Valais walks

Passing through the preserved site of Tanay, with its lake, you climb to a summit that offers a unique view of Lake Geneva and a wide panorama of the surrounding mountains. A popular hike with steep sections but no technical difficulty.N.B. The calculated elevation gain is slightly overestimated; the actual cumulative elevation gain is close to 1,000 metres.

Starting from Col de la Forclaz (1527m), a short and easy out-and-back walk along the Bisse du Trient (irrigation channel) to the Chalet du Glacier (1583m), which offers a fine view of the Glacier du Trient and the Petite Pointe d'Orny (3187m). ⚠️ Part of the trail has been damaged by a landslide. Bypassing is possible, but the walk is not accessible for baby carriages and wheelchairs (see practical info).

As its name suggests, this summit offers a superb panorama, particularly of the nearby Dents du Midi. The proposed route offers a pleasant walk mainly through mountain pastures.

A not too busy hike up to a summit offering a vast panoramic view. A relatively challenging route with some aerial passages requesting a certain sense of itinerary at times. The beginning of the hikes passes through Tanay site and its lake.

6th stage of the Mont Blanc tour: from the Relais d'Arpette to the Forclaz Pass via la Fenêtre d'Arpette.

An uphill hike taking you to the foot of the Eastern Peak (Cime de l'Est), eastern peninsular of "les Dents du Midi", with mind-blowing mountain view points and a panoramic view extending towards the Vaudois Alps. A challenging itinerary with a short aerial path through ridges.

The Cabane du Vélan (2,642 m) is nothing like a traditional Swiss hut. Its bold, futuristic architecture, adorned with solar panels (inaugurated in 1993), makes it look more like a ship than a refuge and has earned it the Ligue de Protection du Patrimoine award. It enjoys an exceptional location above moraines and glaciers, with magnificent views of the Grand Combin massif (4,312 m) and Mont Vélan (3,727 m).

Lac de Salanfe is located in a large cirque, which is most easily accessed from the east via the Vallon de Van d'En Haut. From the Emosson dam, two passes offer access to this magnificent lake. In a high mountain setting, you can admire the Ruan massif to the south-west and the Dents du Midi massif to the north-west. During these two days, you will cross the Barberine, Emaney and Fenestral passes.

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

A long day leading to Lac d'Emosson via the Col d'Emaney and Col de Barberine. Descent to Lac d'Emosson, then Col de la Gueulaz and the final climb to the Cabane du Vieux Emosson.

Pass through the listed site of dinosaur footprints, then climb up to Cheval Blanc and reach the summit of Buet via the ridges. A difficult alpine route classified as T4 with breathtaking views of the Aiguilles Rouges.

You will return to Almageller Alp via the Almagellerhorn adventure trail, which is marked with ladders, steps and a suspension bridge. The trail returns to the Saas Valley and remains at almost the same altitude until Kreuzboden. From this balcony, you can admire the Mischabel massif and the resort of Saas Fee. Overlooking the Saastal and at the foot of the Fletschorn, you will walk through old pastures. You will pass through several Walser hamlets before arriving in Gspon.

During this fourth stage of the Tour des Dents du Midi, the route offers more magnificent views overlooking the Val-d'Illiez. At Signal de Soi, you can admire the Tête de Chalin, the Cime de l'Est, the cathedral and the Dent Jaune. At the Cabane d'Antème, wonderfully located at the foot of the Haute Cime, you can enjoy a sunset over the Dents du Midi and the Portes du Soleil.

During this stage of the Tour des Dents du Midi, at the Col du Jorat you will enjoy a panoramic view to the south of the peaks on the border with Italy. You will probably recognise the Matterhorn. You will also have a bird's eye view of the Lac de Salanfe, with the Dôme de la Sallière in the background. To the north, the Rhône valley awaits you. In the small village of Mex, nestled on a plateau, several viewpoints offer views of the villages in the valley, all the way to Lake Geneva.

The second stage of this hike starts at the Cabane du Vélan and follows the right bank of the Valsorey torrent.

During this first stage, you will discover part of the Old Saxon Bisse (the longest of the bisse: 26 km from its water source in Siviez to La Boveresse). The bisse starts at the point (6). Built in the 1850s, the pipes no longer exist, so you will have to wait until you reach La Tzoumaz to finally see water flowing along the path. The bisse is currently being restored in sections.

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.

A big day with spectacular scenery. The Pas d'Encel pass is a little tricky to navigate to reach the foot of Mont Ruan. Reach Haute Cime, the highest point of the Dents du Midi at 3,257 metres, via the Col de Susanfe, then descend to the Auberge de Salanfe on the edge of the lake.

