Hiking route: The Lac des Pierres Blanches via l'Esselet

Drive to Les Bauches on the road that carries on 6km beyond Les Coches. At Fontaine Froide (junction), keep following signs for Les Bauches and park on the car park opposite the bridge. From there, walk back along the road and follow a small canal to the stone basin in L'Esselet (P). Turn left up the path (L'Esselet sign) through the forest to a small plateau (P). Cross the plateau and carry on along the path which comes out onto a forest track (P). Take it to the left and then after 200 m, take the path off to the right (P). The forest gradually becomes a giant garden filled with spruce, larch and Arolla pine trees. The path then comes to a plateau that is almost a clearing (P). Turn off to the left, cross the entire length of the plateau (around 350 m) and then take the path slightly off to the right that leads up to a very large meadow (P). Climb up the grassy slope (stony path) to the small road (P) and then on to the visible chalet. Go round the chalet to the right to explore the Lac des Pierres Blanches.

You can either follow the same path back down, or take the small road that leads back down to the car park (1 hour).