Lac de Fontaine

Lac de Fontaine is a small mountain lake in the commune of Vacheresse, in the Abondance valley, at the heart of the Chablais massif in Haute-Savoie, France. Sitting at an altitude of around 1330 metres and covering roughly one hectare, it is a modest, quiet body of water — small enough to feel intimate, yet easy enough to reach that it draws a steady trickle of walkers, anglers and cyclists through the warmer months.

How do you get there?

A road climbs from the centre of Vacheresse toward the Chalets de Bise and the Bise-Ubine valley, and it leads right past the lake — about 2 km from the village, with free parking on site. Access depends heavily on snow cover: the road is generally usable from May to mid-November, and closed or impassable outside that window.

What is the lake like?

Lac de Fontaine is a marshy, wetland-type mountain lake, ringed by forest and pasture to the west of the Cornettes de Bise massif. Its aquatic environment is fragile, so swimming is discouraged here — the point of a visit is really the walk around the shore and a look at the surrounding wetland vegetation, not a dip. A flat, easy path circles the lake, and from there a gentle onward walk leads to the Chalets de Bise.

Can you fish here?

Yes — the lake is popular with anglers. Its waters hold brown trout, rainbow trout, and minnow, species typical of cool, high-altitude Alpine lakes like this one.

What hiking routes start from the lake?

Lac de Fontaine works well as a base for several hikes into the Chablais massif. From here, a route climbs toward Pointe de Bénévent (2069 m) — a more demanding outing across pasture and rocky terrain suited to reasonably fit walkers. A gentler option is the loop through the Semy and Bouaz pastures, which on a clear day opens up views over Lake Geneva. Another path sets off from the same area toward Lac de Darbon — a separate lake in the same commune of Vacheresse, reached via the Darbon pastures. It's worth being clear that these are two distinct lakes that simply share a nearby starting point and some overlapping trails, not the same body of water under two names.

Is it suitable for a bike ride?

The lake can also be reached by road bike or mountain bike. The climb from central Vacheresse follows a fairly steady, moderate gradient rather than sharp ramps, which makes it a manageable — if still uphill — outing for cyclists with average fitness.

FAQ

How high up is Lac de Fontaine? It sits at around 1330 metres above sea level, within the commune of Vacheresse.

Can you swim in the lake? No — swimming is discouraged to protect the lake's fragile wetland ecosystem.

Is the lake accessible year-round? No. Access depends on snow conditions and is generally possible from May to mid-November.

Is Lac de Fontaine the same lake as Lac de Darbon? No. They are two separate lakes within Vacheresse, linked by a hiking trail that crosses the Darbon pastures.

Is fishing allowed? Yes, the lake is popular with anglers, who come for brown trout, rainbow trout and minnow.