1988 World Champs Bike

From Aminona, the route initially climbs over the sun-drenched Alpine meadows of Colombire. The final passage of the ascent from Les Granzettes up to the ridge of Petit Mont Bonvin is particularly steep. After arriving at an altitude of just under 2,400 metres, the view opens up across the Rhone Valley and the 4,000-metre Valais peaks.

The descent first takes you into a barren, rocky landscape. At an altitude of over 2,000 metres, you circle the Creux de la Tièche rock basin, which descends into the wild glacial valley. La Tièche is a headwater, with widely branching watercourses, larch forests and diverse Alpine flora. The mountain stream springs from the Glacier de la Plaine Morte situated higher up, which has an ice surface of more than seven square kilometres, making it one of the largest glaciers in the Alps.

The route takes you through open forest and in places follows the historic Bisse de Tsittoret. The open water channel, which has been used for centuries in Valais, irrigates the dry slopes. The Buvette Cave du Sex offers a good opportunity to take a break before travelling back on the wide Alpine roads to Aminona.