The Blanchet Lakes

Hello and thank you for all this information. However:
- as regards this tour, it was done as specified at the start from the refuge with the climb to the lodge the day before
- for the 254 m of elevation gain and the 3,600 m shuttle to the lodge, it is not necessary to take the dusty track all the way, but instead, for example, turn left before the Clausis bridge, climb a few metres, then take the path on the right along the river and then access the refuge (the route is described on Visorando),
- as for the shuttle, the choice made can undoubtedly be explained by the municipality of Saint-Véran
- as for the people at the refuge and all the activities that go with it, you have found the right words to describe this place: Despite everything, the site is magnificent.
Have a nice day.

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Date of your route : Aug 19, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

Let's be clear about the shuttle buses. Between the shuttle bus terminus and the starting point of this hike, you will have to climb 254 metres, covering 3,600 metres in just over an hour on a dusty, busy track. This should be added to the information provided for the circuit and taken into account. Of course, the same applies for the descent. For the benefit of hikers, these figures should be clearly stated in the guidebook.
It should also be noted that the shuttle bus is now more expensive and does not go as high.
When we arrived at the lodge, there were no fewer than a hundred people, a dozen donkeys, six cars and a whole bunch of mountain bikes.
Despite everything, the site is magnificent.

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Date of your route : Jul 24, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk!
We did this hike as a family with my 9-year-old daughter in July.
The difficulty is moderate; what motivated my daughter was reaching the two beautiful lakes and then getting to the Italian border! We managed to take a few photos on small patches of snow at the summit and then came across some marmots on the descent back to the refuge.
Between points 2 and 3, we naturally veered eastwards (up to the 2,881 m point) to follow the Italian border just before the “Col de Saint-Véran”.
At a moderate pace, including stops and photos, it took us 2 hours and 20 minutes to get back to the refuge.
Thanks for mapping out this lovely route! Brilliant!

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Date of your route : Oct 19, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Not very busy, as we did the hike on 13 October. A lovely hike. After Lake Supérieur, how do you choose the path? There are plenty of cairns. We headed in the direction of the lake and, when we saw the rocky outcrops, followed the cairns to the right. No problem.

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Date of your route : Aug 15, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A really lovely route via the Col de Saint-Véran, starting with a climb up to the Pic de Caramantran (which is quite busy), then back over the Col de Saint-Véran to Roccabianca (almost deserted, with a trickier approach), before descending via the Lacs Blanchets (where you can swim in the upper lake), and returning to Saint-Véran via the refuge.

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Hello
Yes, you’re right, you have to keep to the right all the time to reach the ridge and finally get to the Col de Saint Véran.
Admittedly, this can be tricky in foggy conditions, but in good weather I don’t think there’s any difficulty.
In these mountainous areas – though this applies throughout the country – it is sometimes very useful to have the following to hand:
- a map of the area,
- the route on the app,
- and also a small compass to help you find your way.
But you’re right, this hike is straightforward, easy and allows you to discover two little-visited lakes.

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Date of your route : Jul 09, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very pleasant, easy hike, but one that presents an interesting dilemma regarding which route to take once you’ve passed the Upper Blanchet. Once past this point, keep to the right to reach, via a steady climb, the Col de Saint Véran (or the path leading back down to the refuge and Lac de la Blanche). Don’t be tempted by the natural slope to the left: it leads to some rather treacherous rocky outcrops.

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Good evening, and many thanks for your comment highlighting the cairn markers.
You took a different route to the one described and... you reached the Col de Saint Véran.
I specified in the description that there were several routes and that they all lead to this pass.
That is why I question the ‘Medium’ rating regarding the reliability of the route.
Have a good evening

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Date of your route : Sep 24, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very pleasant walk, posing no difficulty for hikers accustomed to mountain trails.
According to the guidebook, halfway between points 2 and 3, we opted to take the cairn-marked path (one of several!) leading towards the ridge on the right, which took us back without any trouble to the top of the Col Véran, where we found a very pleasant descent offering stunning 360° views.

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