The Rhône plain and the vineyards of Vionnaz

Start from the large Les Fontanies car park, located on Rue du Collège, opposite the library in Vionnaz.
Note the vineyards clinging to the very steep slopes to the west.

Hiking signposting (silhouette of a pedestrian on a yellow background) + Yellow Circle

(S/E) Return to the street and follow it to the left. At the end, turn right onto Chemin des Recas. Cross Chemin de la Forêt on the right-hand side. When the street bends to the right, take the path on the left which climbs and enters the woodland. Walk alongside a low wall on your right, beyond which lies a vineyard. Ignore a vague path on the left and veer right, still following the low wall. You’ll reach a viewpoint overlooking the Torrent de Mayen and the cliff above it (bench).

(1) Then turn right and head down a stony path. On your right, follow a low wall and then a vineyard. You’ll come out onto a small road and follow it to the left. Immediately turn right onto this road and you’ll reach Route 21 (Route du Léman on the map).

No signposting

Follow the road to the right (ignore the signposting directing you to turn left, as this would require you to cross the road at a much more dangerous point). After about a hundred metres, take the^first small road on the left (take care when crossing the main road). Walk past a football stadium on your right.

Hiking signs + Yellow Circle

(2) At the next junction, turn right (30 km/h speed limit sign). Follow the street on the right-hand pavement and pass through a residential area, ignoring all side streets. Note, opposite on the left, the peaks of Les Diablerets and the Dent de Morcles, and on the right, the Cime de l’Est, the eastern peak of the Dents du Midi.

Cross Route 11 at the pedestrian crossing (take care, however) and continue straight ahead along Rue de Créballay, staying on the right-hand pavement. Pass the Chemin des Genéroux on the right, leave the 30 km/h zone and go straight on.

(3) At the corner of a large green shed, turn right. At the end of the street, cross Route 21 at the entrance to Vionnaz (take care, no pedestrian crossing). First turn left then right onto a stony track running alongside a stream (do not take the road leading to a waste disposal site). Immediately afterwards, take the footbridge on the right that spans the stream.

At the end of the footbridge, take a narrow path that starts to the left of a small tarmac lane and runs above it. Further on, turn left onto the path, which widens. Walk through the woodland with a road below on the right.

No signposting

At a signpost, go straight on along a well-maintained grassy path (ignore the arrow pointing to the road on the right, as well as a path leading down to the left).

Hiking signs + Yellow Circle

(4) After about a hundred metres (fitness trail sign), turn left and follow the signposting. At the next junction (not shown on the map), veer right. Head uphill and listen for the sound of the Torrent de la Greffaz on your left (spelled Greffe on the Swiss map). Ignore the paths branching off to the right.

At a T-junction (sign no. 3 for the fitness trail), turn left and walk alongside the stream below. At a junction, turn right down a slight slope and, at the next junction (sign no. 5), turn left and head uphill.

(5) At the corner marked by sign no. 6, ignore the^first path leading off to the right (a wide gravel path) and immediately take the^second path on the right, which is narrower and less obvious. You will soon come to a wall; turn left and follow the wall on your right. Very soon, turn right and head downhill, still following the wall. Take a small footbridge and note an inscription on the wall (information panel).

Walk down a lawn, leaving a cross on your right. Cross a small road, continue along the path opposite and cross the road again. Head downhill towards the church, along a vineyard, on a grassy path that soon turns into tarmac.

At the west end of the church, turn left onto a grassy path and walk alongside the cemetery on your right. At the foot of the old bell tower (now standing alone), turn right into the cemetery. Walk round the old bell tower, then turn right to leave the cemetery at the church. Then walk down the street on the left.

At the junction (opposite a beautiful building with a square turret), cross the Route de Torgon at the pedestrian crossing and head down Rue du Château.

(6) At the bottom, turn right for a short detour to a small square with a beautiful fountain-trough. Retrace your steps.

Cycling signs (on a red background)

(6) Continue straight ahead along Chemin du Château (not signposted here). At the junction, two streets branch off opposite: take the one on the left. At the next junction, first turn left then right to go round the house at no. 20 and take a narrow alleyway.

Cycling signs + walking signs + Yellow Circle

At the next junction (fountain on the right), go straight on into Chemin des Recas. Descend gently, staying on the road, and note the vineyards clinging to the slope high up on the left (the same ones seen from the starting car park). At the junction, turn right onto Rue du Collège and you will soon come to the car park on the right (S/E).

Good walking shoes are sufficient for this short, easy walk.

No information is available regarding the potability of the water from the fountains encountered along the way: bring your own supplies.

Hikers are advised that this walk includes a long tarmac section between points (2) and (3), running straight through a residential area.

A detailed map is required (at the very least the one accompanying this description).

Hike completed by the author on 15 July 2019.

- Vineyard landscape on steep slopes.
- View of the Torrent de Mayen and the cliff overlooking it (1).

- View of the Vaud Alps, between (1) and (2).
- View of the Diablerets and Dents du Midi massifs, which breaks up the monotony of the long straight stretch between (2) and (3).

- Torrent de la Geffraz, between (3) and (5) (you can hear it more than you can see it).

- After (5), a wall built in 1742 to protect the village from flooding by the Geffraz torrent.
- Vionnaz Church (1902), in the Neo-Gothic style. The church is Catholic, as is the majority of the canton of Valais.
- Old bell tower in the cemetery.
- Fountain and drinking trough (1614) (6).
- Beautiful old houses in Vionnaz.