Lavancher to Chapeau
9
Overall rating
Exceptional
Length
2.89km
Elevation + / -
303m / 303m
Trail type
Out and Back
When to go
End Apr - Mid Oct
Hike duration
45 - 75 Mins
Altitude Range
1246m / 1543m
Technical level
Very Easy (1/5)
Natural beauty
Very Nice (4/5)
Run duration
25 - 45 Mins
Families
4+ Years old
Dogs
Dogs Allowed
Provision Sources
1 Snack Bar
Contributors:
This is one of our most recommended family friendly short hikes which will take you through some beautiful forest trails with openings and view points that showcase the Rochers des Mottets and the Aguille Verte. You will be crossing the Torrent du Chapeau which has a nice waterfall right before reaching the Le Chapeau buvette. This snack bar has a nice large wooden terrace with nice views into the Chamonix valley. There is an option to take a short trail to a view point that will enable you to look into the Mer de Glace. This short little trail has a lot to offer and is a great option for families with younger kids.
Photos of this Trail
We have a large library of pictures from in and around the Chamonix Valley. All pictures are categorized and geo location tagged. These are the pictures we have for this trail. Click on any picture to view it's details and location.
Trail Directions & Safety Considerations
Children
4+ Years old
Dogs
We recommend to keep your dog on a leash
When to Go
End Apr - Mid Oct
Risk Considerations & Difficulty Assessment
This route has well marked and easy to follow trails with the end point of Le Chapeau clearly indicated on multiple trail markers. The area before crossing the little Torrent du Chapeau river has some rockfall and there will be a sign warning you to not stay there for a long time and move on. The Buvette du Chapeau sits at an altitude of 1576m and should be snow clear from the end of April to the middle of October.
Trail Starting Point
There is a large carpark at the top of Le Lavancher and more parking if you continue driving upwards. If you are using the train then the nearest train station is Les Tines from where you will have to walk up to the hamlet of Le Lavancher. This does add a considerable amount of vertical to the trail. Another option is the bus which stops along the main road between Chamonix and Argentiere. From there it is still a bit of walk up to the Le Lavancher but definitely shorter than the trail from the Les Tines train station. The Petite Balcon Nord runs through Le Lavancher so you can also reach it by foot from either the Argentiere or Chamonix side of this trail.
Trail Directions
From Le Lavancher simply follow the first trail marker that will have Le Chapeau on it. From there on out you cannot miss the trail as there are trail markers all along the way. Once at Le Chapeau you have the option to take a trail to the right side that will take you to a view point. This extra trail takes about 15 minutes.
Points of Interest for this Trail
We have a large database of all of the points of interests in and around Chamonix. These are the points of interest you will find along this trail:
3D Map & GPS
Trail Route Map & GPS
You can download the GPX file and load this route into your own GPS enabled device or application. If you are on Strava, then you can open this route in Strava and save it to your account.
3D Map of this Trail
FATMAP in an incredible website and mobile application that you can use to view the trail in full 3D, do a fly over of the route and get a detailed vertical profile. You can view the FATMAP of this trail below and use the 'View larger map' link to visit the trail on the FATMAP website.
