Tour de La Seya hike
Ovronnaz
4/13°
Panoramic route along the ridge between La Seya and Grand Garde above Ovronnaz. The region is famous for its variety of alpine flowers. The ascent is eased by the chairlift – however, the return walk to Ovronnaz through forests and meadows is worthwhile.
Difficulty
IntermediateLength
8.1 kmDuration
2:59 h
Description
The views from the west ridge above Ovronnaz are fantastic. From La Seya (2182 m above sea level), the northern end of the ridge, hikers enjoy a 360° panoramic view from the Finsteraarhorn to Mont Blanc including 35 peaks above 4000 m. At the point Grand Garde (2145 m above sea level) you can enjoy the view over the Rhone valley. Let your gaze wander from the depths of the Lötschental to the sparkling Trient glacier.
Along the ridge runs a botanical theme trail, which explains backgrounds to plants such as the daffodil Windröschen, gentian, elder-flowered orchid, or alpine anemones.
The Tour de La Seya starts at the mountain station of the Jorasse chairlift with a pleasant ascent to the alpine pastures of Petit Pré and then a steeper ascent to the imposing cross of La Seya, the highest point of the hike. The path then continues south along the mountain ridge to Grand Garde. The way back to Ovronnaz follows the signposted trail to the pastures of Quieu and Odonne. Shortly before reaching the village of Ovronnaz, the path crosses the chairlift and passes the sports center, which is frequently used by schools, teams, and associations for training camps.
Highlights of the hike:
- Panorama-rich ridge hike with breathtaking views down into the Rhone valley and over the snow-covered peaks.
- The chairlift facilitates the ascent at the beginning of the hike.
- The botanical theme trail along the ridge showcases the lush flora of the region.
Turn-by-turn directions
The hike begins at the mountain station of the chairlift, where the de Jorasse restaurant with its large terrace and children's playground invites you to linger. The path leads southwards to the pastures of Petit Pré; in about another 30 minutes, you will reach the viewpoint La Seya through larch forests.
The well-marked path mostly follows the ridge. To reach the viewpoint Grand Garde, a rock section secured with chains must be overcome. For those who are not free from vertigo, an earlier descent leads to the pastures of Quieu. The last section gently leads downhill through the pine forest and over pastures back to Ovronnaz.
Start
Jorasse (mountain station chairlift) (1939m)
Destination
Ovronnaz (1379m)
Author's recommendation
Technical information
Altitude
2189m
1380m
Ascent
+287m
Descent
-847m
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