From the hamlet of Les Granges to Van d'en Bas, you will climb up the Dailley Gorge via daring constructions, footbridges, galleries and vertiginous stairways. The Salanfe river rushes down the steep gorges in several stages. The view is breathtaking. You will enjoy numerous views of the Alpine peaks. You will cross the magnificent Vallon de Van. In the evening in Salanfe, you can already admire the Dents du Midi rising behind the lake

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.

During this beautiful stage of the Tour des Dents du Midi, you will cross pastures and forests to reach Chindonne. As the stage is quite short, you will not miss climbing the Dent de Valerette, a magnificent viewpoint. You will then enjoy a panoramic view of the Dents du Midi and the Rhône valley.

The usual route to the Susanfe hut from Campéry starts in the forest before emerging onto the Bonavau mountain pasture. Below the imposing peak of the same name, the trail climbs up a path with a few equipped sections and crosses the Pas d'Encel. The final ascent of the Susanfe valley takes place in a high mountain setting.

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.

stage 7 of the Tour du Mont Blanc from Champex (Switzerland) to Trient via the Col de la Forclaz.

Less frequented than the Haute Cime opposite, the Luisin is a superb viewpoint and a lovely hiking destination in a high mountain setting. This hike offers an original approach to this beautiful summit, starting from high up in a wild setting.

A hike that leads to a lake at the foot of the Dents du Midi: the view of these imposing peaks is magnificent! The first part of the ascent is shaded, on a path that criss-crosses an alpine track. The rest of the hike takes place in the alpine pastures and ends in an increasingly rocky environment.

This fourteenth and final stage is the longest, but does not present any difficulties. The route from Sankt Niklaus to Zermatt is obvious. It follows the Matter Vispa, the river that flows down from Zermatt, and the rack railway line, which terminates in Zermatt. All the ingredients for a picture-postcard Swiss scene are there: the Matterhorn, glaciers, the torrent, churches with bulbous steeples, the little rack railway and the magnificent car-free village of Zermatt.

This twelfth stage takes place once again in the high mountains and, depending on the season, may involve crossing snowfields. The trail is shared with the Apenpässe-Weg, marked with green stickers no. 6. From the Hotel Weisshorn, descend to the Combavert barn. The ascent to the Meidpass begins on a good path that passes close to Lake Combavert. The route is pleasant until the junction with Lake Armina. The final climb is over scree. The descent, which is steep at first, becomes gentler as you approach Meidsee. Then scree and pastures alternate until you reach the hamlets of Oberstafel and Mittelstafel. A good path then descends to Meiden/Gruben.The Meidpass is the French/German linguistic border.

This thirteenth stage takes place in the high mountains and, depending on the season, may involve crossing snowfields. The trail is shared with the Apenpässe-Weg, marked with green vignettes No. 6. From the hotel, the trail climbs towards the Augstbordpass, crossing alpine pastures to Grüobu Oberstafel. Then the landscape becomes increasingly rocky until you reach the Augstbordpass. At the pass, you will have earned a well-deserved break. The descent continues through numerous scree slopes and rock fields, but the path is always well marked. From Abiheiji (Twraa Ridge), the route to Jungen is more pleasant and the path is often paved. From Jungen, there is still an 850-metre descent to Sankt Niklaus. (You can take the cable car to avoid this last descent.)

This eleventh stage takes place in the mid-mountains. The Hotel Weisshorn, perched at an altitude of nearly 2,400 metres, is visible from Grimentz. The path descends towards Navisence and then passes through the village of Ayer. Follow the Chemin des Cols Alpins to reach the Hotel Weisshorn. From its terrace, it offers a superb view of the summit that bears its name.

This tenth stage takes place once again in the high mountains and, depending on the season, may involve crossing snowfields. This day is spent in the company of peaks over 4,000 metres high.From La Sage or Villa, there are two passes that allow you to cross from the Val d'Hérens to the Val d'Anniviers: the Col de Torrent and the Col du Tsaté. Closer to the high peaks and glaciers, we will opt for the Col du Tsaté. From La Sage, follow the signs for Moteau and Le Tsaté (an old abandoned hamlet). The trail continues to a cattle farm (Remointse du Tsaté), then to the small Lac du Tsaté. From there, the Col du Tsaté is visible on the Val d'Anniviers side, and the path joins the Lac de Moiry to the dam. At the foot of this structure, a well-marked trail leads to Grimentz.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

This third stage is fairly short and relaxing. It allows you to enjoy Champex and its lake a little longer. After the village of Orsières, you will follow a forest path on the left bank of the Dranse d'Entremont, then on its right bank before climbing up to the village of Liddes.

