Tour de l'éboulement des Diablerets
Les Côteaux du Soleil
14/29°
A walk around the landscape created in a remote valley by two colossal rockslides in the 18th century. A tranquil lake, pristine forest, abundant wildlife: Derborence is now a national nature reserve.
Difficulty
EasyLength
6.61 kmDuration
2:05 h
Description
On 23 Sep 1714, a geological cataclysm devastated the pastures of Derborence: part of the mountain above collapsed, wiping out the community of animals and herders who spent the summer there. Locals believed the disaster the work of the devil; the mountain became known as Les Diablerets.
Because the “cursed” valley was largely abandoned, there were fewer casualties from an even bigger rockfall 35 years later. Giant boulders covered the valley floor, damming the river and creating Europe’s youngest natural lake. Scientists believe that about 50 million cubic metres of rock in all tumbled down from the mountain. Today, the “new” landscape – a national nature reserve – is the delight of biologists, geologists, photographers and visitors all ages.
This hike links two tours: one of the rockslide debris (“Tour de l’éboulement des Diablerets”) and one of the lake (“Tour du Lac de Derborence”). Highlights include the virgin forest west of the lake with monumental fir trees up to 450 years old and undergrowth exceptionally rich in plant species. Walkers have excellent chances of spotting wildlife: local mammals include ibex, deer, chamois, marmot and lynx; birds include golden eagle, black grouse and bearded vulture.
Families may prefer to opt for just one of the two tours that form our circuit. Each has a dedicated guide book (free download) with activities for children. A friendly mountain restaurant close to the two main lakes on the circuit offer rest and play stops.
The journey up to Derborence is an adventure in itself. The only access is via a narrow, twisting road along the gorges of the river La Lizerne.
Highlights
- Thrilling road journey to access the hike along a wild canyon
- Impressive landscape created by the rockslides, framed by dramatic mountains
- Attractive family theme trails
Turn-by-turn directions
The main car park and bus stop are located close to the Lac de Derborence. Our circuit and map start here, with the hike proceeding in a clockwise direction. The tour begins by crossing the main debris from the rockfall, before traversing the mountain slopes to a point above the Godey reservoir. Here the trail drops down and crosses the valley to reach the ancient forest of Ecorcha. Our hike finishes with a clockwise loop around the Lac de Derborence.
A second car park and bus stop by the Godey reservoir, with nearby mountain restaurant, offer an alternative starting point.
If walking with children, allow plenty of extra time to do the activities in the booklets!
Start
Derborence (car park / bus stop) (1462m)
Destination
Derborence (car park / bus stop) (1462m)
Author's recommendation
Bring camera, binoculars and also a hand lens for plants and rocks: nature lovers are in for a treat!
Technical information
Altitude
1518m
1338m
Ascent
+330m
Descent
-330m
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
