Circular hike Roc Coupé – Bonavau – Champéry
Champéry
4/14°
Circular hike through the varied mountain landscape around Champéry: bubbling streams, peaceful forests, and lush alpine meadows accompany hikers on the spectacular passage of the “Roc Coupé.”
Difficulty
IntermediateLength
12.09 kmDuration
4:15 h
Description
The steep ascent into one of the side valleys of Val d’Illiez above Champéry lets you experience the scenic diversity of this region.
The start of the hike is at the train station in Champéry. The actual ascent begins only after about 2 kilometers in the hamlet of Grand Paradis. Here the route leaves the bank of the Vièze and follows the mountain stream La Saufla. In the local dialect, this means “breeze” — the river was named because of the cooling winds.
At the Roc Coupé — translated as "cut rock" — the path passes through a dramatic passage carved into the rock. The path leads to one of the most beautiful waterfalls of the mountain stream at an altitude of 1494 m. The mountain stream is crossed via the suspension bridge built in 2016, and the hike continues on the other side of the valley.
Over a flatter section, the route now leads to a wonderful alpine hut, the Buvette de Bonaveau. Food is prepared here over a wood fire, as there is no electricity in the hut. The view from the sun terrace to the waterfall, the suspension bridge, and the glacier-covered Mont Ruan is breathtaking.
From here the path leads steeply down through forests to the hamlet Grand Paradis. To return to the center of Champéry, it’s worth taking a different path than the way you came.
Champéry is full of historic charm: the village scene is characterized by wooden chalets and traditional restaurants. It is also home to one of Switzerland’s oldest bell foundries.
Highlights of the hike
- Steep ascent over lush alpine meadows and through fragrant forests
- Dramatic passage over the rock-carved path at the Roc Coupé — past bubbling waterfalls to an idyllic alpine hut.
- The historic village of Champéry with its wooden chalets.
Turn-by-turn directions
The hamlet of Grand Paradis can be reached via a narrow road along the valley floor or via one of the streets in the historic village.
From Grand Paradis, the path is clearly marked: upstream along the La Saufla to the Roc Coupé and further up to the Belle-Etoile suspension bridge. Across alpine meadows, you reach the other side of the valley at the Buvette de Bonaveau. Through the forest, the path leads steeply down back to the valley floor.
On the way back from Grand Paradis, a different route can be chosen: along the left bank of the Vièze, a footpath leads through the forest to the upper village of Champéry. The path runs under the cable car and then down to the right into the village.
Those arriving by car can shorten the hike and park directly at Grand Paradis.
Start
Champéry train station (1033m)
Destination
Champéry train station (1033m)
Author's recommendation
Technical information
Altitude
1555m
1018m
Ascent
+578m
Descent
-578m
Stamina
Experience
Landscape
Best time of the year
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Tags
Public transport
Approach
Parking
Source
This activity is brought to you by Valais/Wallis Promotion
