The Lac d'Emosson is the largest mountain lake in the areas around Chamonix. It lies at an altitude of 1785 meters in the mountains above the village of Le Chatelard right across the border in Switzerland. The Barrage d'Emosson is a hydroelectric dam responsible for creating the very large lake of the same name. The lake is absolutely stunning and definitely worth a visit.
There are a number of options for visiting the dam. There is a beautiful trail that we outline on our website that takes you from Vallorcine to Lac d'Emosson via the Refuge de Loriaz. This is a beautiful trail and provides a starting point that doesnt require you to cross the border into Switzerland. Another great option is to take the Verticalp furnicular and train from Le Chatelard. The VerticAlp is a funicular which takes you on a steep incline from the valley floor to the lake. Lastly you can also drive up to the lake via the village of Finhaut. It is quite a long and winding road though and it is only open in the summer months.
Linked Trails & Points of Interest
These are the trails and points of interests linked to this lake.
8
Our Rating
Very Good
Trail:
Une magnifique promenade en boucle depuis le barrage d'Emosson jusqu'au barrage du Vieux Emosson au-dessus de Finhaut en Suisse. De superbes vues, des paysages fantastiques et deux lacs incroyables.
Length
9.6km
When to Go
Start Jul - End Sep
Hiking Time
3.0 - 4.0 Hours
Elevation +
+486m / -507m
Kids
7+ Years old
Running Time
60 - 90 Mins
Technical Difficulty
Moderate (3/5)
Dogs
Dogs Allowed
Nearest Town
Chamonix
9
Our Rating
Exceptional
Loop Trail:
A beautiful loop in the Montagne de Loriaz and the Montagne de Barberine taking you from Vallorcine to the Refuge de Loriaz and then traversing to the big Lac d'Emosson lake.
Length
13.25km
When to Go
Start Jun - Start Oct
Hiking Time
4.0 - 6.0 Hours
Elevation +
+1022m / -1022m
Kids
12+ Years old
Running Time
2.5 - 4.0 Hours
Technical Difficulty
Moderate (3/5)
Dogs
Dogs Allowed
Nearest Town
Chamonix
Location & Map
Below you will the location of this point of interest on the map. You can click the button to show the nearby trails and points of interests that are listed above on the same map. Another option is to visit our complete interactive map that shows everything that is listed on our website.
Longitude:
6.9253
Latitude:
46.0696