It’s 9 a.m. on Monday morning, 11 °C outside, and the rain has just stopped. In the distance, the commanding peaks of Val de Bagnes slowly take shape through the clouds and a few rays of sun break through to illuminate the mountain pastures, now cast in a reddish hue. It’s the perfect time to set off in discovery of autumn trails.
A Monday in October
I take the path from Croix-de-Cœur towards the summit of Savoleyres, which climbs uphill for 30 minutes – enough to warm up my joints, which are still sleepy from the cold morning weather. Once I've made it to the summit, my calf muscles’ urge to jump for joy is quickly interrupted by the rain, which it turns out had not yet had its last word and starts to fall again. No problem, I tell myself, it’s all part of the fun. I continue along the path towards the top of the La Tournelle ski lifts and then Col de la Marlène. While walking along the small ridge path, I admire Combe du Nord below, now cast in blazing red.
A unique encounter
The rain stops (this time for good). It has soaked the ground and caused the path to become muddy – great for spotting the tracks left behind by other visitors. I think I make out some chamois footprints, and when I lift my head I spot two a little further on. I stop to watch them, a good reminder, I repeat to myself for the 100th time, that I really need to invest in some binoculars. Suddenly, I hear a noise in the thicket below and see around twenty more chamois join them before they set off as a group towards the forest. It's a brief yet magical moment.
Next stop: Rhone Valley
Once I've made it to Col de la Marlène, I take one last look at the Combins massif before turning right and taking the path downhill towards “La Vatze”. The Rhone Valley starts to come into view. The path is quieter and steep in places, and my knees thank me for remembering to bring my hiking poles. As I continue walking, mountain pastures are gradually replaced by a larch tree forest, their needles slowly starting to turn yellow. Upon reaching a sign, I continue my descent towards “La Vatze” through the forest, following the yellow signs.
NB: It's also possible to turn off here by taking the white path “Les Etablons” and following the forest trail a little further, but please note that this path isn't officially marked or secured in the same way as the other paths and may be dangerous.
Images
A balcony with a view
Once I've arrived in La Vatze (which has a cross visible on a water reservoir), I turn right towards a forest trail in the direction of “Les Etablons” that runs along the mountainside. I make the most of the flatter topography of the trail to admire the peaks of Le Chavalard, Haut de Cry, as well as La Tour Saint-Martin, overlooking Derborence. If the views were a little less obstructed (and perhaps if I had some binoculars) I'd be better able to appreciate the Upper Valais summits, which I can only just make out in the distance.
I join the ski slopes and cross the one on Le Nord to a place called Etablons de Riddes. At the Chez Simon snack bar, I climb the trail towards Croix-de-Cœur until I reach the top of the Les Etablons chairlift. From there, I follow the trail for a few hundred metres before taking a path to the left, indicated by a stone marked with a yellow rectangle.
Looking for the ptarmigan
From there, I enjoy the views over the hillsides in front of me and over Taillay. Around me I see blazing red blueberry bushes, pines and larches – as well as several alarmed birds, who scurry to fly far away. I follow the winding path up the gentle slope, crossing the few small wooden bridges that have been installed to make the somewhat marshy area easier to navigate. In the distance, I see Les Combins looming on the horizon and La Croix-de-Cœur restaurant soon comes into view. The restaurant offers game menus from September to October – what better way to finish an autumn hike?
Your turn
“All seasons are beautiful when you're in the mountains”, someone very wise probably once said. And who could disagree? Autumn, with its changing colours and where every day serves up a landscape a little different to the one the day before, is one of the most beautiful seasons to experience in Valais and Verbier 4Vallées.
Make the most of the last days of good weather to enjoy some calm and nature – it's also the last chance to take a trip to a place that, in just a few weeks, we will be gliding down on skis, ready to devour the snow-capped slopes.
To get the most out of your next hike, don't forget to check the weather and our opening times. We also recommend consulting our webcams for ensuring an ideal outing. Lastly, don't forget your binoculars – you never know what surprises are waiting for you on the trail!
