Parcours Bisse de Champex
Overview
-
-
Distance 3 km
-
Duration 1 h 25 min
-
Ascent 140 m
Intro
The tour on the attractive snowshoe trail shows how wild Val d'Arpette can be. Far from the well-trodden paths, the glacier valley with its gnarled Swiss pine forests and snow-covered meadows is a perfect place to enjoy the Alpine landscape in winter.
Description
The tour begins in Champex-Lac. The charming village is perched on an Alpine plateau between Val Ferret and Val d’Arpette. The moraine of the Arpette glacier created the picturesque Lac de Champex mountain lake on the shores of Champex-Lac. In very cold temperatures, the lake freezes and turns into a paradise for winter sports enthusiasts.
From the chairlift’s base station you first follow the cross-country ski trail heading northwest. The trail soon turns right and continues going gently uphill and deeper into the Val d’Arpette nature reserve. The protected glacier valley is home to a particularly wide variety of flora and fauna. The round-leaved sundew (a carnivorous plant) spends the winter buried in deep snow. It is found in only a very few areas of the Valais. Use the small bridge to cross the Durnand d’Arpette river. While the mountain stream leisurely meanders through the meadows here, it has created an impressive canyon landscape further down the valley. The Durnand canyon is located above Martigny and has fourteen thundering waterfalls. It is one of the most beautiful canyons in Europe. After crossing the stream, you come to a steep ascent to Relais d’Arpette. You certainly deserve a break when you reach the mountain inn and the views of the snowy mountain scenery will simply take your breath away.
Accompanied by the quietly burbling water, you descend through gnarled forests of Swiss pine and finally follow the Bisse de Champex, one of the historic irrigation channels of the Valais. After a short descent at the end of the ski slope you are back in Champex-Lac.
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 |
Champex-Lac
|
|---|---|
| Destination |
Champex-Lac
|
| Ascent |
140 m
|
| Descent |
140 m
|
| Distance |
3 km
|
| Duration |
1 h 25 min
|
| Physical requirements |
Easy
|
| Signalization |
Signalisation in both directions
|
Pays du St-Bernard, Office du tourisme de Champex-Lac
Route du Lac 38
1938
Champex-Lac
Phone
+41 (0)27 775 23 83
champexlac@saint-bernard.ch
saint-bernard.ch
Quick Facts
Route number
