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Hiking in Verbier
Hiking in and around Verbier |
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Sitting on a mountainside amidst an unspoilt natural setting, Verbier offers countless hiking possibilities for walkers of all abilities. From gentle walks suitable for families and people of a lesser level of fitness to leisurely half-day hikes, as well as sustained full-day outings or even multi-day treks for the more hardened hikers…Verbier has it all! The Val de Bagnes 1:25 000 walking map (available at the Tourist Offices and most reputed shop around the valley) is a great hiking companion as it covers the entire valley and lists over forty suggestions with their respective degree of difficulty and indicative walking times. With this helpful map in your backpack and some sturdy hiking boots on your feet, you are on your way to discovering the awe-inspiring beauty of the region! This article and photos are courtesy of Sébastien Albert from C'est Tro Bo Photo.
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Before heading off.....
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Snowy trails early season |
Although the footpaths are very well maintained and signposted, you should always exercise caution when venturing into the mountains, particularly at the beginning of season when there may still be snow covering some parts of the footpaths which must therefore be crossed with caution. Frozen avalanche debris can remain the gullies until well into the summer making it dangerous for an ill-equipped or inexperienced walker to cross. It is also always wise to seek the advice of those in the know before you head out. The Tourist Office (Place Centrale) is just the place to do this. They can offer advice and information (in English) to the experienced and inexperienced alike. They can also provide information on weather forecasts, state of the trails (snow coverage etc), refuge opening and closure dates and general advice on your choice of route to help you plan your adventures.
Before you embark on any activities in the mountains you should remember that you are likely to be at a considerably higher altitude with more rugged terrain than you are used to at home. For that reason it is particularly recommended that you:
- Are as physically fit as possible - Ensure you are fully aware of your limitations and of those accompanying you (children and elderly people)
- Are appropriately equipped - Choose sturdy footwear with ankle support, warm, water repellent clothing (even if the sun’s been beating down for days), sun cream, sunglasses, map, plenty water, food and snacks, first aid kit....
- Check your itinerary with the Tourist Office - Even the easiest and best marked trails can present unexpected hazards such as rockslides or snowfall
- Allow plenty time for your chosen route - Additionally, leave an extra margin in case of incident. Let someone know where you are going and when you expect to be back. Nightfall may take you by surprise so it is wise to carry a flashlight
- Stay on the marked trails - This is especially important on steep slopes or precipices. Never take short cuts as doing so causes erosion, channelling the rain water and resulting in deterioration of the trails that are so hard to maintain
- Respect the environment - The mountains here are breathtakingly beautiful but the balance of nature is very fragile. In order to maintain the beauty of the valley; don’t light fires, ensure you take your rubbish with you, leave the flowers for others to admire and avoid making excessive noise that may disturb the wildlife.
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Gentle Walks and Short Family Hikes
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Situated at an altitude of 1500m and given its mountain flank location, even simple walks around the resort can become a somewhat more strenuous affair for persons that are physically unfit. In season however, thanks to Televerbier’s lift system, a good number of relatively flat, leisurely strolls are made accessible even to persons who don’t have a great level of fitness. Please read-on for a few suggestions of popular walks and look here for lift opening dates and schedules:
 | Spectacular views from
Ruinettes to La Chaux |
Ruinettes – La Chaux
This is a leisurely walk with an almost constant level of altitude which follows a wide dirt road around the mountain to the La Chaux Alpage, affording stunning views of the Combins massif across the valley.
Starting Point: Médran (lift) to Ruinettes Station (2200m)
Duration: 45mins (one way)
Access to this short but beautiful mountain stroll is via the bubbles at Médran. Once you’ve arrived at the Ruinettes station, exit right and take the wide dirt road to the left, just below the restaurant. This road wraps around the mountain, climbing ever so gently until you reach La Chaux. This sun-drenched bowl, which doubles as a beginner ski area in the winter, is effectively a pasture where cows spend the summer grazing their day away. You can return by the same route (45 mins), or alternatively, take the Bisse which runs parallel to the road some 30m down (see Bisse du Levron walk), or even catch the La Chaux Express bubbles up and across to the Col des Fontanets and back down to the Ruinettes.
 | | Verbier from Croix de Coeur |
Ruinettes – Savoleyres
Another leisurely walk with an almost constant level of altitude for the most part, for the exception of a steep but short section (see description below), following a wide dirt road around the mountain to the top of the Savoleyres lift station, overlooking the resort the entire way and affording stunning views of Mt. Blanc massif in the distance.
