Tour des Alpes Vaudoises
Overview
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Distance 7 km
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Duration 3 h 10 min
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Ascent 1000 m
Intro
The starting point is Aigle, at the foot of the mountain slope and with a picturesque old town, narrow winding lanes and a 12th century castle. The climb up to Leysin is steep but mostly shady. The views become more sweeping the further you go.
Description
In the Middle Ages, Aigle grew to be an important commercial town due to its position along a trade route leading into Valais and via the Great St. Bernard Pass to Italy. A steep leg heads from Aigle railway station to Leysin. In theory, you can also get to the destination by cog railway. By foot, you will follow the train tracks to begin with, but the route soon branches off to the left. At which point, there’s no turning back: once you cross La Grand Eau stream, the vineyards of Aigle follow. The main grape variety in this region is Chasselas, but Pinot Noir and Gamay are grown here too. The climb starts with wonderful views of the castle, which was built towards the end of the 12th century and controlled access to the Rhone Valley. Nowadays, it is home to a wine museum and restaurant. You will not regret looking out towards the Chablais region and to the mountains, especially the peaks of the Dents du Midi range.
Once you are out of the vineyards, you will enter the shaded part of the hike. By the time you reach Ponty, you will already have climbed over 400 metres. Now you can enjoy spectacular sweeping views of the peaks. Around an hour later, the first houses of Leysin will appear. Passing through this holiday destination in Vaud, the hike ends at the cog railway station. In total, you will have covered around 1,000 meters of elevation. In the past, Leysin was known as a health resort for people with lung diseases due to its mild and sunny climate. Nowadays, it is a year-round holiday resort, particularly popular with outdoor sports enthusiasts.
An enjoyable tour includes the careful planning of the same. Please inform yourself in advance at the local information center about the route and weather conditions. Depending on the season and weather conditions, this route may be blocked or interrupted
| Start location |
Aigle
|
|---|---|
| Destination |
Leysin
|
| Direction |
One way
|
| Altitude (meter above sea level) |
1200 m
|
| Ascent |
1000 m
|
| Descent |
10 m
|
| Distance |
7 km
|
| Duration |
3 h 10 min
|
| Duration back |
2 h 5 min
|
| Technical requirements |
Medium
|
| Physical requirements |
Difficult
|
| Season |
April - October
|
| Theme |
With panoramic view
|
Quick Facts
Route number
