Trail running
Trail St-Luc/Chandolin
St-Luc
-1/3°
Race along the Couronne Impériale on a 16.8-kilometer trail, part of the legendary Sierre-Zinal mountain race.
Difficulty
IntermediateLength
16.77 kmDuration
3:42 h
Description
Although the official starting point of this route is the village of St-Luc, you can also start in Chandolin, Tignousa, or Le Tsapé, each accessible by public transport or via the funicular. A section of this trail with 1081 meters of elevation gain runs along the route of the legendary Sierre-Zinal mountain race, in which over 5000 runners of all levels participate annually each August. The route passes between villages, forests, and alpine meadows and along the Couronne Impériale or the fascinating Planet Path. At Pas de l'Illsee, where the French-speaking Valais and the German-speaking Upper Valais meet, follow the Chenegouga path, a trail lined with legendary creatures from the Val d'Anniviers that produce a hellish noise.
Turn-by-turn directions
From St-Luc, follow a small path leading from the church towards Chandolin. The route begins with a relatively steep ascent above the village of St-Luc. You run approximately five kilometers through a larch and pine forest typical of the Val d'Anniviers before arriving in Chandolin, one of the highest permanently inhabited villages in Europe. Continue your trail through the Chandolin alpine pasture to reach Pas de l'Illsee, then follow the slope to Tsapé. Then head towards Illpass, where you turn south and follow a wide path offering a panoramic view over the Rhone Valley to Tignousa. Finally, take the Planet Path for a few kilometers to the Weisshorn Hotel before tackling the last descent to St-Luc via Les Girettes.
Start
St-Luc (1979m)
Destination
St-Luc (1979m)
Author's recommendation
Discover the solar system along the Planet Path between Tignousa and the Weisshorn Hotel and visit the François-Xavier Bagnoud Observatory.
Technical information
Altitude
2544m
1654m
Ascent
+1081m
Descent
-1081m
Stamina
Experience
Landscape
Best time of the year
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Tags
Getting there
Information
Public transport
Take the train to Sierre, then the post bus to St-Luc.
Approach
Follow the A9 motorway to the Sierre-Est exit, then continue towards Val d'Anniviers and follow the signs to St-Luc.
Parking
In summer, parking in the Val d'Anniviers is free. Leave your car in the parking lot at the base station of the St-Luc funicular.
Source
This activity is brought to you by Valais/Wallis Promotion
