Plateau de Pormenaz & Lac de Pormenaz
Perched at 1,970 m above Sallanches, the glacial Lac de Pormenaz mirrors the entire Mont Blanc massif on calm mornings — one of the most photogenic reflections in the French Alps. The two-hour hike from Plaine Joux rewards you with wild gentians, marmots, and a silence that feels almost sacred.
The Hike Up
Start from the Plaine Joux car park (1,370 m) above Passy — a 20-minute drive from Sallanches. The well-marked GR trail climbs steadily through pine forest before opening onto high pastures where the Aiguilles de Warens loom overhead.
At the lake itself, the water is cold, crystal-clear and ringed by low willowherb. Arrive before 9 am and you will almost certainly have the reflection shot to yourself before the day-hikers arrive from Chamonix.
What to Bring & Combine
Pack a picnic — there is no refuge at the lake itself, though the Chalet-Refuge de Pormenaz sits a short detour away and serves hot drinks and tartiflette on weekends in summer.
Serious walkers can continue on the balcony trail to the Col d'Anterne (2,257 m) and loop back via the Refuge de Sales for a full-day circuit with jaw-dropping views of the Fiz cliffs.
Best Season
The trail is reliably snow-free from mid-June to mid-October. Late June brings the wildflower peak — cotton grass, alpine roses and yellow arnica carpet the approach plateau.
Autumn turns the larches gold around the lake's rim, and the lower crowds make September arguably the finest month of all.
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