Sendero de los puertos alpinos

The fairly short stage to Mauvoisin starts at the unspoiled and idyllic Lac de Louvie. The first steep climb of almost 400 metres follows a zigzag path. After an hour, you reach the first pass, the Col du Bec d’Aigle. The view of the glaciated Combin massif is phenomenal. You descend again and then climb to the next pass. The last section is even steeper than at the previous pass. Once you have climbed the Tête du Sarshlau, you find yourself at an altitude of 2,656 metres. Half the hike is complete and you deserve a rest here. The view of the Combin massif is now complemented by the Lac de Mauvoisin reservoir in glacier blue.

The second part of the stage is more dedicated to the descent. Around 1,000 metres have to be negotiated to arrive in La Vacheresse. After this, it is time to tap into your remaining energy reserves for the last half hour to Mauvoisin. From 1947 to 1964, it was a construction site, as the huge, 250-metre-high dam of Lac de Mauvoisin was built here. It is the highest arch dam in Europe, and the reservoir itself is one of the largest in Switzerland. The village is part of the municipality of Bagnes. At 282 km2, it is larger than the entire canton of Zug. The Val de Bagnes was discovered by tourists early on; the first hotel opened here in 1862.