The most beautiful hiking trails around a lake in France

In summer, hiking becomes the must-do activity. And what better way than to discover a lake and unwind on its shore after covering the surrounding trails for several hours. Today, hundreds of lakes — natural and man-made — are scattered across France. To help you choose your route, we've selected five of the most beautiful lake hikes in France.

Day hikes

Lac Blanc

Located in Haute-Savoie, in the Aiguilles Rouges nature reserve, the Lac Blanc offers a stunning view of the Chamonix valley and in particular the Aiguilles de Chamonix. Several trails give hikers access to this high-altitude lake. The ascent takes between 1h45 and 2h30, depending on whether or not you take the cable car. The highlight of this hiking route: the constant view of Mont Blanc on the way up to the lake.

© Victoria KAREL

Lac d'Allos

Accessible to all, the Lac d'Allos is the largest natural high-altitude lake in Europe. Located in the heart of the Mercantour National Park, in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, it sits at 2,230 metres above sea level. Three routes allow hikers to reach the Lac d'Allos: the circuit takes 1h30 (from the Laus car park), 4h30 (from the Cluite car park) or 6h00 (from the village of Allos). Once in front of this magnificent glacial lake, you can walk around it in approximately one hour.

Lac Gentau

Lac Gentau is one of the most impressive lakes in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques. Indeed, this natural high-altitude lake sits at the foot of the Pic du Midi d'Ossau and offers a breathtaking view of this mountain. The intermediate-difficulty trail can be completed in a day, with approximately 5 to 6 hours of hiking there and back. The most adventurous hikers can stop to sleep in a refuge or camp on the spot, in order to complete the full Ayous lakes loop over several days.

Multi-day hikes

©Rowan Cumming on Unsplash

The Néouvielle lakes loop

If you want to discover numerous lakes on a three-day hiking trip in the Hautes-Pyrénées, the Néouvielle lakes loop is for you. This 42 km trekking route is split into three sections, with two overnight stays in a refuge or bivvy. Typically, hikers sleep the first night at Lac d'Oregon and the second at Campana de Cloutou. In total, this hiking route takes in no fewer than 20 of the 70 lakes found in the Néouvielle national nature reserve. An itinerary well worth doing!

The Lauvitel loop

Finally, the Lauvitel loop is a three-to-four-day trekking route in the Écrins massif, in Isère. While the hike to Lac du Lauvitel is very popular in summer, the multi-day loop is far less so. After discovering the largest lake in the Écrins massif, hikers can head to Lac de Plan Vianney, Lac Labarre and Lac de la Muzelle. It is important to book refuges in advance to secure a spot and make the most of this beautiful hiking route of around 30 km. In France, the large number of lakes gives hikers — whether beginners or seasoned veterans — the chance to discover the local flora and fauna. Generally located in the high mountains, lakes very often offer an impressive panoramic view of the surroundings. A great reason to hit the hiking trails this summer.