Salvan - Auberge de Salanfe

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From the hamlet of Les Granges to Van d’en Bas, you’ll make your way up through the Dailley Gorges via daring structures, footbridges, tunnels and vertiginous staircases. The Salanfe river cascades down the steep gorges in a series of terraces. The view is breathtaking. You’ll enjoy numerous vantage points overlooking the Alpine peaks.
You’ll cross the magnificent Vallon de Van. In the evening in Salanfe, you’ll already be able to admire the Dents du Midi standing out against the backdrop of the lake

This walk is part of a multi-day hike: Tour of the Dents du Midi and Petits Perrons

Details

n°4370012
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.21 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult
  • ⚐
    Back to start: No
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 3,504 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 646 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 5,958 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 3,084 ft
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Photos

Lake Salanfe
Salanfe
Van d'en Bas
Auberge du vallon de Van

Description of the walk

For signposting, see the practical information.

(S) From Salvan station, cross the railway tracks and turn right. Head north-east, follow the Chemin du Biolet, passing the Hôtel les Soldanelles. Continue north until you reach the Route des Granges.

(1) Turn left and take the first small road on the right towards the hamlet of Les Granges. Pass the Hôtel Balance; heading north, follow the red Via Alpina trail to the Cabane des Amis du Dailley, where the path branches off towards the Dailley Gorges.

(2) Follow the sign for the waterfall, cross the bridge, and take the impressive network of stairways, footbridges and galleries to climb up the Dailley Gorges to Van d’en Bas. Cross the Route de Van and reach the Auberge du Vallon de Van.

(3) From this inn, follow the track westwards and rejoin the Salanfe road.

(4) Follow the Salanfe road to reach the Van d’en Haut campsite.
Here you will find the ‘Alpenpässe Weg No. 6’ signposting.

(5) To the right of the campsite, continue along the road which, after a left-hand bend, becomes a footpath. Head west-north-west until you reach a T-junction.

(6) Take the path on the right, which is steeper. After several hairpin bends and some metal steps, rejoin the Salante track.

(7) Turn right onto the track which, after two bends, runs alongside the Salanfe torrent to the foot of the dam. Walk up to the northern end of the dam and reach a final junction by the lake.

(8) Return to the Auberge de Salanfe, which is now clearly visible to the north (E).

Waypoints

  1. S : mi 0 - alt. 3,084 ft - Gare de Salvan (Suisse)
  2. 1 : mi 0.47 - alt. 3,343 ft - Junction with the Route des Granges
  3. 2 : mi 1.44 - alt. 3,681 ft - Gorge de Dailley branch line
  4. 3 : mi 1.99 - alt. 4,213 ft - Auberge du Vallon de Van
  5. 4 : mi 2.38 - alt. 4,449 ft - Route de Salanfe
  6. 5 : mi 3.1 - alt. 4,554 ft - Van d’en Haut campsite
  7. 6 : mi 3.59 - alt. 4,918 ft - T-junction
  8. 7 : mi 4.03 - alt. 5,453 ft - Junction with the Salanfe trail
  9. 8 : mi 5.07 - alt. 5,843 ft - Junction with the Alpenpäße-Weg - Lac de Salanfe
  10. E : mi 5.21 - alt. 5,938 ft - Auberge de Salanfe

Notes

From the Van d’en Haut campsite, the route follows the Alpine Passes Trail, Alpenpässe Weg No. 6. On maps, particularly OpenStreetMap, it is labelled Alpenpässe Weg No. 6. At every major junction, you will find signposts with a green-background icon indicating this route.
View the Alpenpässe Weg No. 6 icon

? Mountain kit, including good walking boots.
? No water available along the entire route.
? Food and drink available atthe Auberge du Vallon de Van
? Stopover lodge: Auberge de Salanfe.

Further information
To get to Salvan:
? SBB CFF FFS train

Worth a visit

- Salvan
- Dailley Gorges
- Vallon de Van
- Lake Salanfe.

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 2 reviews
Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
5 / 5
christine R
christine R

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 15, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

nothing to say

Machine-translated

FlickaPatsy
FlickaPatsy

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 09, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Magnificent hike through the Dailley gorges, the glacial locks and the panorama of the dents du midi at the Salenfe dam. Very few people up to "Va d'en Haut", where there is a large car park for the ascent to the Salenfe lake and dam (saving 500 m in D+), but you miss out on the crossing of the gorges.
At point 2, hikers who want to limit the number of steps they have to climb can follow the footpath to the left of the Friends of Dailley hut. This allows you to make a small loop and on the way back descend all the steps in the gorge.
The gorges are once again accessible in their entirety.
Between points 4 and 5, follow a tarmac road.

Machine-translated

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