Sanetsch-Muveran-Weg

Setting off from the Hôtel Restaurant du Sanetsch, hikers will immediately enjoy breathtaking views of the 4,000-metre peaks of the canton of Valais. After climbing just 70 metres, you reach Plan de la Fontaine, where the Le Lachon stream branches off in different directions, creating an idyllic alluvial plain.

Shortly after, you find yourself in the Lapis de Zanfleuron, the so-called karst fields, which seem like an extraterrestrial landscape. The trail leads over the bizarre rock formations with an impressive alpine flora below the Zanfleuron glacier.

The path soon branches off to the left. A brief climb over a large boulder follows, which can be slippery when wet. You then find yourself in a karst sea, another collection of moon-like rock formations created by the force of the glacier and the weather. The path here requires close attention. If you want to enjoy the beautiful Alpine panorama simultaneously, we recommend you take a short break.

After another hour, the scenery changes at Sex Rouge. The name has less to do with red light and more with the Latin word "saxum" for rock. Sex Rouge, therefore, means red rock. Here the ground changes from a karst area to lush meadows. By now, you are in the Derborence hunting reserve, where ibex, deer and chamois graze. However, you can also observe golden eagles and many other animals here with a bit of patience.

The passage at Poteu du Bois requires some climbing skills. You descend over two ladders into the steep terrain and continue over loose ground using the holding ropes. Surefootedness and a sense of balance are needed. After that, the trail continues steeply downhill but without a safety rope to the La Lizerne de la Mare stream. After about two and a half hours, you reach the stream. The fantastic views over the Derborence are well worth another break.

With views of the Lac de Godey and Lac de Derborence reservoirs, the trail leads downhill to the stage's destination of the same name. The lake was created in 1749 when a large landslide blocked the entrance to the valley. Here you will find one of Switzerland's last primaeval mountain forests with fir trees, some of which have been standing in the forest for three centuries and have trunk diameters of one and a half metres. This unspoilt alpine landscape of national importance is home to diverse flora and fauna.