Hikes

Tour of the Val d'Anniviers : the five 4,000 meter peak hike (stage 2)

St-Luc

0/8°

Scenic funicular ride, heavenly astronomical trail, historical hotel and glorious views of the “Couronne Impériale” consisting of five 4,000-metre peaks.

Difficulty

Intermediate

Length

15.68 km

Duration

4:35 h

Description

St-Luc is known for its observatory installed above the village. This is where the trail begins, not far from the top station of the St-Luc - Tignousa funicular. The route first follows the Path of the Planets, a human-scale replica of the solar system. Shortly before the end of the theme trail, hikers reach one of the valley's historic jewels: the Hotel Weisshorn, built in 1882 on a panoramic site at an altitude of 2,337 metres. The hike continues south to the heights of the Val d'Anniviers and then into the Val de Zinal, where there is a magnificent view of the “Couronne Impériale”. The trail descends to Zinal, a picturesque village with many larch wood chalets, and the finishing point of the Sierre-Zinal race, also known as the "Course des cinq 4000". On this hike, follow the final stretch of this race, which is often described by participants as one of the most beautiful mountain races in the world.

Turn-by-turn directions

The trail begins at the top of the St-Luc funicular, at Tignousa (2,186 m). Follow the signs for the “Sentier des Planètes”, which leads high above the valley floor, roughly at the level of the treeline. The theme trail finishes about 1.5 km after the Hôtel Weisshorn (2,337 m).

The hike continues southwards – roughly level at first, and then descending gently as it enters the narrower Val de Zinal. About an hour from the hotel, the trail reaches the alpine pastures of Barneuza (2,211 m), overlooking the village and reservoir of Mottec.

From here, the trail continues southwards up the valley before embarking on a steep zig-zag descent to Zinal.

Start

St-Luc (funicular) (2183m)

Destination

Zinal (1670m)

Download GPX

Download KML

Author's recommendation

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

Technical information

Altitude

2427m

1670m

Ascent

+470m

Descent

-985m

Technique

Stamina

Experience

Landscape

Best time of the year

Public transport

Train to Sierre, then postal bus to St-Luc (change at Vissoie). At end of walk, bus from Zinal to Sierre (change at Vissoie). Find full timetable information at sbb.ch.

Approach

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

Parking

Park in Vissoie, take the PostBus to the start of the walk at St-Luc. At the end of the walk, take the bus from Zinal 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 St-Luc has got brochures and information material about hiking in the region.

Maps

SwissTopo maps 1:25’000: 1307 Vissoie and 1327 Evolène

Source

This activity is brought to you by Valais/Wallis Promotion