Alpine Passes Trail

The peaks of the Dents du Midi and the Tour Sallière impressively frame the Salanfe lake. The hiking trail follows the shore of the water reservoir, accompanied by some fascinating flora and fauna. In the early 20th century, gold was mined in this region. 23.8 tonnes were mined between 1904 and 1907 alone; later, until the 1920s, another 30 tonnes were extracted.

At Lanvouisset, the trail branches off to the right. It gets a little steeper, and shortly before reaching the Col de Susanfe, it is partly secured with chains. It takes about two hours to get to the pass. The trail then descends through the lovely Susanfe valley across green meadows to the Cabane de Susanfe. This hut was built in 1930 and invites you to take a break with some coffee and homemade cake.

The descent continues from here. After passing the La Saufla stream, there is a very steep section into the Val d'Illiez. Once again secured with chains and ropes, this passage requires good surefootedness. After almost four and a half hours, you have mastered most of the stage. The Bonavau refuge now invites you for some refreshment.

With rather heavy legs, you then tackle the last but relatively short ascent. After a total of almost 6 hours hiking time, you reach Barme at the end of the Val d'Illiez. It is a popular starting point for outdoor athletes for climbing, hiking or biking on the one hand, but also a stop-over for millions of migratory birds and thousands of birds of prey which fly over this region on their way south.