Hikes

Tour of the Val d’Anniviers: Pontis - Chandolin - St-Luc (stage 1)

Vercorin

6/10°

Panoramic hike high above the Val d’Anniviers through an idyllic hamlet and two of the valley’s most charming villages.

Difficulty

Intermediate

Length

9.33 km

Duration

4:00 h

Description

This hike climbs through the forests of the Val d'Anniviers to traditional villages and ends in either Chandolin or St-Luc. The trail first follows the steep, wooded slopes of the valley. In Chandolin, it levels out for the second part of the hike to St-Luc. Perched at an altitude of 1,956 m. on a sunny south-facing slope, Chandolin is one of the highest villages in Europe, inhabited all year round. Ella Maillart, one of the great travellers of the 20thcentury, and famous photographer, writer and journalist, spent the last years of her life here. A permanent exhibition in an old chapel is dedicated to her. In St-Luc an astronomical observatory near the arrival of the funicular is open to the public. The village features many attractions, including a planetarium in an old 19thcentury barn, several working 18th century mills, a historical trail and a "bread trail".

Turn-by-turn directions

The trail begins at a remote bus stop on the main road leading up the valley (Les Pontis).

From the starting point (1,001 m), the path zigzags steeply up the wooded hillside, reaching the idyllic hamlet of Soussillon (1,388 m) after about an hour. The climb continues for about another hour up to Chandolin (1,956 m).

The route leads through the lower part of the village before turning southwards for the second half of the hike: a gentle descent via La Toueille and Lèbing to St-Luc (1,655 m).

For a shorter walk, finish at Chandolin and take the bus from there. (All buses pass through St-Luc before descending to Vissoie, for connecting buses to Sierre.)

Start

Bus stop « Les Pontis » (1000m)

Destination

St-Luc (or Chandolin) (1677m)

Download GPX

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Author's recommendation

The Anniviers Liberté pass offers a 50% discount on the funicular and free travel on the PostBus and certain activities.

Technical information

Altitude

1921m

1001m

Ascent

+943m

Descent

-267m

Technique

Stamina

Experience

Landscape

Best time of the year

Public transport

Train to Sierre, then PostBus bus towards Vissoie; dismount at bus stop “Les Pontis”. At the end of the hike, take the bus from St-Luc (or Chandolin) to Vissoie, and change onto the bus to Sierre.

See the full timetable information at sbb.ch.

Approach

A9 motorway, exit 29 (Sierre-Est), follow signs for Val d’Anniviers.

Parking

Park in Vissoie, take postal bus back to start of walk (Sierre bus, dismount at “Les Pontis”). At the end of the hike, take the bus from St-Luc (or Chandolin) back to Vissoie.

Equipment

We recommend:

good footwear
clothing suitable for the weather: always carry a waterproof jacket
hat or cap
sunscreen
bottle for water
picnic
camera
binoculars (optional)
hiking poles (optional)
printout of this hike (click “Print” icon, to download)

For certain walks:

Swimwear

Safety information

Use of the trails and the information on this website is at hikers’ own risk. Local conditions may entail changes to routes. Valais/Wallis Promotion accepts no liability for the accuracy and completeness of information on this website.

For all hikes:

Bring a map. Download full description of this route including large-scale map by clicking on “Print” icon, top right of this page.
Use marked trails only, and observe all signposting – for your own safety, to safeguard grazing animals and to avoid disturbing wildlife.
Close gates after passing through.
Please be considerate to other trail users, and to the plants and animals.
Do not leave any waste in nature.

For mountain hikes:

Take extra care protecting yourself from the sun at altitude. UV radiation can be exceptionally strong, even in cloudy weather.
Plan hike carefully: take into consideration fitness level of each participant, weather forecast and season.
Weather conditions can change quickly in the mountains, without warning. Appropriate clothing is therefore essential, along with adequate supplies of food and water. In uncertain weather, turn back in good time.

For high-altitude hikes:

Inform others of the route you plan to take. Whenever possible, avoid going alone.
Do not venture onto glaciers without a mountain guide.
Take note of the warning signs that point out the constant danger in river beds and along watercourses below dams and reservoirs: water levels may rise rapidly without warning.

Additional information

More information about the destination:

Val d'Anniviers

Literature

The tourist office in Sierre has got brochures and information material about hiking in the region Val d'Anniviers.

Maps

SwissTopo maps 1:25’000: 1287 Sierre and 1307 Vissoie

Source

This activity is brought to you by Valais/Wallis Promotion