Val d`Hérens hiking tour

VAL D’HÉRENS HIKING TOUR
VAL D’HÉRENS DISCOVERY
TOUR: 2, 3 OR 6 DAYS
VAL D’HÉRENS HIKING TOUR
WELCOME TO THE VAL D’HÉRENS!
Set out to explore a valley of pure natural
beauty enhanced with tradition and authenticity!
Surrounded by ridges and mountain tops,
you’ll find wide open spaces, well preserved villages - heritage of our ancestors
- unspoiled nature and the respect of traditions and life on the mountain pastures.
During the hike, discover the highest gravity dam in the world, the Grande Dixence
www.grand-dixence.ch, a gigantic structure some 285 meters high. Walking along
the shore of Lac des Dix, you arrive at the
foot of the glaciers dominated by the magnificent 3,500 meter summits. Another legendary section is the Col de Riedmatten,
at an altitude of 2,900 m, part of the route
of the famous ski-mountaineering race
« La Patrouille des Glaciers ». This pass
offers spectacular views over legendary
Alpine summits. Then head back down to
typical Val d’Hérens villages, which are
still so well preserved, testifying to mountain life as it was in days gone by. Your
walks will take place under the watchful
eye of the Val’s emblematic mountain, the
Dent Blanche towering at 4,357 m. Next,
you head up to a mountain cabin for magnificent views over the whole of the Valais
Alps, before dropping down into a small
protected valley where Nature reigns.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WALK
Val d’Hérens villages,
typical, traditional, and
extremely well-preserved
Prices* / pers.
in double room
Nights with breakfast and
evening meal
Picnic lunches with a drink
Bus transport
High mountain landscapes in the heart of the
Valais Alps, with lots of
viewpoints, passing very
close to the summits.
A region which is
relatively unknown,
intensifying the feeling
of being in a really
preserved and intact
environment.
6 DAYS
3 DAYS
2 DAYS
CHF 734.Euro 602.-
CHF 559.Euro 458.-
CHF 346.Euro 284.-
6
4
3
5
3
2
from Sion to Thyon and
from Nax to Sion
from Sion to Thyon and
from Évolène to Sion
from Sion to Évolène and
from Nax to Sion
Transport of one piece of
luggage per person on each
stage of the Tour (except
to cabin)
1 walking map and other
travel documents
1 certified Val d’Hérens
welcome gift (Free)
1 sampling of local
products (Free)
* Approximate price subject to modification. Valid from mid-June to mid-October.
HIKING TOUR OF THE VAL D’HERENS
st
1 STAGE
THYON | LES COLLONS | GRANDE DIXENCE
Departure from Thyon - Les Collons, at approx. 1,900 m, in the direction of the Grande
Dixence dam, where you take the route of the Thyon-Dixence running race.
On the way, you’ll see the magnificent Essertze peat bogs, where signs explain the
wealth of nature in the area.
This first stage takes you along hillsides, with the Val des Dix in your line of sight,
and as you draw closer, the world’s largest gravity dam, the Grande Dixence, rises
more and more impressive ahead of you, as do the summits of the Val des Dix, over
3,500 m high, which remain snow-capped all year round.
Accommodation is at the Hôtel du Barrage de la Grande Dixence or the Prafleuri cabin.
DIXENCE
ALLÈVES
ORCHÈRA
ESSERTZE
LES GOUILLES
D’ESSERTZE
THYON 2000
m altitude
THYON /
LES COLLONS
The walk lasts around 5.15hrs.
km
HIKING TOUR OF THE VAL D’HERENS
nd
2
STAGE
GRANDE DIXENCE | AROLLA
Walk alongside the 6km long Lac des Dix and you’re getting closer to the magnificent
summits that have been keeping you company all day : Mont Blanc de Cheillon 3,869 m,
Pigne d’Arolla 3,772 m, La Luette 3,548 m, Le Pleureur 3,703 m, Mont Collon 3,637 m.
Another legendary passage is the Col de Riedmatten, a pass at 2,900 m altitude and
part of the route of the famous ski-mountaineering race « La Patrouille des Glaciers » ;
the pass offers superb views of the surrounding mountains.
AROLLA
REMOINTSE
D’AROLLA
COL DE
RIEDMATTEN
PAS DU CHAT
LA BARMA
NOTE
The Col de Riedmatten
section is narrow and
very steep and the Pas de
Chèvre section is « aerial»
with ladders, but is no problem for good walkers.
m altitude
DIXENCE
Today’s walking time is around 5.30hrs.
km
HIKING TOUR OF THE VAL D’HERENS
rd
3 STAGE
AROLLA | LA SAGE/LES HAUDÈRES/ÉVOLÈNE
Descent into the Val d’Arolla with the possibility of passing by the Lac Bleu (Blue
Lake), a little piece of paradise in the middle of a forest of Arolla pines, and arrival in
the typical villages of La Sage, Les Haudères or Évolène.
If you wish to shorten this stage, a variation is possible by taking the Post bus from
Arolla, from the place known as « Les Farques » and from there, setting off in the direction of Lac d’Arbey, a beautiful little plateau above Évolène, with impressive views
of the Dent-Blanche (4,357 m).
Depending on the route, overnight accommodation possible at La Sage, Les Haudères
or Évolène.