This final stage will take you from the village of Simplon to the Simplon Pass. Along the way, you will notice two remarkable buildings in this arid landscape: the Alte Spittel and the Barralhaus. Once you reach the Simplon Pass, you can take a short detour to see the Simplon Eagle and the imposing hospice.

This hike is inspired by the Walser Tour and the Mineralien Tour. This magnificent route crosses numerous mountain pastures, where the dwellings are very varied: from wooden chalets to stone chalets. The hamlet of Salecchio Superiore consists of magnificent wooden chalets, several centuries old, all very well preserved. The chalet that houses the dormitories of the Rifugio "Zum Gora" dates back to the 17th century. In Italy, the route at the foot of the peaks bordering Switzerland, including Monte Leone, takes us through two regional parks: the Parco Naturale dell'Alpe Veglia and the Parco Naturale dell'Alpe Devero.

This stage is common to both the Walser Tour and the Valrando Mineral Tour. A few houses line this path in Freichi and then in Blatt. The Ofenhorn can be admired all the way to the Binntal Hütte. Although this is German-speaking territory, French is surprisingly the dominant language in this hut. The Binntal Hütte belongs to the Swiss Alpine Club: Delémont section.

This second stage crosses the Italian-Swiss border at the Albrunpass. You will enter the Val Formazza. The highest point of the day is at Scatta Minoïa. After the Ettore Conti bivouac, the descent to Lake Vannino is very pleasant and easy. The Rifugio Margaroli is located at the end of the lake. This relatively short stage gives you the opportunity to climb up to Lake Sruer at 2,351 m. (Absolute tranquillity guaranteed and magnificent views of Lake Vannino).

A very beautiful hike to do in dry weather. The paths are in good condition. If you go via the west, towards Lac de Soi, the climb is longer but less steep. There are no technical sections, but the entire hike takes place in a vertical environment. There is a small change in the route on the descent.

A superb route starting from the spa resort of Leukerbad (canton of Valais) and ending in Lenk (canton of Bern). You will take the historic Gemmi mule track that connects these two cantons. From Schwarenbach, a former customs post that once welcomed famous personalities, you will gradually descend into the canton of Bern. You will also stop at Alpe d'Engstlige, where you can admire the famous Engstlige waterfalls. The last stage, starting from Adelboden, will take you to Lenk along the Via Alpina.

After a night spent in absolute silence, this second stage begins with a pleasant climb to Schwartzgrätli. A fairly exposed section along the Felsenhorn wall will require a little caution, despite the cables and ropes. You will then continue along the Engstlige ridge with the Tschingellochtighorn, with its remarkable relief, in your sights. To conclude the day, you will descend via the Ärtele ridge to Engstligenalp, a superb mountain pasture at the foot of the Wildstrubel.

A magnificent ascent along a historic trail linking the cantons of Valais and Bern. From Leukerbad, it is difficult to guess the route that crosses this imposing wall. You will climb the Gemmipass at your own pace (900 m in 3 km) and in complete safety. At the pass and at the Gemmi Lodge, you will enjoy breathtaking views of the Valais Dom, Weisshorn, Matterhorn and Dent Blanche, all over 4,000 metres high. In the evening, you will sleep in a mountain hotel that once welcomed famous personalities such as Jules Verne, Guy de Maupassant, Pablo Picasso and even Lenin.

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.

The climb up the Bisse du Ro to Lake Tseuzier is fairly easy The return trip is more difficult, with a steep descent at the beginning and a steep climb at the end of the walk In the middle there is a field with cows, so remember to close the gates behind you

An easy hike overlooking the Trient and Vallorcine valleys, with superb views of the surrounding mountains such as the Mont Blanc massif and the 4,000-metre peaks of Valais. Caution for those prone to vertigo or fear of heights: there is a section with handrails, which is not dangerous but requires particular attention

After "From the Great Saint Bernard Pass to Simplon Pass", here is "From Simplon Pass to San Bernardino Pass". This is not the return journey from the Great Saint Bernard to Simplon after a language study trip to Italy, but rather the continuation of the route to the San Bernardino Pass in the canton of Graubünden. This hike requires a very good level of fitness, with several stages involving more than 1,300 metres of elevation gain or loss. After two days in Wallis (German-speaking Valais), the atmosphere becomes completely Italian: two days in Italy (Val Formazza), nine days in Ticino (Tessin in Italian), and two days in Grigioni (Grisons in Italian). Lake Maggiore and Locarno are also on the itinerary.