Lacs de Fenêtre

Description

There is plenty of parking available at the Grand St. Bernard Pass. We drove past the hospice, crossed the border into Italy and parked on the right behind the closed hotel, just before the statue of St. Bernard.

(D) From the car park, walk past the statue of St. Bernard and the Roman remains of the temple of Jupiter. Follow markers for 103 on the ancient footpath which leads down to the road.

(1) Cross the road and continue along the footpath passing signposts where the Via Alpina turns off left. You will now pick up route 13A. Continue along the path to cross the road again, walk up and behind the restaurant and continue up (possibly passing old patches of snow) to reach the Fenetre de Ferret. This col is like a window, the views of the Mont Blanc Massif open up from here but if you want to see Mont Blanc itself you will have to climb the short hill on your left or continue up to Tete de Fenetre.

(2) Ahead of you are the Lacs de Fenêtre and a rocky ridge on the right running down from Pointe de Drône. Rejoin the path and walk down to the Lacs de Fenetre. As you descend the broad ridge, the lake on the left will offer great photo opportunities and from the right angle, it looks heart shaped. If it is not windy, it is worth going down to the lakeshore the get some photos of the mountains reflected in the water.

(3) Rejoin the path and continue to the third lake. Cross it at the end via stepping stones which make up a dam wall. Just before the stepping stones, take the small path to see where the stream from the lake goes. Into a sinkhole beneath a short outcrop of rock.

(4) The rocky ridge up on the right looks impassible and at first it is hard to see where the Col des Bastillon goes. Follow path 210 up through the scree and take the left to a right rake which cuts through the crags. The rock is on the loose side, although the rake is quite broad. Surprisingly, this section was not equipped with a hand chain (2019) so please take care, particularly if wet and if passing people coming down.

(5) From the top of the Col des Bastillon the views ahead of Mont Velan and the Grand Combin open up. The path is much easier angled on the way down into the delightful pasture around the Petit and Grand Le, where you might pass between a large herd of cows. Descend into a shallow valley, cross the stream and continue to a junction in the path, wee signposted with markers bolted to a large boulder.

(6) Continue on route 210 and take the path upwards and through the scree to the Col des Chevaux. The path is never steep but climbs in broad sweeps, it is easy to imagine pack horses being taken this way. Remember to look behind you as the higher that you ascend the more that you Mont Dolent as it become visible behind the Col des Bastillon.

(7) The Col des Chevaux is a great place to get some photos of Mont Dolent and again there is a small raised section on the left where photos might be better from. In one direction, you have Mont Delent and the Mont Blanc Massif and in the other direction the western end of the Pennine Alps with Mont Velan and the Grand Combin. Follow the path downhill to where it joins the road on the Swiss side of the Grand St Bernard Pass just before the hospice.

(8) Walk along the road, taking care, to pass beside the hospice. If you have time, you can visit the kennels and the museum. (Free entry if you are staying in the area and have bought a Pass Saint-Bernard)

(9) From the kennels/museum walk back along the road to the car park (D/A).