Starting Point: Médran (lift) to Ruinettes Station (2200m)
Duration: 1 hr 30 (one way)
Roughly twice as long as the La Chaux option (see above), this is another nice walk suitable for people of all physical abilities, and, similar to the La Chaux walk, instead of back-tracking along the same route, there is also the option of taking a lift and thus cutting your walking time in half …in this case, by downloading the Savoleyres bubbles at the other end. Once you’ve arrived at the Ruinettes station, exit left, ducking under the La Chaux Express lift towards the start of the dirt road. From there, the road makes a long, flat traverse around the mountain, until it reaches the Croix de Cœur (2173m). Children will particularly enjoy crossing the long, dark tunnel through the Tête des Etablons, approximately halfway there. From the Croix de Cœur’s little parking, you leave the road for a single track which leads you up, steeply at first but much more gradually afterwards, to the top of Savoleyers some 40 minutes later!
Verbier - St-Christophe Chapel
Yet another nice and relatively easy walk which takes you through a forested area to a cliff-side clearing where the St-Christophe Chapel stands (1583m), overlooking the Val de Bagnes.
Starting Point: Patier (1508m) or Perrin parking (1482m)
Duration: 30mins (one way)
Take the free public bus to Patier, or alternatively, as there is little to no parking in Patier, park your car in the Perrin parking near the Sport Center and walk over (add 10mins each way). From there, take the Chemin de St-Christophe past the last few houses to the end of the road where a dirt path continues into the forest. After a low to moderate climb of roughly twenty minutes through a forest made up mostly of evergreens, the path arrives at a clearing. Walk another few minutes and you will see the Chapel appear on your right, while breathtaking views await you straight ahead. Also decked out with a picnic table, this lovely area is perfect for a family lunch break! A word of advice: Do keep a careful eye on your children when up there so they do not journey too close to the cliff’s edge.
Bisse du Levron
The “Bisse” is a beautiful panoramic promenade with a very gentle slope gradient (for the exception of one steeper section mentioned below – see La Chaux direction), that can be walked partially or in its entirety. From one side of the “Verbier bowl” to the other and beyond, the trail overlooks the resort for the most part, offering beautiful views of the Combins and Mt. Blanc massifs on the horizon. “Bisse” is the name used by locals to refer to irrigation channels, ingeniously built hundreds of years ago, designed to supply water to the valley communities. In the case of this particular “Bisse” which dates back to the 15th century, the water had to travel nearly 20 kilometres from its source before cascading into a waterfall in order to reach the village of Le Levron, and ultimately…the valley floor!
 | Mt Blanc Massif from
the Bisse du Lievron |
Starting Point: Various, but a strategic one is at Les Planards (1930m) – parking of La Marmotte restaurant
Duration: Various, dependant on direction taken. Anywhere from (one way):
- 40mins – La Marlenaz restaurant (Chute du Bisse direction)
- 1 hr 15 – Chute du Bisse
- 1 hr 20 – Les Ruinettes (La Chaux direction)
- 2 hrs – La Chaux
- 2 hrs 40 – Patiefray (La Chaux direction)
Drive your car up to Les Planards and park near the restaurant La Marmotte. Alternatively, take the bus up to Carrefour (1756m) and walk up to Les Planards (add 40 mins up – 30 mins down). From there, you can choose to journey in both directions…
Chute du Bisse direction: Definitely the mellower of the two directions. The well defined dirt path continues to make its way ever so slightly downhill, eventually leading you to the Chute du Bisse after passing some 20m above the Marlenaz restaurant roughly halfway to the falls. Overlooking Verbier the whole way until it reaches the Marlenaz area, the path also offers great views of the Combins. Afterwards, you find yourself walking through a nice mixed forest until reaching the falls where good views of the L’Aroley cliffs await you. Return via the same path.
 | Patiefray Panorama
La Chaux direction |
La Chaux direction: Follow the path towards the Ruinettes, passing through a very pretty forested section, primarily populated by Larch, on the flank of Bâ Combe. Afterwards as you round the corner, the Etiertses Alpage comes into view just ahead. Continue your traverse across the bowl until you near the Ruinettes lift station, where the “Bisse” cascades down towards you. There, you must climb up a steep switch-back trail to once again regain the path alongside the gentle steady flow of the “Bisse”. Following this section of the trail (which offer without a doubt the best views of the Combins massif) will eventually lead you to the La Chaux Alpage. Although the “Bisse” trail officially ends here, you can choose to continue past this, where yet another gorgeous section of the trail awaits you, climbing gradually to eventually end up at the marsh of Patiefray. Part of the Haut Val de Bagnes’ protected nature reserve, the chances of spotting marmots and other animals in and around that beautiful area are quite good. Return via the same path.
As an alternate starting point, use the lifts to whisk you straight to La Chaux (bubbles from Médran & La Chaux Express from Les Ruinettes) from where you may embark on a pleasant downward-slopping stroll, walking the entire length of the “Bisse” alongside its steady flow, and perhaps stopping for lunch at one of the three altitude restaurants along the way! (approx. 3 hrs) |
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