Famelon Tower from Le Sépey

The walk starts at Sépey station, accessible by train from Aigle or Les Diablerets. Parking is available right next to the station.

(S/E) From the station, head up towards the Grand Rue and follow it to the left towards Leysin. When you reach the end of the street, after a stream, take the steps leading up to the right above the Route de Cergnat. Follow the path towards Cergnat until you reach the hamlet just above the cemetery.

(1) Continue along the path that climbs between the chalets on the right towards the forest. Then cross a meadow and follow the well-marked path through the forest, taking care at the gates to the enclosures.

(2) At the next junction on the edge of the woods, head steeply uphill to the right towards Le Cerf. Reach Le Cerf by crossing a meadow which leads onto a small road dotted with chalets.

(3) Continue the gentler ascent by following the road to the left. At the next junction, carry on up the road to the right until you reach the third hairpin bend, near a small chalet.

(4) Leave the road and follow the track that heads towards the forest and descends slightly to the foot of a chairlift. Climb to the right beneath it until you reach Les Fers.

(5) Take the path that climbs to the right towards the Tour de Famelon. Climb up a stony valley below Le Moëllé. At the end of this valley, head north by veering to the right to reach a junction at the foot of the Tour de Famelon.

(6) Go round the summit to the left, passing through a few steep sections. You’ll come to a marker indicating the direction to follow – to the right – to reach the summit. After a final push up a very steep slope and a short section with a chain to climb, reach the summit, taking care to avoid the holes formed by the sharp limestone pavement.

(7) Descend carefully, retracing your steps, then veer to the right to go round the tower from the north. The path runs over stony, uneven sections with a slope, making progress tricky. After a small ledge, leave this area and arrive at a pasture near Les Chaux.

(8) Continue straight on (east) and descend along the track to the Col de la Pierre du Moëllé.

(9) Turn right onto the road heading down towards Le Sépey until you reach a junction just after a hairpin bend.

(10) Turn left onto the road towards Le Sépey and Solepraz. Follow this road for about 1 km.

(11) Head down to the right along the signposted path towards Le Sépey and join another small road, which you should follow to the left.

(12) Turn sharply right onto the track heading towards La Perrause / Le Sépey, which passes by a chalet. After a bend to the right, the slope becomes steeper along a section of an ancient Roman road which is particularly hard on the legs when going downhill, but very pretty as it runs alongside the Sépey stream. When you reach the first chalets, just after a small tufa waterfall, keep to the left to reach the village and the village square, directly opposite the station (S/E).

Apart from the distance and elevation gain, this is a challenging walk due to the sometimes steep and difficult paths, particularly on the descent. Walking poles may be helpful.

There is a climbing/descending section to reach the tower at the very end, equipped with a chain.

Best avoided in hot weather; the forest sections are at the start and end of the walk.