Alpine Passes Trail

The Cabane de Prafleuri SAC hut is located at an altitude of 2,656 metres, not far from the famous Grande Dixence dam. The valley was used as a quarry during the construction of the dam. The gravel pit and remains of old huts are a reminder of that time. The Grande Dixence gravity dam is the highest in the world at 285 metres, and the wall is over 200 metres thick at its base.

After a little over an hour, you reach the top of the Col de Prafleuri, almost at the 3,000-metre mark. Unfortunately, the glacier of the same name has eroded considerably. However, the view of the surrounding mountains on the other side of the Rhone Valley is fantastic. From here, you can see the peaks of Le Sommet des Diablerets, Grand Muveran and Becca d'Audon/Oldehore to the north.

There follows a short descent over a scree field, followed by another slight climb towards the Col de Louvie. To be on the safe side, you should use your hands for some parts on this ascent. As you approach the pass, you have your first glimpse of the beautiful, snow-capped Grand Combin. The massif to the south, with several 4,000- metre peaks close together, is one of the most attractive in the Swiss Alps.

Finally, you see the Col de Louvie at an altitude of 2,921 metres. With its impressive mountain panorama, this attractive pass crossing invites you to take a break.

Now comes an attractive descent, which first leads you across scree fields, then through green pastures. It is worth keeping an eye out for ibex and chamois, and if you are lucky, you can spot entire herds.

From the Col de Louvie Pass, it is a total of around 700 metres downhill until you finally reach the Cabane de Louvie. The area around the Alpsee lake is a nature reserve. If you can stand the cold, you might be bold enough to swim in the lake. You can eat or stay overnight in the SAC hut.