The three lakes

Looking for a varied hike with different terrain? Then look no further than the Three Lakes Hike.
Rooted footpaths, forest tracks, uneven terrain, crossing the Gazon du Faing, Lac Noir, Lac Blanc and Lac des Truites (also known as Lac du Forlet) and, on a clear day, a diversion to the Belmont Rocher observatory or Rocher de Hans.
A lovely hike to do in fine weather. It's better for the scenery.

Details

481832
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.16 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,394 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,394 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 4,281 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 3,130 ft

Photos

Description of the walk

From Orbey, take the D48 II towards Les Lacs, Col du Bonhomme. Go past the village of Pairis for about 4.5km and turn left onto the D48.3. Reach the Lac Noir car park, which will be the start of the walk.

(S/E) Follow the D48.3 road for 25m.

(1) Take the yellow rectangular path on your left. This is the Sentier Cornélius. It joins a wider path that curves left and then right.

(2) About ten metres before you reach the D48.2 road, take the small track on your left.

(3) After 150m, turn right to continue along the Lac Blanc.

(4) Continue along the D48 to the left for around 200m, then turn left onto the Sentier Freppel, signposted Cercle Rouge. Continue for 15 minutes, then turn left onto the yellow rectangular path, ignoring the right-hand path signposted "Col du Calvaire".

(5) A short climb will take you to the ski lifts. Take the forest track on your left, GR®5Rectangle Rouge.

(6) Climb up to the Gazon du Faing, following the signs for the Hautes Chaumes crossing or the Yellow Triangle signs, which will take you 30 minutes later to the Lac des Truites.

(7) Turn left and head downhill for 200m until you come to a junction signposted Lac des Truites, on the right, marked with red triangles. The descent continues along a steep, winding path to the Lac des Truites.

(8) At the Forlet farmhouse inn, continue around the lake to the right, marked with red triangles, to reach the dam.

(9) Continue along the path on your left, marked Cercle Rouge, to cross the Forêt Domaniale des deux lacs. At the crossroads of 4 paths, veer slightly to the left to continue straight ahead and join a track a few metres further on, following it to the right. After a bend to the left, fork right onto a path as far as the next crossroads.

(10) Follow the Red and White Rectangle markings. On the left, cross a track to reach the Lac Noir car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 3,133 ft - Parking du - Lac Noir
  2. 1 : mi 0.04 - alt. 3,143 ft - Cornélius path
  3. 2 : mi 1.3 - alt. 3,363 ft - 10m before D48.2, turn left
  4. 3 : mi 1.38 - alt. 3,445 ft - Possible fork to the - Observatoire Belmont
  5. 4 : mi 1.6 - alt. 3,461 ft - Parking du - Lac Blanc (massif des Vosges)
  6. 5 : mi 2.32 - alt. 3,675 ft - Ski touring
  7. 6 : mi 2.82 - alt. 4,055 ft - Entrance to the Gazon du Faing
  8. 7 : mi 4.33 - alt. 4,275 ft - Intersection - Gazon du Faing
  9. 8 : mi 5.21 - alt. 3,570 ft - Refuge le Forlet
  10. 9 : mi 5.55 - alt. 3,494 ft - Dam - Lac des Truites
  11. 10 : mi 6.8 - alt. 3,442 ft - Intersection
  12. S/E : mi 7.16 - alt. 3,133 ft - Arrival at - Lac Noir

Notes

Off the route: You can continue straight on to make a diversion to the Belmont Rocher observatory and retrace your steps.

(4) From Lac Blanc, you can climb up to see the Vierge Hans by following the small signposted "Cercle Rouge" path to the left of the lake.

This is an average hike requiring a minimum of training.
IBP index=57hkg on the FFRandonnée website.

Good footwear required.

Worth a visit

Hans and the Virgin Rock
Belmont Observatory Rock
Black Lake
Lac Blanc
Lac de Forlet

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.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 248 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
Evouuue
Evouuue

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 17, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A hike we did in mid-June; very well signposted.
Suitable for beginners: although we’re not particularly fit, we completed it in 3 hours 50 minutes without hiking boots (which I wouldn’t recommend, as some sections are steep and there are a few rocky stretches).

