The guide to hike to Lac Bleu from La Gouille

One of the most beautiful places I visited when I was travelling in the Valais Canton was the Lac Bleu and this was one of my favourite things to do in Switzerland. I did it as a very short hike but can be started from different points as there are multiple trails in the area.

The Lac Bleu gets it’s radiant blue colour from a combination of algae and glacial clays and can you can hike to Lac Bleu pretty much any time of the year.

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Although this was a really short hike, it reminded me of the time I went hiking to Jiaming Lake in Taiwan as it combined stunning mountains with a beautiful lake.

Where is the Lac Bleu?

The Lac Bleu d’Arolla is located in the Val d’Herens in the Valais Canton. In Switzerland this area is known as the heart of the alps and I consider it a playground for outdoor activities across the seasons.

Where to start hiking to Lac Bleu

I started from La Gouille which is the closest village to Lac Bleu, you’re even welcomed by a big sign pointing to Lac Bleu when you arrive.

The hike to Lac Bleu from La Gouille is only about 1.3Km following the shortest trail and the walk can be done as slightly longer circular circuit so you don’t retrace your steps. Doing the circuit is approximately 4Km in total. Keep reading as below you will find a screenshot of the hiking route.

You can also hike to Lac Bleu from Arolla (4 Km away), Les Hauderes (5.5 Km away) or Evolene (8 Km away)

Where to stay when hiking to Lac Bleu

The village of La Gouille has a hotel/bar but not much more as it’s a really small village, I’d recommend you to stay in Evolene which a few years ago was voted as the prettiest village in Switzerland where you will have a few more options for spending the night and for eating.

You can then hike to Lac Bleu directly from Evolene, alternatively you can drive or take the 381 bus to La Gouille.

How to go to La Gouille to hike to Lac Bleu

If you’re travelling by bus, The 381 bus goes from the town of Sion all the way to La Gouille, passing by Vex, Evolene, Les Hauderes and Arolla.

There are only 6 buses throughout the day in each direction from about 8am to 5pm so keep that in mind if you’re travelling in the Val d’Herens by bus as it’s well-connected but the frequency is that one that you’d expect in the mountains rather than in the cities.

If you’re driving, La Gouille is about 30 Km from Sion and 11 Km from Evolene. You can park for free in La Gouille.

What do you need to hike to Lac Bleu?

The hike is fairly simple so if you go during dry months you don’t need any special equipment or shoes, just some comfy walking shoes will be enough. Take water with you and a snack as even that it’s a short hike, it’s worth to stay by the lake having a picnic.

If you’re hiking to Lac Bleu during the winter, I recommend you to buy some crampons as it can be icy and slippery at times. You don’t need mountaineering crampons but some cheap adjustable ones that you can buy in Decathlon will do the trick.

An alternative for this hike to Lac Bleu in the winter is to do it with snow racquets or cross-country skiing as the area is well-prepared for this.

The hike to Lac Bleu

The hike to Lac Bleu is really well signalled and you won’t need a map or even to use your GPS, although I always recommend to download the maps.me app for offline maps as it works really well all over the world. I find it even better than Google Maps when it comes to hiking trails.

Starting from the village of La Gouille, it takes about 40min to arrive to the lake, with about 300m of elevation but no steep areas, it’s mostly a gently way up all the way.

A couple of minutes away from the lake there’s a small bar restaurant but when I visited in the winter it was closed, so keep that in mind if you’re visiting when it’s snowy.

When you reach the lake there are several other trails so you can make it a really long day hiking in Lac Bleu if you wish.

I made a clock-wise circuit similar to the screenshot below and was lovely, I even saw some red deer on the final stretch.

Is it worth visiting the Lac Bleu d’Arolla?

Definitely! It’s a really beautiful place, even if the hike is short and easy, you can still make it more challenging by changing your starting point as there are plenty of options for this.

Visiting the Lac Bleu in winter was gorgeous but I have seen images during summer and autumn and looks like a year-round magical destination.

Other things to do in Switzerland when visiting the Val D’Herens

The Valais Canton is stunning, I spent a few weeks travelling in the region and other things to do in Switzerland for your next holidays can be:

Set a base in Sion and explore the region from there, where you can join a wine tour visiting multiple cellars, go hiking the Bisse de Torrent Neuf, visit the largest underground lake in Europe, and visit Evolene which was voted a few years ago as the prettiest village in Switzerland.

Sion itself is well-linked with public transport and has plenty of accommodation. Its beautiful old town has a lovely Friday market and you can also hike up its two hills with imposing fortifications, the Chateau de Tourbillon and the Basilique de Valere.

Located in the heart of the Alps, you can also go skiing to some of the most famous ski areas in the world, with easy reach to the 4 Valleys, Zermatt and Crans-Montana.

Can you travel low cost in Switzerland?

Being one of the most expensive countries in Europe, it’s not easy to travel low cost in Switzerland, but a good tip if you’re backpacking in Europe is to try doing some pet sitting or a workaway.

If you’re an animal lover, you can stay in beautiful places for free, take care of some lovely pets and most of the times the hosts will also leave you plenty of food and sometimes even the use of a car.

You can get 25% off the annual membership by clicking on this link to Trusted Housesitters.

Will you go hiking to Lac Bleu?

I read your comments below about what you think of this place, and if you have been, do you have any other tips to share with fellow adventurers?

Save the pins to go hiking to Lac Bleu for later!