail through the pine trees to the lake was very beautiful. Then there was a challenging section through the rocks to the Robert lakes. The view from the top was breathtaking!
We saw lots of people taking the cable cars and walking down the ski slope. The big downside of this hike, which was far too crowded for our liking, was that people didn't respect the rules in the mountains: lots of dogs weren't on a leash and people were swimming in the lakes, risking disturbing the aquatic flora and fauna.
Nevertheless, we took a break at the lakes because the site is truly magnificent. We then set off for the Col des Lessines via a very steep path that ends with a climb over rocks that is not particularly difficult but does require some effort!
On that note, we came across many people in sandals who were completely ill-equipped for this level of hiking, which was quite disconcerting given the terrain.
The rest of the hike to Lake Achard is along the mountainside with views of several mountain lakes and the Ecrins. It's superb! Then we descended from the Col de l'Infernet to Lake Achard via a very stony path, which wasn't very pleasant, but the view was magnificent!
Lac Achard is very busy but very beautiful, and the trail back to the slopes is lovely, running through pine trees and alternating between rocky sections and roots.

This hike is very beautiful, but we would still classify it as moderately difficult because some sections are close to rock climbing. You need to be in good shape to do it and not attempt it in sandals or without water.
For those who enjoy peaceful hikes, you may be a little disappointed, but it is still absolutely superb thanks to the landscapes you pass through.

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maran04
maran04

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 26, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

As many people pointed out, there are a lot of rocks both on the way up and on the way down, but it's well worth the effort.
What's more, we had fantastic weather all day long.
It takes a good five hours to complete the hike, not including breaks for snacks and time spent taking photos.

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Le randonneur Isèrois
Le randonneur Isèrois

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 11, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A very pleasant hike to get back into shape after a long break. Although classified as easy, the route still requires a bit of training. The reward is at the end of the trail, which leads to a magnificent spot with lakes, each more beautiful than the last. A must-do, and if possible, spread it out over two days to fill your lungs with fresh air.

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foxy26
foxy26

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Route with lots of stones and rocks along the way. Very beautiful lakes to see, beautiful panoramic views.

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Patou GB
Patou GB

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A superb hike, where you can feast your eyes on the lakes and landscapes. Be careful at point 4, which crosses scree slopes.

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Ginyboo
Ginyboo

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 08, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike!
It is quite busy, but that's to be expected in the middle of August.

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cricri151260
cricri151260

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 13, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Some areas are lovely, quiet and peaceful, while others are much less so, becoming very busy after Robert Lakes.
Some sections are quite steep, justifying the description "strenuous hike".
Nevertheless, there are beautiful landscapes and views.
Best done outside the summer season to enjoy the charm of hiking.

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pastille29
pastille29

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 23, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Quite mixed reviews: some areas are lovely, quiet and peaceful, while others are much less so, very busy, with all that that entails...
Some sections are quite steep, which justifies calling it a "sporting hike".
Nevertheless, beautiful landscapes and views.
Best done outside the summer season to enjoy the full charm of the hike

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Agnes Jacquemond
Agnes Jacquemond

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 19, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful route
We found people at the Robert lakes

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V4_pat
V4_pat
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 06, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very nice and varied route, thank you for sharing

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