Mont Lachens

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Set off to conquer the roof of the Var and enjoy the magnificent panoramic views from the summit.

Details

n°357642
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 13.56 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 709 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 703 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,686 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 987 m
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Photos

Before the village
North side
The western ridge
The meadow

Description of the walk

Departure from La Bastide church.

(S/E) Take theGR®49(wide track) on the right until you reach a paved road.

(1) Leave theGR® 49, which follows the road to the left, and take the road to the right, descending for a few hundred metres until you reach a fork.

(2) Take the path on the left that runs alongside a fence at the entrance to the property. Follow this path straight ahead until it joins a track at the paragliding landing area.

(3) Continue along this track on the right. After a nice bend to the left and then another to the right, join theGR®49.

(4) Turn right for about 250 metres, then take the small path marked in blue on your left and continue until you reach a barrier.

(5) Continue left on this path, which takes you around a few bends in the monotonous track through a fairly bucolic passage. Return to the track.

(6) Continue climbing on the left until you reach the pass, where paragliders take off.

(7) Climb to the summit on your left (signpost) and enjoy a breathtaking view, enhanced by a superb orientation table.

(8) Head south-west to follow the ridge, following the scattered cairns and a few blue markings, the aim being to stay close to the rocky ridge. You will reach a new paragliding take-off point about a hundred metres away.

(9) Take the path on the right that leads away from the rocky ridge (blue markings clearly visible).
Then cross the access road to the summit and follow it for a few dozen metres to reach a picnic area with a viewpoint.

(10) Then follow the path on the left back to La Bastide (signpost + blue markings). Reach and enjoy the remains of the Castrum Sainte-Madeleine, clinging to the rock face.

(11) Take the path again and finish the descent to return to La Bastide and the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 987 m - Church of La Bastide
  2. 1 : km 1.54 - alt. 1,083 m - On the paved road, turn right
  3. 2 : km 1.82 - alt. 1,058 m - At the fork, take the path on the left
  4. 3 : km 3.89 - alt. 1,196 m - Track, turn right
  5. 4 : km 6.37 - alt. 1,380 m - GR49, turn right
  6. 5 : km 6.93 - alt. 1,425 m - Bucolic alternative
  7. 6 : km 7.4 - alt. 1,486 m - Return to the trail
  8. 7 : km 8.89 - alt. 1,625 m - Paragliding launch site
  9. 8 : km 9.22 - alt. 1,684 m - Orientation table
  10. 9 : km 10.02 - alt. 1,572 m - Fork
  11. 10 : km 10.87 - alt. 1,437 m - Picnic area
  12. 11 : km 12.32 - alt. 1,196 m - Castrum Sainte-Madeleine
  13. S/E : km 13.56 - alt. 987 m - Arrival

Notes

At the summit (almost 1700m), the wind blows frequently and it can be very cold, especially outside the summer months (snow is frequent and sometimes heavy in winter).

Worth a visit

 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

4.6 / 5
Based on 39 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
Pascal83600!
Pascal83600!

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Following the comments of other hikers, we also did the trail in reverse. Excellent choice, quite a tough climb, magnificent view, long but gentle descent, ideal for weak knees.
We only encountered one hiker and two mountain bikers all day, which was fantastic!

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Franck D
Franck D

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

Like many of the comments we made, we did the circuit in reverse: we don't regret it, it was a good idea as the climb is pleasant and not as difficult as all that, plus you're well protected from the heat and sun. On the way back down via the track: apart from the knees, the view is more towards the horizon, which is well clear. Once at the top, don't hesitate to go towards the military installations (this is the real summit) where there are 2 orientation tables... Well, there's also a car park!

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fredericmeunier
fredericmeunier

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

"Great walk, a bit of a mishap at the start, we couldn't find the path, so we took the track above and it wasn't bad either.
three types of landscape: the climb, the ridge and the descent. A perfect day."

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manonroro
manonroro

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 21, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike. Only the descent is much less pleasant because the trail is very damaged and therefore difficult. However, the view from the summit is superb. I was lucky to have very clear weather and could see Corsica. Don't hesitate to visit the three highest points.

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alineb13
alineb13

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

A beautiful hike to the summit. We did the circuit backwards, which was nice because the climb up was pleasant and less monotonous than the way back.
The summit was indeed windy, but it was a stormy summer day and that didn't bother us.
No difficulties except that we came across a flock of sheep with three dogs (not Patou dogs, but big nonetheless), and the dogs made it clear that we should stay away (which we had already planned to do!). One of them gave my partner a tiny bite on the calf, nothing serious, but you still have to be careful... as you would anywhere.

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SylvianeP
SylvianeP

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Given the time of year, there were very few people around, but the view of the snow-covered Alps was magnificent! However, due to the snow and wind at the top, I couldn't make it back down via the ridge, which I had trouble locating, and had to cross a patch of snow to reach the forest track before finding the rest of the route (probably a kilometre more than planned). An excellent day!

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mtran
mtran

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 12, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I did the loop in the opposite direction. The climb is intense for the first 30 minutes but not difficult.
From the summit, I estimate that it takes about the same amount of time to finish the loop or turn back.
The scenery is magnificent, a little mix of Provence and Mercantour :-)

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abeauville
abeauville

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 30, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant hike with superb views from the summit. Don't miss the surprising Sainte Madeleine fortified settlement. Personally, I found the climb up the trail long and monotonous, whereas the descent offers beautiful views. For those who aren't keen on doing the whole loop, I would suggest doing a round trip via the GR 49.

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PERICARD R
PERICARD R

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 26, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Route completed in its original version. Steady climb to the summit. Beautiful view. Fast descent, slippery in places (scree) even in dry weather.
Very pleasant hike.

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rinaldopanozzo
rinaldopanozzo

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 11, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Like others in the comments, I preferred to do it in the opposite direction to have a gentle descent and spare my knees. Beautiful view from the top

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cathy asoa
cathy asoa

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 17, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Trace made backwards for a sporty look on the way up and cool knees on the way down. The weather wasn't great, but we were lucky enough to see vultures taking off ten metres away from us on the way up: impressive. The view must be magnificent in good weather, but we were in the clouds 😔. To be repeated

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Ulyssa
Ulyssa

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 04, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Journey made in the opposite direction

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okram gmi
okram gmi

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 04, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A breathtaking 360° view from the summit of Mont Lachens. An orientation table to guide us, perfect.

Depending on the weather, you can see gliders and hang gliders flying overhead.

It's definitely better to do the hike in the opposite direction, under the trees... It's a climb, but if you take it easy, it's fine.

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Sticot
Sticot

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 21, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful loop on the highest peak in the Var.
No difficulty climbing back up, the route and description are reliable.
Photos ht tps://www.instagram.com/p/CGMsjX1AR28/

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pierro000
pierro000

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 09, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

We did this hike in early August and followed the original route, but it was very hot.
There wasn't much to see during the climb, but the view from the summit was beautiful. Note that the "real" summit requires pushing a little further above the paragliding launch site.
The descent was a bit challenging at times, but nothing too complicated.

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