HIKING GUIDE FOR IN AND AROUND CHAMPEX Champex-Lac is a superb hiking center. While lodging in Champex, one has easy access to numerous day hikes, ranging from leisurely strolls to steep, rocky ascents. This guide describes some of the best. Unless otherwise noted, all distances, elevation gains, and times are one way and approximate, based on the authors’ personal experience. A kilometer (km) is 6/10 of a mile. A meter is 3.3 feet. The Champex Tourist Office provides free helpful booklets: “Summerguide” and “Winterguide.” The Tourist Office offers for sale a helpful topographic map of the area titled “Pays du St. Bernard.” The Supermarché also has topographic maps for sale. Note that the Tourist Office and Supermarché are usually closed for a couple of hours at mid-day. Swiss trails are generally well maintained and well marked. Because of the topography, however, most trails include traverses of steep slopes and rocky ascents where inattention or a sudden weather change can prove dangerous. Cleated boots or shoes are necessary on most trails. Clothing adequate to withstand weather changes is important, along with sufficient water. On many hikes, one or two hiking sticks are helpful. On longer hikes, a topographic map is advisable. An early start usually assures better views and weather. All of the hikes through Fenêtre d’Arpette (page 8) leave directly from Champex. The subsequent hikes require auto or bus transport to the trailhead. Bus schedules are posted at the bus stops and are also available at www.cff.ch. Champex Hiking Guide - 1 Some French terms are used in this guide: “Alpage” is an open, grassy area on a hill or mountain. “Cabane” is a hospitality structure at considerable elevation, usually supplied by helicopter. The cabanes are fully staffed, with hot meals and beverages available for purchase. Dormitory lodging is usually available. Especially in high season, reservations are recommended for overnight lodging. “Col” is a pass or saddle. “Massif” is the uplifted area surrounding a major mountain, such as Mont Blanc. “TMB” is the Tour du Mont Blanc, a world class 170 km (110 miles) hiking route that circles the Mont Blanc Massif and traverses Switzerland, France, and Italy. Champex is a favorite stop on the TMB, and several of hikes described below are segments of the TMB. “Val” is a valley, as in Val Ferret. _________________ Bonne randonnée! (Happy hiking!) Sallie and Martin Dickinson Sarah and Charles de Rivaz Copyright © 2018 All rights reserved __________________ Champex Hiking Guide - 2 SHORT HIKES FROM CHAMPEX La Fougère and Haut Sapin Across the valley from the Tourist Office are two moderate and pleasant walks through the woods. La Fougère is the lower and gentler. Haut Sapin is higher, offering nice views down to Champex as well as views of some of the surrounding mountains. Both hikes are indicated on one of the maps in the Summer Guide. Champex d’en Bas (lower Champex) This pleasant hike takes you down through meadows and vacation chalets in the valley leading down to Martigny. 2 km round trip. Go to the chairlift and continue down the road. About 100 meters after the big parking lot you will see a TMB sign. Follow the TMB signs down the valley about 1 km, until the TMB trail rises into the woods on the left. Turn around at this point. Where the TMB trail rises and enters the woods, there is a road leading back up the valley on the right side (as you face up the valley). Follow this road back to the chairlift. Taking this road back makes this a nice loop hike. Plan de L’Au This is an extension of the Champex d’en Bas hike, taking you to a terrace restaurant that provides good views of the Rhone Valley and the Bernese Alps. Descend the valley as described for Champex d’en Bas. When the TMB trail enters the woods, continue on it. You will go through a delightful woods for about ½ km before reaching the restaurant. They are known for their Swiss specialty “rösti” – similar to hashbrowns with a variety of toppings available - fried egg, cheese, ham, etc. A must try! Champex Hiking Guide - 3 Belvédère This hike takes you to a promontory 337 meters (1112 feet) directly above Champex, with good views of surrounding peaks. 