Le Giffre, Gorges des Tines and Sixt Fer a Cheval from Samoens

Start: Park in Samoens at the cable car station.

(S/E) From the car park walk down to the the path beside the river which runs behind the cable car station. Turn right and follow the path to the road bridge over the river. Turn left, cross the bridge and immediately turn left again onto a track. Follow the track, to pass a house and just after this there is a junction with another track on the right.

(1) Turn right and head uphill. The path passes through woods and emerges in pasture to pass beside farm buildings and up to a T junction.

(2) Turn left at the T junction and walk through the farm buildings then take a path when the farm tack runs out. The path leads through pasture and back into the woods (beside a mountain bike track). It joins the road again where you turn left. Follow the road around a bend to a bridge over the Nant d'Ant.

(3) Continue along the road to some buildings and take the drive way on the left which runs between them. It curves around to the right and becomes a track. Follow this and look out for a path on the left leading into the woods. Follow this path into the woods and descend to a pass beside another pasture and then some buildings to a bridge over the river. Cross the bridge.

(4) After crossing the bridge, turn right and follow the good track (GR 96) with the river on your right to where it joins the road at a bridge.

(5) Turn right and cross the bridge, after the bridge turn left onto a track which leads through woods and up to the chapel, Notre Dames des Graces.

(6) Continue along the track to a junction with another track, turn left and follow this through woods and then across a pasture and back into woods where there is a narrow bridge.

(7) Cross the narrow bridge over the river at the Western end of the Gorges des Tines and walk up the track to a junction with the road. Turn right and walk beside the road to pass a parking area after which there is a path on the right which leads towards another bridge over the river. Do not cross but take the path on the left, leading back to to road and then right and down to the river. The path joins a track which crosses a bridge over the river, the track passes beside piles of gravel and rock that have been dredged from the river bed and then passes beside a pasture and up to a cross roads in Sixt Fer a Cheval.

(8) Turn left and follow the road into the heart of Sixt Fer a Cheval, with the river on your left. At the second bridge turn left, cross the bridge and walk through the market square (9) and around to the 12th century abbey. Once you have looked around return to the bridge, cross over and walk straight ahead. Just after the first buildings on the left there is a path down to a grassy area and the wooden carousel. (This is a good spot to have a picnic) Then walk back the way you came to the cross roads at (8)

(8) This time go straight ahead and follow the road between chalets. At the first junction turn left and keep following the road, it leads past a timber yard and to a bridge.

(10) Cross the bridge and turn right to follow a track past an older building and up to cross a pasture. The track enters woods, follow it to the junction where the path splits.

(11) You can take either of the paths. The left hand path goes uphill and then either down on the right to pass the beginners climbing slab (12) or straight on to the ancient gorge and then back to the bridge beside the pasture at point (7) (use these paths in the spring when the river is in spate).
The tracklog and following description is for the right hand path. Follow the path which curves around the hill and narrows. It passes beside a crag on the left with a steep drop to the river on the right. In places there is a cable handrail should you need it, this leads down to the river and back up the the end of the footbridge which you did not cross previously. (go the middle and get some views) Now return and turn right to follow the path around and up to the beginners climbing slab (12) Walk past the slab up the path to a junction with another path, turn right, walk up and turn right again. This leads through the ancient gorge and then down to the bridge at (7)

(7) Now retrace your steps but when you get to the junction with the track leading to Notre Dames des Graces keep going straight ahead. This track passes through the woods and to some farm buildings, after which the road leads downhill to the bridge and (5)

(5) After crossing the bridge turn left and follow the good track to Samoens with the river on your left. When you arrive at a bridge, cross over and then follow the track on the left which curves around and back to the car park beside the cable car station. (S/E)

Start & Parking: Park in Samoens at the cable car station.

Note: As this walk is low level and because it follows good tracks for most of the way it is possible to turn back at any point and get to shelter in heavy rain.

Refreshements: There are cafes in Sixt fer a Cheval where you can buy refreshments.

Gears: Approach type shoes will suffice for this walk, the paths in the woods may be muddy after rain.

The bridge over the cascade unfortunately does not give you great views, but taking this way adds variety. (if you want to get up close the the waterfall then walk past (1) and follow the track, then take a path on the right and follow it up to get a closer view. It is not possible to walk around to (4) so you will have to return to (1) and follow the route as described.

Whilst walking along the river you will see people rafting, this activity starts at Sixt and passes through the Gorges des Tines.

Notre Dames des Graces is an interesting chapel but is usually closed, however it is worth walking around, as is the 12th century abbey in Sixt Fer a Cheval.

The Carousel in Sixt fer a Cheval was built as a tourist attraction at the start of the 20th century and is powered by a water wheel.