The Aiguilles Rouges Black Lakes (Les Lacs Noirs des Aiguilles Rouges)

Hiking on the Aiguilles Rouges massif through a wild landscape, discovering magnificent mountain lakes.
You'll pass the Col du Lac Cornu, overlooking the eponymous lake, before arriving at the Lacs Noirs, where the mountain fauna is particularly present.
Despite some technical sections, I strongly recommend descending to the second lake, where few people venture. You'll be able to spot a few mountain animals - chamois, ibex, marmots - and, weather permitting, take a dip in a mountain lake with an exceptional panorama of Mont Blanc.

Technical sheet

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.04 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 638 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 636 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,558 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,989 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Start: The hike starts at the top station of the Planpraz cable car.

(S/E) Climb the wide slope, passing the paraglider departures on the left.

(1) At the Parsa chairlift, turn right on the uphill path to a junction of two trails.

(2) Leave the TMB GR® on the right and follow the path slightly uphill on the left. Continue to the Col du lac Cornu. You'll enjoy an exceptional panorama of Mont Blanc, the Aiguilles de Chamonix and Lac Cornu.

(3) Continue for a few metres, leaving the path leading down to the lake, and turn right at an intersection.

(4) Take the right-hand path. From this intersection onwards, a few tricky passages through scree. Pass under the Aiguille Pourrie, to reach the Col de la Glière (view of the Fiz mountain range).

(5) After the pass, pass through huge scree to a new intersection.
Turn left and follow the path to the top of the first Lac Noir. Continue straight on to the second, less-frequented lake. On the way down, you'll need sure footing and the use of your hands. Reach the edge of the lake (bathing possible ... in cold water).

(6) To return, take the opposite route to the (S/E), then take the Planpraz Télécabine.

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,989 m - Upper station - Télécabine de Planpraz
  2. 1 : km 0.6 - alt. 2,078 m - La Parsa chairlift
  3. 2 : km 0.83 - alt. 2,064 m - Bifurcation
  4. 3 : km 2.96 - alt. 2,409 m - Col du lac Cornu
  5. 4 : km 3.01 - alt. 2,411 m - Bifurcation - Lac Cornu
  6. 5 : km 3.63 - alt. 2,470 m - Col de la Glière
  7. 6 : km 4.6 - alt. 2,498 m - Lac Noir d'en Bas - Lacs Noirs (Aiguilles Rouges)
  8. S/E : km 9.04 - alt. 1,990 m - Upper station - Télécabine de Planpraz

Practical information

Start: The hike starts at the top station of the Planpraz cable car.

Transport: Find out about rates and times for the Télécabine de Planpraz.

Gears: High boots are recommended for this type of mountain hike.

 Always stay careful and alert while following a route. Visorando and the author of this walk cannot be held responsible in the event of an accident during 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 5 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Clarity of route map
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
smashdc
smashdc
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 23, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Superb panoramic views of the Mont Blanc massif Top hike!

  1. toprando We're opposite and as close as possible to Mont Blanc! (perhaps a little closer to Lac Brévent in fact ...)

Magnificent contrasts!
A must in the Cham' valley !
I take the Brévent gondola up to Lac Cornu and the Lacs Noirs.
The climb is gradual at first, but it's very rocky and climbs all the same (12 - 15%).
I escaped La Grande Faucheuse by passing 5 minutes after a large rockfall just below the start of the hike, which also chilled those who were just before :-o
You have to lift your legs a lot, which is even more tiring given the terrain.
The terrain goes from rocky & scree crossings to ... rocks to cross. I find that very tiring (and even more so with a bum knee)!
It was unbearably hot on the way back, given the temperatures at the end of August/beginning of September, and there was no shade.
I still have a lot of thinking to do, but I'd put this walk in the TOP 3 of the thousands of kilometres I've covered ;-)
It gets harder and harder from the Col Cornu onwards, particularly because of the rocks, and then there's a nice climb up dirt tracks with a high gradient of 20-25%.
Breathtaking scenery at Lac Cornu and Lacs Noirs! Lac Brévent is not to be outdone, with scenery right in front of Mont Blanc. I take the cable car, which is quite impressive and takes us up there in less than 5 minutes!
I don't have time to go all the way down to Lac Brévent as the last descent of the cable car + gondolas is fast approaching :-o
THE hike to do in Cham!
.
9.4 km & 670 m D+/D-
⚡️ Highlights of the hike :
- Alt. 2002 m - Planpraz cable car
- Alt. 2417 m - Col du Lac Cornu
- Alt. 2461 m - Col de la Glière
- Alt. 2497 m - Lacs Noirs (Aiguilles Rouges)
- Alt. 2202 m - Lac Brévent

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kaolak1
kaolak1

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Jul 17, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

A much more enjoyable hike than the Lac Blanc, as it is much less busy. The only downside was that even at this time of year, there was too much ice. We had to take very slippery paths up to Lac Cornu and the climb up to Lac Noir was impossible because you really needed winter equipment to get there.

We did get to see some marmots and ibex, though, which was a real treat.

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Genestout
Genestout

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 10, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Quite a wild hike compared to the Lac Blanc... Walk along a paved path and across scree. The aiguilles rouges massif is spectacular, as are the lakes and the view of the Mont Blanc range. We had a picnic on the banks of the little-frequented upper black lake, and didn't make the diversions to the lower lake. We were able to see an ibex up close. One of the most beautiful hikes we've done in the massif.

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Mic00
Mic00

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 06, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Very nice hike! Done on 7/8/23, we saw snow and ibexes!
The only downside is that it's impossible to get to the start by car. Either you have to walk up for 5 km, or you have to take the Planpraz cable car (22€ return).

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Thierry16
Thierry16

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Jul 30, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

Yellow signage is very precise

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