2.5 km, 60 minutes. Walk toward the Belvédère Hotel and turn the corner to the left to pass the Splendide Hotel. Continue along the road to the Alpina Hotel. To the left of the hotel, where the road ends, is the trailhead. The trail rises gradually along the steep mountainside with excellent views of Orsières and the Entremont Valley. You will ultimately reach a switchback where there is an excellent view of the gigantic rock slab on the side of Le Catogne. Continue through switchbacks to two more viewpoints of this kind. The trail then leads to an open, grassy area, with a bench. The short but steeper and more challenging portion of the hike to the Belvédère starts here. This part of the trail has some loose gravel and can be tricky. When your return down the final park to the bench, turn right to take a different trail that leads directly to a road just above the Splendide Hotel. Drop down the road and walk by the Splendide to return to Champex. Champex Hiking Guide - 4 Val d’Arpette This delightful hike takes you along a bubbling bisse (irrigation channel), then up alongside a cascading mountain stream, and ends at a restaurant with a terrace that provides an excellent view of the rugged Val d’Arpette. 1 km, 161 meters (531 feet) elevation gain, 40 minutes. Go to the right of the ski lift. Continue up the hill on the right side of the ski run for about 100 meters. Turn down to the right on a trail marked as “Petit Ruisseau,” dropping to the bisse. After a bit there are a few meters of moderate climb. Then there is a gentle walk along the bisse to the diversion structure, where water is diverted from the Val d’Arpette stream around the ridge to feed the Champex lake. The trail along the stream from this point is somewhat steep and rocky. Cross one road and then continue upward on the left bank of the stream to the second road. Continue on 50 meters to the Relais d’Arpette, where food is available both inside and outside. It’s worthwhile to extend this hike another ½ km. Stay on the road. After you pass the last chalet, continue another 50 meters and you will be on a rocky road in the middle of a large cow pasture with an excellent view all the way up the Val d’Arpette. Just over the final jagged ridge is the Trient Glacier. Return to the ski lift by either the trail or the road. Champex Hiking Guide - 5 ORNY CABANE AND GLACIER This is a challenging but rewarding hike to a cabane perched above the lower part of the Orny Glacier. It’s a great place for a leisurely lunch by the cabane in the Alpine sunshine, with excellent views and an opportunity to study the glacier closely. First, ride the Champex chair lift to the La Breya promontory. Then follow the excellent trail to the Orny Cabane–4 km (2.4 miles), 623 meters (2055 feet) elevation gain, 2-1/2 to 3 hours. The first half of the trail rises gradually, traversing a fairly steep canyon wall, with chains provided along a few more exposed stretches. The last half is steep, reaching the final moderate stretch along the top of an interesting lateral moraine. It’s good to get an early start. Be sure to note the closing time for the chairlift. If you miss it you will need to walk the 6 km road down to Champex from La Breya. Information on the cabane is at https://www.cabanedorny.ch Champex Hiking Guide - 6 TRIENT CABANE AND GLACIER This challenging hike is one of the best, culminating at the Trient Cabane overlooking the extensive Trient Glacier. The view is superb, including the dramatic aiguilles (needles) on the far side of the glacier. This is an extension of the Orny hike (above). It involves an additional 1.5 km (1 mile), 359 meters (1112 feet) of elevation gain, one hour. The hike is steep and rocky and includes a ladder built into a rock face. It is possible to do both Orny and Trient from La Breya in one day, but this requires an early start, a fast pace, and limited time for lunch. Trient cabane information is available at www.cas-diablerets.ch/trient.htm. BOVINE This hike takes you to an outdoor restaurant in a beautiful alpage high above Martigny, offering excellent views of the Rhone Valley and many of the peaks to the east. 4 km (2.4 miles), 628 meters (1946 feet) elevation gain, 2-1/4 hours. Go to the ski lift and then continue on down the road. About 100 meters after the large parking lot you will encounter TMB signs, which you will follow throughout the hike. Descend gradually through the pleasant meadows and chalets of Champex d’en Bas. Then rise a bit to the left and enter the woods. After 1/4 km of nice woods you will emerge at the Plan de l’Au outdoor restaurant. Continue on a flat road for another 1 km. When the road ends, the trail steepens and soon crosses three fast flowing streams. This is an interesting area, with lot of blueberry plants.