Drop off point at Ferme en bousse, Forgeassous, St Jean de Sixt.

Start walking past the farm and uphill to the far right hand corner of the field, you will see the path it is quite well trodden and sign posted to Lachat. Enter the forest and begin your climb up on a rough road. Keep an eye out for wildlife as black squirrels and stoats are often seen en-route. Wild strawberries also line this road in the summer months. Ensure you only eat the ones on the higher banks, as fox urine will seriously upset your digestive system! The snaking road eventually leads to a couple of chalets. It takes you up to the first then turns a bend to the left and past the back of the 2nd chalet. It then cuts through a couple of fields often occupied by flocks of sheep, making music with the bells hanging round their necks. The forest begins again slightly before reaching another chalet with a running stream and water butt. An ideal place to fill up your bottles. It is just before this point the road turns into a smaller path which then continues up behind the chalet, entering a forest until you arrive at a clearing with a concrete bunker and chalet la Mare. There are a couple of picnic tables here and a pond full of frogs and crested newts. Either stop here as you have reached the halfway mark and walk the same route home or carry on up the mountain.

hidden chalets

newts
   

wild alpine flowers

summit of Mont Lachat

viewing station

2nd half
To continue on to the peak of Lachat through the far right hand side of the far field. Here you enter a scrubby lower hazel wood with a rocky smaller path. This wood gradually peters out as you start to climb more steeply and the rocks get bigger. Eventually you emerge above the tree line onto completely rocky terrain covered in edelweiss and other varieties of natural alpine flowers. Follow the path upwards but don’t take the right hand fork to Le Suet. As the climb continues to the left you will come across some loose shale - be careful here and continue to zig zag the terrain as the path indicates. You will then cross under the lower peaks (which often holds snow well into May) and once again start clambering over larger rocks until you reach the summit. Enjoy the views and grab a bite to get your energy back. But don’t look down, as it’s quite a drop to the right! Once revived, just follow the same route back down. It should be a lot quicker with gravity on your side.

Safety: Always take a map with you and if possible a compass. Please make sure you are familiar with the route you will be taking before setting out, and if you are unsure ask your hosts. Make progress checks with your map along the way and look out for signs and paint marks on trees and rocks. Take suitable clothing, food and water and check the weather forecast before departing. Always be aware that conditions can change quite rapidly in the mountains. Have the number of the chalet or your hosts mobile number on you in case you get into difficulty or require assistance.

 

Some suggested walks are;
Lac du confin via Danay
Tour de Beauregard
Tour de L'Andran
Other walks in brief
  Winter    Spring    Summer    Autumn    Location    Prices    Offers    Enquiries   Booking    Your hosts    Home  

walk route
go to gravité home page

Le Lachat de Thônes via chalet de la mare

Views: Stunning panoramic views from the top of Lachat (2023), towards Annecy, Geneva, Col de Aravis, Mount Charvin, Aravis range and Mount Blanc.
Duration: full route 5/6hrs - 16 km, half way 2/3hrs - 7 kms (stopping at the chalet and returning)
Difficulty: Steep uphill climb all the way with a scramble at the top over rocks and loose shale. Not to be attempted if there is still snow on the peak!
Back to walking