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atp17
atp17

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 15, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A superb, fairly accessible hike with a few fairly steep sections.
It’s best to start from the Lac Blanc car park, where parking is easier.

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User 23595009

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 14, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

In my opinion, this is one of the best walks you can do in Alsace. The variety of landscapes—from lakes to forests and clearings—is exceptional for such a short route. It was a nice bonus to come across a few boundary markers marking the Franco-German border following the 1870 war at the top of the Gazon du Faing.

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User 29101406

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 28, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

It was very busy because it was a long weekend and the weather was lovely...there was just one moment where there was a lack of signage: a sign prohibited going straight ahead to protect biodiversity, so we had to climb up a steep section and for a moment we wondered if we were really going the right way. Otherwise, I think it should be rated as moderate difficulty +, as our group encountered difficulties, mainly due to the large stones that were very common on the paths.

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User 29408903

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 25, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A wonderful first hike. A variety of views and different terrains. Even in 30-degree heat, it was very pleasant as it was shaded.

Be careful on the tricky sections.

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User 19330785
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 09, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

The walk is really lovely in good weather, as there’s a slightly damp section near the springs and a bit of a steep climb (or descent, depending on which way you go). And the scenery is always more beautiful in the sunshine. It’s said to take 4½ hours. We did it in 4 hours 15 minutes. No vertiginous sections.
We recommend it.

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jctrimintin
jctrimintin

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 22, 2026
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

I did this hike in April 2026 during the school holidays, so it was very busy. I use a Garmin GPS, so thankfully I had no trouble finding my way, as the GR markings had disappeared.
This hike includes some difficult sections (large boulders on the paths, making access very tricky). Rocky from start to finish. The climb after point 5 has no markings and nothing to indicate a path. For me, this isn’t a hike but more of a trail run.
As for the scenery, I was disappointed – very few views and lots of sections through the forest. This hike should be classified as difficult.
Thanks to the author

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User 18924324

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 21, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The scenery was stunning, the trails were brilliant – a bit of a challenge at times, but with the right footwear it’s a breeze.

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GUILLAUME.S
GUILLAUME.S

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 04, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I was very surprised by the amount of snow at this time of year. Visibility was poor from various vantage points. Worth doing again in good weather

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User 27962901

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Hike on Sunday, 9 November.
Unfortunately, the weather was not on our side, but luckily for us, most of the hike takes place in the forest ( ).
The whole route is well marked and the route on the app is very realistic.
The least enjoyable part, concentrated on the plateau above Lac Blanc, consists of mud, slippery grass and rocks, which is not very pleasant and tiring over long distances. The rest of the hike is fairly accessible.
The tour took three hours, with no stops to eat due to the weather, but a few short stops to enjoy the scenery when the clouds cleared.

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User 12726897
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 04, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

We completed this wonderful and varied route on Tuesday, 4 November 2025 in sunny weather. For timing reasons, we shortened the route towards the end, skipping Lake Trout and descending directly to Lake Black. On the long straight stretch of Hautes Chaumes, we initially turned left too early to descend, but we quickly realised our mistake! There are some muddy sections at this time of year on the climb from Lac Blanc to Les Chaumes, but it's fine! There were surprisingly many people (and not just pensioners!) for a weekday outside the holiday season! But it was nice!

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User 20619355

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 02, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful route, but lots of large rocks.
A tiring trail for me, best avoided with children.

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User 24910184

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 24, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

This hike includes some difficult sections (large rocks on the paths, making access very complicated). It would be good to point this out, as not all hikers will be able to navigate them easily.

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User 12859905

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 15, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful hike, done in September. Some tricky, rocky and wet sections, so you need to wear suitable footwear. We had to take a detour due to forestry work on the last section before returning to Lac Noir, which added an extra 4 km

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reyesdetaifas
reyesdetaifas

Overall rating : 4 / 5

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

Hike completed in September 2025. A very beautiful outing, but I found it much more difficult than the comments I had read beforehand suggested. The trail is rocky from start to finish, which makes it quite challenging, especially for people who are not used to this type of terrain. We had to shorten the route by turning off before point 7, and even on this path, the descent to the black lake was not easy either.

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