LA SAGE
LA FORCLAZ
LES HAUDÈRES
LA GOUILLE
PRAMOUSSE
m altitude
AROLLA
The walking time according to the itinerary is 4.30 to 5.00hrs.
km
HIKING TOUR OF THE VAL D’HERENS
th
4 STAGE
LA SAGE/LES HAUDÈRES/ÉVOLÈNE | BECS DE BOSSON CABIN
You leave the villages of the Val d’Hérens to head up high, with a substantial uphill
climb over the day’s walk. You’ll pass through different Val d’Hérens Alpine pastures,
known for their raclette cheese production and the Hérens breed of cows. You arrive at
the Pas de Lona, which straddles the Val d’Anniviers and the Val d’Hérens, a wonderfully wild area (lakes, flowers…) and attack the last climb in the direction of the Becs
de Bossons cabin (2,985 m) where views over all the most impressive summits in
Valais are simply superb. The most beautiful views of the entire route.
BECS DE
BOSSON CABIN
PAS DE LONA
L’A VIEILLE
VOLOVRON
MAYENS DE
COTTER
NOTE
If you stay at Les Haudères
or La Sage, there is the
possibility of taking the Post
bus to Évolène to reduce
the walking time to
the cabin.
m altitude
LA SAGE
Walking time from Évolène to the cabin is around 5hrs.
km
HIKING TOUR OF THE VAL D’HERENS
th
5 STAGE
BECS DE BOSSON CABIN | NAX
On leaving the cabin, you head down in the direction of the Vallon de Réchy, a magnificent, isolated and protected little valley where no construction is allowed and where
Nature rules undisturbed (eagles, marmots, marshes…).
Then an easy descent to Nax to end the tour. Situated on a promontory, the village
of Nax offers magnificent views of the Rhône Valley and unforgettable sunsets, the
latest in the area.
COL DE COU
LE LOUCHÉ
LA COMBE
NAX
m altitude
BECS DE
BOSSON CABIN
Walking time is around 5hrs.
km
STAGES
6 DAYS
1
2
3
4
5
6
3 DAYS
Thyon - Dixence
Dixence - Arolla
Arolla - Évolène / Les Haudères /
La Sage
Évolène / Les Haudères /
La Sage - Becs de Bosson Cabin
Becs de Bosson Cabin - Nax
Return to Sion
1
2
3
Thyon - Dixence
Dixence - Arolla
Arolla - Évolène / Les Haudères /
La Sage
2 DAYS
4
5
Évolène / Les Haudères /
La Sage - Becs de Bosson Cabin
Becs de Bosson Cabin - Nax
6
Nax
SION
1
Thyon Les Collons
5
St-Martin
Becs de Bosson
Cabin
Évolène
4
La Sage
2
Dixence
Les Haudères
3
Arolla
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
DESCRIPTION OF
ACCOMMODATION
The hotels and guesthouses have been
selected for their comfort and friendly
welcome, or their selection has been imposed, as they are the only possibilities in
a given place.
Sleeping arrangements are in double
rooms (or in certain cases triples).
Single rooms, if available, are subject to
an extra fee.
Sion: hotel**** or hotel*** or hotel**
(not included in the package)
Thyon-Les Collons: hotel***, cabin
Dixence: hotel**, cabin
Arolla: hotel*** or hôtel** or hotel Swiss Lodge
Évolène : hotel** or hotel*
Les Haudères: hotel*** or hotel**
La Sage: hotel Swiss Lodge
St-Martin/Eison: cabin or guesthouse
Nax: hotel**or hotel***
ACCESS
Road:
Motorway Geneva - Lausanne - Sion
Rail:
For information only, Paris - Sion approx.
5.30hrs journey.
GERMANY
Schaffausen
Basel
Zürich
Luzern
Bern
FRANCE
Vevey
Genève
AUSTRIA
Brig
Sion
Valais
St-Gallen
Lugano
ITALY
Check times on 0041 900 300 300 (pay
service) or on the website www.cff.ch
(Swiss Railways Company).
Arrival in Sion by train or by car (parking
possible) then departure by coach to
Thyon-Les Collons for the first night. You can park your car in Sion or in ThyonLes Collons. La Cambuse Hotel offers
free parking for tour participants for the 6
days of the tour. In this case you will need
to return to Thyon at the end of the tour to
collect your vehicle : Nax - Sion by postal
bus, then Sion - Thyon by Theytaz coach.
It is also possible to stay in Sion the first
night.
TRANSPORT
Two coach transport vouchers per person are included in the package.
The first is for Sion station to Thyon-Les
Collons with Car Theytaz (www.theytaz-excursions.ch). The Theytaz coach
stop is on the right as you exit Sion station.
The second voucher is for the Nax to Sion
station journey with the Post bus (www.
sbb.ch/en) (yellow coach).
It is possible to book additional coach
transport at extra cost, per journey and
per person (please request terms).
Luggage transport during the tour
is provided by two coach companies.
Luggage must be deposited by clients
before 8.30 at the hotel reception. The
luggage is transported from hotel to hotel
but not to cabins. If clients are spending a
night in a cabin, they must take everything
they require for the night with them in their
backpack.
Their luggage will be transported to the
next hotel where it will be waiting for them
the following day.
INFORMATION AND BOOKINGS
USEFUL CONTACTS
Hiking Tour of the Val d’Hérens
info@valdherens.ch
+41 (0) 27 281 28 15
www.valdherens.ch
Tourist Offices :
Évolène : +41(0)27 283 40 00
www.evolene-region.ch
Nax : +41(0)27 203 17 38
www.mont-noble-tourisme.ch
Thyon : +41(0)27 281 27 27
www.thyon.ch
St-Martin : +41(0)27 281 24 74
www.saint-martin-tourisme.ch
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