Through the Vallon de They to the sources of the Vièze
Morgins
5/13°
Loop route through the untouched Vallon de They to the sources of the Vièze river: a themed path around water through peaceful forests and idyllic mountain lakes.
Difficulty
IntermediateLength
16.77 kmDuration
5:23 h
Description
The path from Morgins to the sources of the Vièze river shows the different ways water has shaped the landscape. The hike passes mineral-rich springs, a waterfall, mountain lakes, and charming restaurants and mountain inns where you can stop and enjoy the scenery.
The starting point of the hike is the centre of Morgins. The path then climbs up to the banks of the Vièze, where you soon encounter the first highlight, “the red springs,” the iron-rich water that attracted the first tourists to Morgins in 1820.
The hike then continues along the bank, past the restaurant Cantine de They into higher areas of the valley. Over a steep zigzag path, it goes right up to the waterfall, the Fontaine-Blanche – which gives the impression that the water flows directly out of the bare rock.
This is one of several characteristic features of a karst landscape: water streams that disappear underground in karst sinkholes (dolines) and then reappear at the foot of the rock as a spring, a sinkhole, and bizarre rock shapes created by the water.
Furthermore, the path climbs up to Lac de Chésery (which is fed by underground water streams to the Fontaine Blanche) and even higher to Lac Vert. There is the mountain inn Refuge de Chésery (1,985 m), a former stable from the 19th century renovated in 1987. A highlight is the tasty food and the chance to fish for brown and rainbow trout in the lake.
The hike then goes over two passes – including the Portes du Soleil, which gave its name to the whole region – before descending to La Tovassière, an alpine dairy and a restaurant with local specialties and dishes with local cheese.
Afterwards, you reach the valley floor and the path follows the Vièze back to Morgins.
Highlights:
- Vallon de They – idyllic, untouched mountain landscape
- Variety of landscapes: forests, open meadows, mountain lakes, waterfalls, and mountain passes
- Numerous opportunities to stop along the way
NB The mountain inn Refuge de Chésery is open until the end of September.
Turn-by-turn directions
From the tourist office, you first follow the road up to the valley before branching off onto a footpath after 500 m. The path follows along the valley to Sassey, where it starts to climb steeply to the western sources of the Vièze – including a waterfall and two mountain lakes – and then over the highest point of the hike: the mountain pass Portes de l'Hiver.
The path then descends to the second pass – the Portes du Soleil – before heading north again and then following another tributary of the Vièze via La Tovassière down to the valley floor, where it returns to the first section of the route.
Start
Morgins (tourist office) (1312m)
Destination
Morgins (tourist office) (1313m)
Author's recommendation
Technical information
Altitude
2097m
1313m
Ascent
+785m
Descent
-784m
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
