The Lakes Trail and Aiguille Grive from Les Arcs 2000

de fr

Hike starting from Les Arcs 2000. As this is a resort hike, there are unfortunately some man-made features, but I suggest the most unspoilt route possible. The first section follows a beautiful path (the ‘Sentier des Lacs’) to Lac des Moutons. Then there is a short but steep climb to Aiguille Grive (2,733m) and its magnificent view of Mont Blanc before heading back down.

Details

n°1294594
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.13 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 2,264 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 2,251 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 8,950 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 7,008 ft
Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Photos

Lac de la Vallée de l'Arc.
Lac des Moutons
Lake Marlou
Lac Saint-Jacques

Description of the walk

From Les Arcs 2000, head to the start of the slopes to find the sign: Arc 2000, alt. 2139m.

(S/E) Follow the track towards Lac des Moutons “sentier des Lacs” 2h05.

(1) Leave the track and turn left onto the path, following the sign: Lac des Moutons “sentier des lacs” 1h55 to Lac Saint-Jacques.

(2) At the lake, continue along the path towards Lac des Moutons "sentiers des lacs" 1h40.

(3) At Plan de l’Homme, continue along the path towards Lac des Moutons “sentiers des lacs” (0h50).

(4) At Lac Marlou, follow the path towards Lac des Moutons "sentiers des lacs" 40 mins.

(5) At the fork after the lake, continue straight ahead, climbing towards Lac des Moutons on the “sentiers des lacs” trail (0h20).

(6) At this sign, continue along the path in front of you to reach Lac des Moutons in a few minutes.

(7) Enjoy the lake before retracing your steps back to the previous junction.

(6) Turn left and head down towards Col de Chal 0h20.

(8) From Col de Chal, head straight up the track to the summit of Transarc and Arcabulle.

(9) From the signpost, follow the sign for Aiguille Grive to the left (0h30). At the start of the path, a sign reminds you of the importance of not cutting across the path as it winds its way up to the summit. The climb is short but steep!

(10) What a view from the summit! There is an orientation table. Descend via the same route.

(9) Leave the path you took on the way up and walk a few metres to the signpost located between Transarc and Arcabulle.

(11) At the signpost, follow the signs for Lac de la Vallée de l'Arc (0h35), taking the path that descends along a small ridge to the track above a large artificial lake.

(12) Turn right onto the track that descends and follow it back to the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 7,008 ft - Arc 2000 signpost
  2. 1 : mi 0.2 - alt. 7,080 ft - Signpost: Lac des Moutons 1h55
  3. 2 : mi 0.55 - alt. 7,300 ft - Lac de Saint-Jacques
  4. 3 : mi 1.42 - alt. 7,969 ft - Plan de l'Homme
  5. 4 : mi 1.68 - alt. 8,222 ft - Lake Marloup
  6. 5 : mi 1.85 - alt. 8,238 ft - Signpost: Lac des Moutons 0h20
  7. 6 : mi 2.11 - alt. 8,327 ft - Signpost
  8. 7 : mi 2.22 - alt. 8,435 ft - Lac des Moutons
  9. 8 : mi 2.97 - alt. 8,084 ft - Col de la Chal
  10. 9 : mi 3.53 - alt. 8,343 ft - Transarc cable car summit
  11. 10 : mi 4.03 - alt. 8,950 ft - Aiguille Grive
  12. 11 : mi 4.57 - alt. 8,327 ft - Signpost: Lac de la Vallée de l'Arc
  13. 12 : mi 5.67 - alt. 7,520 ft - Path/track junction
  14. S/E : mi 7.13 - alt. 7,008 ft - Arc 2000 signpost

Notes

To avoid the descent, you can take the Arcabulle chairlift in July and August.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 5 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
Orélie
Orélie
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

E really lovely hike, especially once you get away from the resort. It’s best done in autumn – the colours are magnificent and there aren’t many people around, which is perfect for me. The most technical part is the climb up L’Aiguille Grive, which offers breathtaking views; the best panoramas are well worth the effort.

And during this time of year, do consider coming during the Xplore Alpes outdoor festival; in the evenings, there are some great films about the outdoors – a perfect combination of a day’s hiking and an evening at the festival.

Machine-translated

vsl42
vsl42

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

A popular route, but that’s to be expected at this time of year
A very lovely walk with no particular difficulty
The climb up Aiguille Grive is certainly steep, but it’s short and the view from the summit is well worth the effort 😊

Machine-translated

Bastien86
Bastien86
• Edited:

We did the route in the opposite direction via the Col d'Entreporte, starting from Arc 1800 and following the route that overlooks the Chapelle des Vernettes up to the Aiguille Grive... From the Chapelle des Vernettes, the route climbs steeply but is more or less easy. The path is steep, so caution is advised for the uninitiated, but the view is superb, with a herd of chamois visible on the scree slope before reaching the Col d’Entreporte... Descent into the Arc 2000 ski area... a less wild landscape with ski lifts, slopes and roads... The Aiguille Grive seen from the Arc 1800 ski area on one side and Arc 2000 on the other....

