Lake Verney
A large high-altitude lake below the Little St Bernard pass
Above La Thuile, on the way up to the Little St Bernard pass, the road passes close to a wide sheet of water: Lake Verney. It lies at an altitude of 2,088 metres. It is one of the largest natural lakes in the Aosta Valley.
A hollow left by the glaciers
The lake formed at the end of the last ice age, about 10,000 years ago. As they retreated, the glaciers left a depression in the ground. Meltwater gradually filled it. Its maximum depth is thought to be about fifteen metres.
Today it is fed by springs and by the streams that run down the surrounding slopes.
Around the water
In summer, the meadows on its shores are covered with gentians and rhododendrons. Edelweiss also grows on the drier slopes. Marmots are plentiful, and you may sometimes spot chamois or a golden eagle.
The lake holds brown trout. Fishing is allowed with a permit.
How to get there
A waymarked path starts from the village of La Thuile. Allow about two hours’ walk. Many families come to picnic by the water, and photographers make the most of the mountains’ reflections on calm days.
