Tour du Val d’Hérens: Arolla to Evolène (stage 3)
Arolla
-1/4°
ClosedThe 3rd stage of the Tour du Val d’Hérens links the ancient villages of the upper valley: well preserved and full of historical charm, they bear witness to traditional life in the Valais Alps.
Difficulty
IntermediateLength
17.09 kmDuration
5:10 hDescription
The third leg of the 5-stage Tour du Val d’Hérens offers a complete contrast to the two previous high-altitude stages, focusing on the lower slopes and charming historical villages.
The stage starts at its highest point: Arolla, the village takes its name from the tree that dominates the forests along the valley floor: the Arolla pine (pinus cembra). These trees are a constant companion along the first part of the trail, which leads the length of the Val d’Arolla, criss-crossing the river – at one point via a 75-metre suspension footbridge opened in 2017.
The second half of the walk is a tour of the villages that form the cultural heart of the Val d’Hérens. From Les Haudères by the river, the trail climbs up to La Forclaz and La Sage, perched on the sunny slopes a couple of hundred metres above the valley floor, before twisting back down to Evolène.
These villages of ancient houses and wooden barns, framed by flower-filled meadows, have preserved all their authentic charm. At summer markets, visitors still see merchants, artisans and farmers in traditional local costume.
The valley is also known for its fascinating geology, which visitors can explore with the help of a free app, «GéoGuide Val d’Hérens» (details at www.evolene-geologie.ch). Les Haudères has its own «Centre de géologie et de glaciologie», with a permanent exhibition; the tourist office at Evolène can provide further printed information.
This stage of the Tour du Val d’Hérens also offers a number of variants: alternative routes via idyllic mountain lakes, plus the option to finish and stay the night at one of the other villages.
Highlights
- Descent of the Val d’Arolla – idyllic high-altitude valley
- Sequence of historical villages, beautifully preserved and full of period charm
- Fascinating geology, with local museum, app, online guide and theme trails
Turn-by-turn directions
This stage begins with a descent of the entire Val d’Arolla from Arolla to Les Haudères – first along the valley floor, then a little higher along its western flank. At Les Haudères, the trail turns eastwards, looping into a side valley before threading through La Forclaz, La Sage and finally Evolène.
Longer variant: from Arolla follow a higher path across the western slopes of the valley to the piercing blue Lac Bleu (2,090 m) before dropping down to join the main route at La Gouille. This adds about 45 minutes to the hike.
Shorter variant: take the postal bus from Arolla down the valley as far as Farquèses, then follow the high trail to Lac d’Arbey (1,766 m) on a panoramic plateau. Finally, zig-zag down to Evolène. This version takes about 2 hours 15 minutes.
Further options: finish the walk at Les Haudères, and take a postal bus from there to Evolène. Alternatively, stay the night at Les Haudères or La Sage, and start the next stage of the Tour du Val d’Hérens from there.
Start
Arolla (2011m)
Destination
Evolène (1373m)
Author's recommendation
Technical information
Altitude
2012m
1371m
Ascent
+342m
Descent
-981m
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