Nendaz walks

Two bisses are on the agenda for this third day. Very quickly in Nendaz, you will reach the "Bisse Vieux" against the current, then after Planchouet, you will stroll along the magnificent "Grand Bisse de Vex". Opposite, the Rhône valley is often visible, and you will clearly see the Derborance and Sanetsch valleys, Mont Gond, the Wildhorn and its glacier.

The elevation profile says it all about this day. Most of the route runs along the Grand Bisse de Saxon. This section has been beautifully restored. In Taillay, you will discover a water wheel and a hammer powered by the stream. This ingenious invention was an alarm signal. The sound of the hammer could be heard 2 km away. The absence of sound alerted the bisse guard. You will recognise the Muverans massif on the other side of the Rhône valley.

The fourth day is a long stage, using a variation on the "Chemin des Bisses" trail from La Luette. This interesting alternative in hot weather allows you to reach Vernamiège via a new trail created in 2015, "La Luette-Ossona-Les Prixes", via the Grande Combe footbridge. The elevation gain is less than on the traditional route. You will follow the large Bisse de Vex to the Mayens de Sion. You will pass through two typical villages in the Val d'Hérens: Hérémence and Euseigne.

An autumn walk through the lands of Farinet, the Robin Hood of Valais, a beautiful climb through the vineyards to a spectacular footbridge that crosses the Salentze valley at a height of over 130 metres. There are no particular difficulties, but the footbridge is strongly discouraged for people who are prone to vertigo. The thermal baths of Saillon, 500 m from the finish, offer a great way to relax at the end of the day.

An unusual stage today: it starts with a downhill hike before a long climb uphill, a second descent and a ski lift ride followed by a walk over flatland and a bus ride to the lodge.

This seventh stage takes place in high mountains and, depending on the season, may involve crossing snowfields.From the Prafleuri hut, head towards the Col des Roux, then descend to Lac des Dix. Walk along the lake to the south-eastern end, where you will find signs for the Cabane des Dix. The path follows the glacier moraine and then goes around Tête Noire to reach the Cabane des Dix. Views of Mont Blanc de Cheilon, La Ruinette and Pigne d'Arolla.

Second stage of this hike crossing two passes, Louvie Pass and Prafleuri Pass, both snow-covered.

This sixth stage takes place in the high mountains and, depending on the season, may involve crossing snowfields.From Lake Louvie, climb up to Col Termin and rejoin the balcony path that comes from the Montfort Hut. Continue to Col de Louvie (possibility of snowfields). After descending Col de Louvie, the path passes at the foot of the Grand Désert Glacier. The trail then crosses scree; look out for the red and white markings and follow the signs for Prafleuri. Climb Col de Prafleuri. Descend to Torrent de Prafleuri (small bridge); on the left, a trail leads to the Prafleuri Hut.

First stage of this trek linking Fionay village to Saas Fee. A pleasant stage reaching Louvie Hut (la Cabane de Louvie) built on the edge of Louvie Lake.

In the Swiss valley, this particularly pleasant hike allows you to explore the many 4000 m peaks that surround the route. N.B. this route is outlined on Openmap which doesn't have the details of our fine IGN maps. Before being able to get your hands on a Swiss map, which are more precise, the route and GPS layouts will be handy for this pleasant trek.

This fifth day will take you to the charming village of Vercorin. You will once again overlook the Rhône Valley as you pass through Nax, a pretty winter sports resort. Then you will gradually enter the deep valley of Réchy. You will admire the La Rèche torrent at the bottom of the valley, then begin the pleasant and peaceful route along the Bisse de Vercorin. In Vercorin, you can marvel at the many mazots (traditional houses) built on stilts.

This fifth stage crosses the Val de Bagnes. To the right of the Cabane Brunet, follow the path that descends directly to Fionnay. Be careful, this very steep path with countless tree roots can be slippery and dangerous in wet weather. Cross the road that leads to Fionnay. The path to the Louvie Hut is signposted in the centre of the village, on the right bank of the torrent. The trail is well marked all the way to the hut. Ibex often come close to the hut. A little further on, it is possible to see chamois.

The route passes through the Col des Avouillons before descending to the rest of the Corbassière glacier, which is crossed via a spectacular 200 m long footbridge over a 70 m drop. The high mountains reveal themselves after the pass in a grandiose setting.

A challenging loop with alternating gentle climbs and easy descents, offering magnificent views of the Val de Bagne on one side and Orsières on the other. There are also numerous views of the French and Swiss Alps in good weather.

This is a fairly long stage but set against a magnificent backdrop. The Mauvoisin dam is impressive, as are all the waterfalls along the right bank of the lake. The route passes through the easy and beautiful Tsofeiret Pass.

This stage was shortened due to bad weather. The plan was to go via Mont Rogneux. This is a short stage that allows you to avoid Mont Rogneux when it is in thick fog. However, if the weather improves in the afternoon, it is possible to climb from the Cabane Brunet to the Goli des Otanes. You will then walk alongside pastures where Herens cows graze.

Between Mont Blanc and Monte Rosa, the Grand Combin stands out from everywhere. Forming the border between Switzerland and Italy, and the boundary between the Grand Saint-Bernard valley and the Val de Bagne, it rises to 4,314 m. The tour takes seven days; I added an extra day to visit the Fenêtres lakes, the icing on the cake. Each stage offers alpine accommodation.

This eighth stage takes place in high mountains and, depending on the season, may involve crossing snowfields. From the Cabane des Dix, return to the Pas de Chèvres / Col de Riedmaten junction. Return to the Pas de Chèvres after a long passage through scree and large boulders. Ladders provide access to the Pas des Chèvres. The descent to Arolla follows a good path. Views of Mont Collon and Pigne d'Arolla.Pas de Chèvres or Col de Riedmaten? See the "Practical information" section.

This ninth stage is more relaxing than the previous ones. Many hikers skip this section by taking a bus transfer from Arolla to La Sage or Villa. Although short and easy, this stage really has its place in the route. The trail passes by Lac Bleu and crosses the beautiful hamlet of La Gouille, typical of the Val d'Hérens, then the villages of Les Haudères and La Sage. From La Gouille to Les Haudères, the trail follows the "La Borgne d'Arolla" torrent. In the centre of Les Haudères, a sign indicates the path that climbs up to the village of La Sage.

A high mountain stage which requires hiking boots with crampons to cross the Arolla glacier. You should get an early start for this long stage of the hike.

This fourth stage offers various views of the Combin massif. At the top of the village, head towards the Col and Cabane de Mille. After a pleasant walk through the forest, the path gradually opens up to reach Erra. The terrace of the Cabane de Mille offers a magnificent panorama of the Mont Blanc range, the Aiguilles de Chamonix and the Combin massif. At Servay (a small sheepfold after a small lake), head towards Cabane Brunet. The end of the route crosses a rather chaotic area before taking the small road that climbs up to Cabane Brunet. Superb view of the Combin mountains just behind the hut.

For this second stage, take the bus from the Grand Saint-Bernard Pass Hospice to the village of Liddes. Depart from Liddes and walk through large forest areas and flower-filled mountain pastures to reach the Cabane du Col de Mille.

A lovely circular walk for a half day out which is good if the weather is forecast to deteriorate in the afternoon. It can also be extended if you want a longer walk. Amazing views from the top of Plan Monnay.