Machine-translated

Tévy
Tévy

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 14, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Our first experience of summer hiking in the mountains Because of the snow still present at this altitude and at this time of year, we ended up doing the route in the wrong direction due to a misunderstanding. There were some things we couldn’t do because of the snow cover (notably the climb to Aiguille Grive and the lakes trail), but the varied landscapes were definitely worth the detour! We felt as though we were alone in the world as there were very few other hikers, and we were lucky enough to see lots of marmots The route must certainly have been even more beautiful than what we saw, so we’ll have to do it again if we return to the area at a different time of year!

Machine-translated

noones77
noones77

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 19, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing

I wanted to do this hike, but after climbing up to the Aiguille Rouge, I decided instead to take the path leading to the Mont Pourri refuge. It’s a much better path that takes you further away from the resort.

Machine-translated

Rogerla
Rogerla

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 22, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A lovely hike despite an overabundance of ski lifts and a complete lack of signposting (taken down for the winter season). I didn’t quite stick to the marked route: at the Col de la Chal, I descended to the Plan des Eaux before heading to the Col d’Entreporte to get a closer look at the magnificent Aiguille Rousse and complete a route. The climb up to the Aiguille Grive, straight up the valley, proved difficult. It would be better to reach the ridge and follow it to enjoy a longer but less steep route. For the descent, I took the path towards the ski lifts. Further down, the path towards the hill reservoir had been partly damaged by a machine.
Check it out on my blog: http://retraite-savoyarde.over-blog.com/...

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

Walking Lac des Moutons via Arcabulle

Visorando Member
Lac des Moutons par l'Arcabulle
↔6.44 mi ↗+1,850 ft ↘-1,847 ft ◔4h 35 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Bourg-Saint-Maurice (Savoie)
Departure from the Arcs 2000 resort. The actual elevation gain is 208 m thanks to the chairlift ascent (364 m).

Walking Cascade de la Raie viewpoint

Visorando Member
Belvédère de la Cascade de la Raie
↔3.44 mi ↗+1,112 ft ↘-1,106 ft ◔2h 35 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise (Savoie)
Discover a breathtaking natural spectacle. You’ll find yourself just a few metres from a dizzying waterfall, after an easy walk that takes place mainly in the forest.

Walking Lac du Clou and Col de l'Aiguille

Visorando Member
Le Lac du Clou et le Col de l'Aiguille
↔7.15 mi ↗+2,703 ft ↘-2,703 ft ◔5h 40 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise (Savoie)
A magnificent circular if you don't have fog like we did.

Walking The Hunters’ Trail (Lac du Retour circular)

Tourist office
Le Sentier des Chasseurs (Boucle du Lac du Retour)
↔7.64 mi ↗+3,284 ft ↘-3,284 ft ◔6h 20 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Montvalezan (Savoie)
A magnificent hike that alternates between shaded forest sections, a balcony trail and a mountain lake.

Walking The Vernettes Chapel

Association / Club / Walk leader
La Chapelle des Vernettes
↔2.96 mi ↗+617 ft ↘-614 ft ◔1h 55 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Peisey-Nancroix (Savoie)
The Chapelle des Vernettes is a highlight of Baroque religious art in the Tarentaise region and a must-see hike in the Peisey Valley. Its main advantage is its accessibility, which can become a problem in the height of summer when many cars make the trip.

Walking The Aiguille Rousse

Association / Club / Walk leader
L'Aiguille Rousse
↔6.78 mi ↗+3,281 ft ↘-3,281 ft ◔6h 00 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Peisey-Nancroix (Savoie)
Whether seen from Nancroix or Les Vernettes, where it displays its impressive red cliff face, or from Le Rosuel, where it resembles a castle tower, the Aiguille Rousse is always impressive! However, it is only the chance of the relief that gives it this appearance of a watchtower over the valley. Its neighbour, the Aiguille Grive, is significantly higher, but also easier to access. Indeed, it is better not to be afraid of heights at the top of the Rousse!

Walking Lac de l'Étroit and Croix Bozon

Visorando Member
↔5.53 mi ↗+3,330 ft ↘-3,333 ft ◔5h 25 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Peisey-Nancroix (Savoie)
The walk begins at a historic site with a rich industrial past, once home to silver-lead mines, and continues through a distinctly mountainous landscape, passing by pastoral activities on the descent.

Walking The Lac de la Plagne

Association / Club / Walk leader
Le Lac de la Plagne
↔8.24 mi ↗+2,192 ft ↘-2,172 ft ◔5h 40 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Peisey-Nancroix (Savoie)
Lac de la Plagne is a classic day hike in the Peisey Valley. It takes you right into the heart of the Vanoise National Park in a very mountainous setting. The normal route can be done without a map, as it is entirely on theGR®5, which is why I am suggesting a wilder route here, but also more challenging due to numerous stream crossings and some off-trail sections.

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.