Photo : Florian Pépellin / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Lac des Vaches
Set on the heights of Pralognan-la-Vanoise, Lac des Vaches occupies a high-altitude basin in the heart of the Vanoise national park, not far from the pass of the same name that leads to the Col de la Vanoise. Its calm waters reflect the surrounding ridges and make it one of the most photographed lakes of the massif.
The site owes its name to the herds that once went up to graze there during the summer pasturing, a pastoral tradition still perceptible in the alpine pasture landscape that surrounds it. The park's fauna, marmots, ibex and chamois first among them, regularly frequent its surroundings, making it an appreciated stop for wildlife watching as much as for contemplating the landscape.
The lake is reached on foot from Pralognan-la-Vanoise by a hike of several hours, on paths that then join the Col de la Vanoise. The summer period, from July to September, remains the most favourable for access, snow covering the site for much of the year.
